Mike Tyson Enters Cannabis Industry By Selling Edible Pot Gummies In The Shape Of Evander Holyfield’s Ear

Former professional boxer Mike Tyson has entered the cannabis industry in New York, joining the lineup of celebrities selling weed in his home state.

Celebrities have launched product lines and secured endorsement deals over the last decade as the use of cannabis was becoming legalized in many states. New York joined the states allowing legal recreational weed last year.

The former champ, 57, recently released the Tyson 2.0 line, including smokable flower varieties named Tiger Mintz and Knockout OG. He also sold gummies shaped like Evander Holyfield‘s ear, a reference to when he bit Holyfield’s ear during a 1997 bout, one of the six fights he lost.

Tyson is one of the biggest names in the industry so far.

During a recent public appearance in Manhattan, hundreds of fans were spotted trying to buy the cannabis from him. The former boxer made over $40,000 in sales within a few hours at two participating dispensaries.

“The cannabis is just doing incredible,” Tyson told reporters. “You can’t even believe it.”

As a Brooklyn native, Tyson frames his new business venture as a homecoming. He’s joined fellow New Yorkers, Method Man from Wu-Tang Clan and Abby Rockefeller, an ecologist. Rockefeller invested in Hudson Cannabis, where Tyson’s weed is grown.

Cannabis brands supported by celebrities have received mixed reviews. Although these brands tend to sell more than traditional ones, they still can’t compete with the biggest names in the industry.

In California, the largest market, only nine of the top 30 brands are supported or owned by celebrities. These include Tyson 2.0, Seth Rogen‘s Houseplant and Carlos Santana‘s Mirayo, according to Headset, a cannabis-focused data firm.

It’s harder for celebrity brands to compete in these markets because they cost more and often have lower quality than brands that provide the highest potency for the lowest price. In California, the average cost of a 3.5-gram bag of flowers is around $23.14. However, Tyson charges 23% more at $28.44.

Tyson credits his success to his hands-on approach to customers and his business expansion into New York and Maryland rather than just his celebrity status.

Tyson opened up about how cannabis helped him in an interview with the New York Times. He said that a decade ago, he was “broke” and struggled with a cocaine addiction. The weed helped him get clean and turn into a successful businessman.

“Your name may get someone to try it once,” he said. “But your brand and the quality of your product will make people come back.”

He is now living in Las Vegas and owns a cannabis ranch.

Tyson hopes to become a trailblazer, saying it’s “more important to me than making money.”

Celebrities like Jay-Z and Cynthia Nixon are reshaping perceptions of marijuana by either launching luxury weeds or helping to legalize it.

John Boehner, former Speaker of the House, joined the Acreage Holdings board in 2018. The company operates medical dispensaries in New York and deals in cannabis products. Boehner opposed legalizing cannabis while in Congress but changed his stance. He stood to gain $20 million if federal policy regarding the industry changed, as a larger cannabis company was acquiring Acreage Holdings.

It helped raise awareness of how the criminalization of marijuana fueled racism and inequality.

Fab 5 Freddy, a street artist who later became the host of Yo! MTV Raps, was a popular cable show featuring street hip-hop. Now, he is the co-owner and the chief executive officer of B Noble, a weed brand.