With his devastating punching power, Mike Tyson struck fear into his opponents and earned his nickname “the baddest man on the planet.” Despite admitting in his post-fight career that he sometimes used drugs while fighting, the former heavyweight champion only tested positive once for any substance during his two decades in the ring. In a recent episode of his podcast “Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson,” he candidly admits how he avoided detection.

Mike Tyson is one of the greatest heavyweights in boxing history

Mike Tyson is considered one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time. It all started in March 1985 at the ripe age of 18 when he turned professional. That first year, Tyson fought an unbelievable 19 times, each one of them ending in victory via some form of knockout.

In November 1986, Tyson won his first title defeating Trevor Berbick for the WBC heavyweight title, becoming the youngest heavyweight champ in the history of boxing. It was a precursor of things to come. 

Over the next several years, Tyson added numerous title belts to his collection. By the time he faced Buster Douglas in February 1990, he held the WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring heavyweight titles and had defended them all multiple times. 

Following his stunning defeat to Buster Douglas, Mike Tyson reclaimed the WBC and WBA belts before losing to Evander Holyfield twice. When he retired after his last fight in 2005, Tyson finished his career with a 50-6 record, including two no contests. 

Mike Tyson once tested positive for drugs 

Mike Tyson received his first no-contest against Orlin Norris in 1999 when his opponent could not continue following a Tyson foul. A year later, Tyson found himself in another no-contest, this time after initially defeating Andrew Golota, who quit after the second round.

The victory was later changed to a no-contest following the fight when Tyson’s post-fight urine sample tested positive for marijuana. To make matters worse, Tyson was suspended three months by the Michigan Athletic Board of Control and fined $200,000 by the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services for refusing to submit to a urine test before the fight.

According to The Telegraph, Mike Tyson later admitted the only reason he tested positive was because no one from his team could get him the “whizzer” or the fake penis he filled with untainted urine to avoid detection.   

How he avoided drug detection using a prosthetic penis 

Since retiring, Mike Tyson has admitted he was high during numerous fights, including the Golota bout and the Lou Savarese fight just months before, where he confessed he had taken “blow” and “pot” before fighting. 

On a recent episode of his podcast “Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson” during an interview with UFC Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky, who oversees drug testing at the UFC, the boxing legend detailed how he used the Whizzinator to avoid detection. 

“It was awesome, man. I put my baby’s urine in it,” Tyson said laughing. “And sometimes, one time I was using my wife’s and my wife was like ‘Baby you better not hope that it comes back pregnant or something.’ And I said ‘Nah, so we ain’t gonna use you anymore. We’re gonna use the kid.’ Cause I got scared that the piss might come back pregnant.”

After Novitzky indicated he had heard of that exact scenario happening before to a male athlete, he asked Tyson if he at least had the right color Whizzinator. 

“Yeah, hell yeah, I had a brown one,” Tyson told him. “This guy was so f**king macho, he was scared. I whipped it out, and he was like turning, ‘Hey man, take the f**king cup.’ This macho guy, he didn’t want to look at me and s**t.” 

Mike Tyson’s intimidation factor went well beyond the ring. Those administering his drug tests had to be concerned they might upset the boxer if they even hinted at questioning his integrity. Little did they know he was taking matters in his own hand and prosthesis to make sure they never uncovered the truth.