Mike Tyson Says He Used Fentanyl ‘Quite a Few Times’
Boxing icon Mike Tyson has opened up about using fentanyl during the late 1990s to manage chronic pain, offering new insight into the physical toll of his legendary career. In a recent appearance on the Katie Miller Podcast, the former heavyweight champion admitted to using the powerful opioid “quite a few times” to treat a persistent toe injury.
“It was a painkiller, and I used to use it to patch up my toe,” Tyson recalled. He described the drug’s effects as both immediate and intense, comparing fentanyl withdrawal to that of heroin. “Once it wears off and you take the Band-Aid off, you start withdrawing, throwing up—just like if you were on heroin.”
Tyson said he eventually stopped using fentanyl due to legal concerns, as the substance was not widely known at the time and could be flagged in drug tests. “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,” he said.
Now 59, Tyson has become a vocal advocate for marijuana reform and leads a cannabis company he co-founded. He argues that marijuana should be seen as medicine, especially for athletes dealing with the demands of professional sports. “Athletes play better when they smoke,” he said, expressing regret that he didn’t use cannabis during his boxing career.
Tyson is part of a growing movement of athletes pushing for changes in federal cannabis laws. Along with sports figures like Kevin Durant and Dez Bryant, he co-signed a letter to the White House calling for the reclassification of marijuana, clemency for nonviolent cannabis offenders, and reduced financial barriers for legal cannabis businesses.
In a separate interview with Fox News on his 59th birthday, June 30, Tyson suggested that his future in the ring may depend on whether federal cannabis legalization moves forward. While the law hasn’t changed yet, Tyson recently agreed to an exhibition bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr., 48. The fight, promoted by CSI Sports and Fight Sports, is expected to take place next spring, though an official date has not been announced.
“When CSI came to me about stepping in the ring with Floyd Mayweather, I thought, ‘No way this happens,’ but Floyd said yes,” Tyson told ESPN. “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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