Mike Tyson and Shaquille O’Neal share a bond built on mutual respect and generational dominance. Long before Shaq became a household name, Tyson was already a global icon. But even at the height of his boxing career, Tyson couldn’t help but be impressed when he heard about a massive young rookie tearing up the NBA.

That rookie was Shaquille O’Neal, fresh out of college and already turning heads with his size, strength, and raw power. Tyson invited Shaq over early in his NBA journey, curious to see the rising star for himself. From the moment they met, Tyson was in awe of the sheer size of O’Neal.

During a recent appearance on The Big Podcast, he said that he believed that someone built like that was destined to dominate forever. Shaq wasn’t just big, he was explosive and agile, and Tyson enjoyed watching him terrorize the league. The moment that truly stuck with Tyson, though, came during one of Shaq’s now-iconic backboard-breaking dunks.

On two separate occasions, Shaq didn’t just shatter the glass; he brought the entire structure down. One of those instances lives in Tyson’s memory as a historic event. He said, “It wasn’t like Dawkins when he had shattered it, he broke it. That’s history right there. No one will ever forget that moment.”

While Tyson admired Shaq’s strength and presence, Shaq was equally inspired by Tyson’s intensity and focus. He later revealed that he learned showmanship and mental discipline from watching the legend. Shaq said, “What I learned from Mike is the showmanship and the look.”

“When he invited me to that first fight, it was incredible. But when he was walking out, all business. So…every time I went to an opposing arena, I walked in there, I gave them the Tyson face,” Shaq said. Tyson’s walkouts are still revered to this day. People look back in awe at how focused he was on the job at hand. At the same time, Tyson had a terrifying demeanor before fights.

Even though their paths were very different, Shaq and Tyson found a lot of common ground to forge a friendship. That friendship has lasted decades, and it’s evident from their interaction on the podcast that it’s going to last forever.