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PHOTO: 6’9 Magic Johnson Hugging 5’9 Mike Tyson Over a Decade Before Iconic Face Tattoo

Published 01/18/2023, 5:04 PM EST

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The Los Angeles Lakers and their legacy is a result of a lot of years of star-studded rosters. Players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Wilt Chamberlain were the building blocks of the Lakers’ legacy alongside many others. Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar dominated the NBA throughout the 80s and made the Lakers a household name. In a time when televised sports were becoming the norm, Johnson and co. were the best in the business. Their feats attracted the best from every sport, as Mike Tyson was once snapped enjoying his time with Johnson.

In the late 1980s when Mike Tyson was blowing up the Boxing world, he met Magic Johnson. Both of them were at the top of their sport while they were clicked laughing in the iconic picture.

Mike Tyson and Magic Johnson were once photographed before Tyson became the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’

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The Lakers legend back in the 80s was unstoppable. He came into the team as a youngster who had to stand up to greats like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and wasted no time. Johnson was ready to go as soon as he donned the purple and gold. 

Back in another part of the country, Mike Tyson was demolishing his opponents in the 80s. Tyson won his first Heavyweight title in 1986 and went on battering any opponent he faced in the ring. Tyson was everyone’s favorite, including the five-time NBA Champion, a feeling which still stands as revealed in this tweet. In a resurfaced picture from the 80s they are seen hugging each other while sharing a laugh together.

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Tyson was just 20 years old when he won his first Heavyweight title. Just like the Lakers legend, he was a young achiever, whose talent was recognized at an early age. The five-time NBA Champion was also 20 when he debuted for the LA side. Both the stars are one foot apart from each other in terms of height but their legacies are quite similar in magnitude. One can say that Tyson despite being a boxer had sharp features as a young man, which weren’t hidden by his tattoo.

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Although both stars had different paths and journeys in their career, their will to push through was similar. To be the best at a young age is easier than maintaining that throughout.

Mike Tyson and Magic Johnson pushed through the adversities faced in their career

Both Johnson and Tyson have sacrificed a lot to be in their position. The six-time Heavyweight Champion started training at the age of 13 to be the youngest heavyweight champion. The NBA legend used to haul trash with his father in his early days.

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The controversies that both Tyson and Johnson faced in their career didn’t end them. As they transformed themselves into better men. Tyson came out of a career-ending incident with Evander Holyfield, but has since apologized and is very calm in front of people. Johnson’s 1991 HIV contraction stopped his career, but he came back one last time to show what he was capable of.

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Written by:

Shankha Shuvra Das

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Shankha Shuvra Das is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Economics and has extensive experience in freelance content creation, especially in the field of technology. Shankha's passion for covering the sport of basketball stems from his love for the NBA, which he has been following closely for several years now.
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Edited by:

Satagni Sikder