Mike Tyson’s devastating power may have indirectly led to the death of iconic rapper Tupac Shakur
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Tyson says he insisted that Pac come for his fight against Bruce Sheldon the night when he was shot
Mike Tyson and Tupac Shakur were probably among the two most well-known faces throughout the world in the 90s. Both came up from nothing and were able to capture the imagination of an entire country at a very young age with their ferociousness in the ring and on the mic.
However, it may have been Tyson’s ferocious power that led to Pac’s untimely death on that dark night in Las Vegas, in 1996. Yes, Tupac who was shot just mere hours after Tyson had headlined a heavyweight title fight at the MGM Grand might still be living had Mike not been so powerful in the ring.
Tyson, who was on his climb back up after being sentenced to prison after being convicted of raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington, was set to face off against then WBA heavyweight champion, Bruce Sheldon. Prior to this fight, Mike Tyson had already demolished his opponents in all three of his ring appearances since getting out of prison.
Fans surely did expect Sheldon to put up a fight but they were wrong. Sheldon folded within the very first round leading to a very short night at the office for Tyson who was now the WBA and WBC heavyweight champion. In attendance for this fight, by Tyson’s own insistence was Tupac. He was even seen backstage congratulating Tyson on the win as the two young stars embraced each other.
Mike Tyson was supposed to be in Tupac’s car the night the rapper was shot
However, due to the fight lasting for such a short period, fate led to Tupac crossing paths with a member of one of his rival gangs in the hotel lobby at the MGM Grand. This would lead to an altercation where Tupac knocked out Orlando Anderson, a member of the South Side crips.
Had Tyson’s bout gone a few rounds longer, maybe the two might have never crossed paths that night in the lobby which would ultimately lead to the rapper’s death. What’s more disturbing is that Tyson was originally supposed to accompany Tupac to the club 662, en route to which his BMW was caught in a drive-by shooting, allegedly by Anderson and his gang members.
Speaking of the incident Tyson would express he felt guilty for “pressuring” Tupac to attend his fight that night.
Expressing his feelings Tyson said, “I feel a little guilty about him coming to the fight and me pressuring him … I was supposed to go out with him that night. I promised to go to the 662 with him that night, but I just had a little baby and her mother was provoking me to stay home, so I stayed home,”
Also Read: “Make your dreams reality”- Jake Paul quotes rap legend Tupac on the occasion of his birthday
Tyson later on in life would become a marijuana magnate, something Tupac always invited him to participate in when he was alive. However due to drug testing in sports Tyson never found the opportune moment to do so.
A few hours after Pac met Tyson backstage and the hotel lobby altercation, the rapper would be shot at a red light at East Flamingo road along with his record label owner Suge Knight.
Pac was driven to the hospital by Suge, who himself has sustained injuries to his head. However, compared to Pac’s injuries they were paper cuts at best as the rapper was shot twice in his chest, once in his thigh and arm suffering a total of 4 bullet hits. He would succumb to his injuries six days later at the young age of 25
Also Read: Mike Tyson gives two-division UFC champion a masterclass on signature “PEEK A BOO” technique
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Jerin Mathew
(713 Articles Published)