Mike Tyson calls Doncaster 'real bad stuff' while discussing 'wild parts' of UK

The former heavyweight champion was a regular visitor to Doncaster back in the early 2000s after striking up an unlikely friendship with Askern newsagent Andy Booker.

And he clearly remembers his time in Doncaster, with the fighter, known as Iron Mike and The Baddest Man On The Planet during his fighting heyday, discussing it in his latest Hot Box In’ podcast.

Asked about ‘wild parts’ of the UK, Tyson replied: “Doncaster….all these places…..real bad stuff.”

Boxing fan Mr Booker who followed Tyson’s fights around the globe became friends with the fearsome fighter.

He even stunned regulars at the White Hart in Askern when he dropped in for a drink.

Landlord Wes Fox said: “We cornered off an area for him as it was so busy.

"He was great and signed loads of T-shirts and boxing gloves.”

Tyson settled for a ginger ale rather than a pint and the landlord added: "He told me he has not had a better reception anywhere in the country. The great thing was most people in the pub were actually people who drink here. It was packed with locals.”

Mr Booker also co-promoted an appearance by Tyson at The Dome where he gave his IBF world title belt to Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson who lost both legs in an explosion while serving in Afghanistan

He said: 'This is typical of Mike. He's so generous. But he's also very modest.”

Tyson raised £5,000 from a sporting dinner for the family of a Yorkshire policewoman shot dead and also handed over £10,000 to the family of Doncaster rugby league coach St John Ellis following his death.

Now 56, he is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time and reigned as the undisputed world champion from 1987 to 1990.

Claiming his first belt at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title.

In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, although he was released on parole after three years and embarked on a comeback, notoriously biting a chunk out of opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear in a 1997 bout.