24 Years After Mick Foley Took a Bump From a 16-Foot Steel Cage, Mike Tyson Has One Question

There’s a saying that Mike Tyson saved Heavyweight boxing, if not boxing per se. After the most extraordinary Muhammad Ali‘s departure, the division had been strumming through. It wasn’t until a barely out-of-teen Mike Tyson stormed in. So much so that the later half of the 80s decade is often called the Mike Tyson era, his exceptional ring IQ married to a special, most of the time, brutal strength toppled all recognized conventions. In 1986, barely a year after his debut, he became the youngest Heavyweight champion in history.

If only the vagaries of time were predictable. Time caught up with the most dreaded boxer the world had ever seen. Essentially since 1990, with the first defeat, Tyson, barring a few exceptions, went through one difficult phase to another. During one of those periods, the infamous “Bite Fight” against Evander Holyfield saw his boxing license rescinded. But the wrestling promotion World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) came to his rescue. The organization trying to salvage its visible decline, Tyson’s joining proved a boon at the most opportune time.

Nearly a decade-and-a-half after retirement from boxing, ‘Iron’ Mike, now well entrenched as a successful entrepreneur, launched his podcast Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson. Now in its fourth year, the popularity of the show could be vouched by the nearly one million subscriptions it has. Life stories from guests and Tyson keep the fans and followers glued to the end. Given his past and well-known love for wrestling, luminaries like Rick Flair have graced the show in the past.

Two legends get together

So it was time for another guest from wrestling to share some beautiful stories with Mike Tyson and his co-host Sebastian Day-Joseph. Some of which left even boxing’s fiercest champion bewildered.

Fifty-seven-year-old Mark William Calaway achieved global fame as ‘The Undertaker.’ Debuting in 1987, he joined the WWE in 1990 and remained with the promotion till his retirement in 2020. The three-decade-long career is replete with stories and anecdotes to regale.

So near the one-hour mark, Sebastian Day-Joseph asked ‘The Undertaker,’ “What was your favorite match that you that you’ve done?”

The latter responded, “I’ve had several, you know, for just a pure like a pure wrestling straight match was Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 25 um then you got Hell in the Cell with Mick Foley where I threw him up.”

When he heard Mick Foley’s name, Mike Tyson jumped, “… let’s talk about him.”

The terrific fight that left Mike Tyson baffled

The trio then got down to discuss the legendary Hell in A Cell, 1998. Part of the King of the Ring event, it took place at Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena on June 28. It had ‘The Undertaker’ fight Mick Foley, aka ‘Mankind,’ on a cage roughly 16 feet high, raised above a standard fighting ring. The fight turned legendary and remains famous among die-hard fans, especially for Foley’s fall.

While reviewing the video, Tyson asked, “What does he say? I’m gonna take this jump and take this leap?”Curious enough, Day-Joseph also joined, “How do you guys practice that?”

‘The Undertaker,’ responded, “You don’t; he never he had had never been up there on top of that that cell.” Visibly pained, Tyson asked, “Why does he do it like this?”

Then ‘The Undertaker’ explained how during the second Hell in A Cell match, Foley was keen to make it as good as the first one between the former and Shawn Michaels. He took the hosts through the tidbits of the fight, how it went right up to the point where he chokeslammed Foley, who fell crashing through the cage’s roof on the ring mat. Watching from above, ‘The Undertaker’ could see Foley passing out. He told Tyson and Day-Joseph, “…honestly in my eyes, I’m looking down at a dead guy.”

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By now, wholly engrossed by Mikc Foley’s performance, Mike Tyson could utter, “Why would he do that?” The guest also added that the sequence was unplanned and not supposed to occur.

Reportedly, Mick Foley, who received multiple injuries, received a standing ovation from the crowd for his performance. Even the critics couldn’t help but throw heaps of praise on the match. As a result, the 1998 match is now counted among the WWE classics.

What is your take on the story? Do share your views and thoughts with us in the comments below.

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