Sylvester Stallone rejected once-in-a-lifetime offer from Mike Tyson after 'fearing for his life'

He might have played one of the most iconic big-screen boxers of all time in the Rocky series, but Sylvester Stallone wanted no part of a showdown with Mike Tyson.

"Iron Mike" was one of the most decorated and feared fighters in boxing history during his peak. The power-puncher became the youngest-ever heavyweight champion when, aged just 20, he knocked out Trevor Berbick to claim the WBC belt in 1986.

The New York native went on to rack up 59 fights over a career that spanned two decades. He won 50 of those contests, with 44 victories by way of knockout.

And Tyson  – who was imprisoned for rape in the early 1990s – showed his unhinged side in the ring in 1997 when he infamously bit a chunk out of Evander Holyfield's ear during a title fight.

Lennox Lewis fought against Mike Tyson in 2002 (Credit:Getty)

During the height of the Rocky franchise, Stallone claims Tyson contacted him repeatedly to express a desire to play Rocky's final in-ring opponent.

And while Tyson's on-screen presence would have added a fresh layer of realism and credibility to the Rocky movies, Stallone decided against the idea, fearing the combustible boxer would be a dangerous foe, even in the acting realm.

“Mike wanted to fight me in this film but I thought it was a bad idea," Stallone told Contact Music, via Boxing Scene. "I know I'm not that young, but I'm still too young to die.

“I said, 'Thanks, but I don't think that would be a very good idea. Thank you very much.' But he kept calling the office saying he wanted to be in the film fighting me.”

Stallone instead suggested to Tyson the he could have a cameo at ringside.

“Eventually, I relented and said he could be in the audience," the movie star explained. "Then I never heard from him. Suddenly, when I turn up in the ring he's there at the side.

"I turned around and said to the crew, 'Can you make sure you keep that son of a b***h out of the ring. If he gets in he'll kill me.' The man's a killer.”