Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Katie Miller Pod
Topics: Mike Tyson, Boxing, Boxing News
Jack Kenmare
As he prepares for his upcoming bout with Floyd Mayweather, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has admitted to using fentanyl “quite a few times” during the peak of his career.
The exact date, location and venue are still to be determined but it was confirmed earlier this month that Tyson and Mayweather have agreed to face each other in an exhibition bout in 2026.
It is said the event will be organised by CSI Sports/Fight Sports and will consist of eight two-minute rounds, as per Fight Hype.
Speaking about coming up against Mayweather, Tyson said: "This fight is something neither the world nor I ever thought would or could happen. However, boxing has entered a new era of the unpredictable - and this fight is as unpredictable as it gets."
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He added: "I still can't believe Floyd wants to really do this. It's going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to do it, so it's signed and it's happening."
Earlier this month, Richard and Craig Miele of CSI Sports said they are planning "a robust promotional campaign complete with weekly premium storytelling and worldwide marketing reach."
On Monday, Tyson featured on The Katie Miller Podcast to speak about a range of subjects, including some of the untold stories of his life.
And one of the biggest talking points was his admission to using fentanyl in the 1990s as he described the powerful opioid as being “like heroin".
Fentanyl is one of the most potent synthetic opioids and is around 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times more powerful than heroin. In fact, just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose.
"It was a painkiller, and I used to use it to patch up my toe," Tyson said. "It was like heroin - once it wears off and you take the Band-Aid off, you start withdrawing, throwing up, just like if you were on heroin."
He added: "It was illegal if it [was] caught in my bloodstream. It was a narcotic, my friend told me. It was brand new. I told my friend, 'Could I use this?' No one ever heard of it."
In an appearance on 'The Pivot' podcast in 2022, Tyson admitted that he had used psychedelic drugs before his exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr in November 2020.
He said: "It helps me train, it helps me box better. When I'm fighting, I really don't feel the punches. It's really just some f***ing magical s**t. You saw me just fight [against Jones]. I was on shrooms."
He added: "I wish I did this s**t during my career. I'm so f***ing mad I didn't know about this s**t. The word drugs is negative."
When asked about whether his drug advocacy was at times self-medication for other issues, he said: "We don't use [mushrooms] to run away."