Mike Tyson Says He Is In The 'Best Shape Ever' Thanks To Vegan Diet

Mike Tyson has been a long time vegan and says he is in better shape thanks to his diet.

The 53-year-old former boxer has been regularly sharing videos with his 11.2 million Instagram followers, presenting a body that most men in his age can only dream of. 

Once the youngest-ever heavyweight champion and the greatest fighter on the planet, he was on a downward spiral after quitting professional sports. 

Tyson retired in 2005 and became known for his controversial behaviour outside the ring including heavy partying, addictions, prison stay and bankruptcy. For many years he was following an unhealthy lifestyle full alcohol, drugs of beef steaks that made him gain weight up to 27 stone.

He used to described himself as "the baddest man on the plant" and admitted that he also used to "hate himself".

2010, marked a turning point in his life. That's when he changed his self-destructive way of living and he became a vegan. Following a plant-based diet helped him lose weight and heal some of his health problems.

Tyson told Oprah Winfrey in 2013: "Well, my life is different today because I have stability in my life. I'm not on drugs. I'm not out on the streets or in clubs and everything in my life that I do now is structured around the development of my life and my family.

"I lost weight. I dropped over 100lbs and I just felt like changing my life, doing something different and I became a vegan."

Mike has been following a plant-based diet for over the decade and he credits it for his well-being.

"Becoming a vegan gave me another opportunity to live a healthy life. I was so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine, I could hardly breathe. High blood pressure, almost dying, arthritis and once I became a vegan all that stuff diminished," he said. 

In an interview with GQ Sports in 2019 he talked about veganism. 

"I don't eat anything that has a mother and father," he said. "If you were created through a mother and father, through any kind of intercourse, I won't eat you."

"So that means I only eat vegetables and stuff."

Iron Mike has been recently growing his cannabis empire and thinking of returning to professional boxing.