A riveting story has reemerged detailing a near-confrontation between two of the biggest sports icons of the 1980s, Mike Tyson and Michael Jordan. The incident occurred at a Chicago restaurant during the birthday celebration of NFL star Richard Dent in 1988, a party that included prominent figures such as promoter Don King and Tyson’s co-manager, Rory Holloway.
In his book, *Taming the Beast: The Untold Story of Team Tyson*, Holloway recounts the tension-filled dinner. Tyson, then the undefeated heavyweight champion, was dealing with a tumultuous marriage with actress Robin Givens, which was on the brink of a bitter divorce. Adding to the tension, Jordan had previously dated Givens before Tyson’s relationship with her.
According to Holloway, a mix of alcohol and unresolved feelings led to a combustible atmosphere. Tyson, sipping on his drink of choice—a Long Island Iced Tea—confronted Jordan across the table. “Hey man, you think I’m stupid? I know you f**ked with my bitch,” Tyson allegedly said, to which a shocked Jordan could only look on, wishing for an escape.
The situation escalated to the point where Holloway had to instruct the servers to dilute Tyson’s drinks in an attempt to cool the rising tension. Don King and other members of Tyson’s management team, including John Horne, worked to divert the conversation and calm Tyson down, who was vocal about his displeasure, threatening to “bust Jordan’s ass.”
While the evening was fraught with drama, later accounts from other attendees like Mike Ditka, the Chicago Bears coach at the time, and Richard Dent himself, offered a more subdued version of the events. Ditka dismissed the story as exaggerated, influenced by alcohol, and described the altercation as unlikely, citing Jordan’s class and demeanor. Dent recalled the night as a simple gathering post-game, noting that while Tyson did bring up Givens, he did not recall any intense confrontation or Jordan appearing scared.
This tale, nestled between sports lore and celebrity scandal, highlights a moment when two titans of their respective fields nearly collided off the field and court, all over past romantic entanglements and under the influence of strong emotions—and cocktails.
