Mike Tyson rant at Canadian news anchor Nathan Downer on CP24

Mike Tyson has launched a swearing tirade on Canadian TV CP24 in Toronto.

The former boxing champion was appearing on CP24 TV to promote his one-man stage show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth.

The interview turned nasty when news anchor Nathan Downer turned his questioning to Mike Tyson’s earlier visit to the city where the former boxer met mayor Rob Ford and labelled him “the best in Toronto’s history”.

Mike Tyson was challenged on his suitability as a public endorser of the controversial mayor’s re-election bid. Rob Ford became embroiled in a substance abuse scandal in 2013 and admitted to smoking crack cocaine.

“Do you prefer him to be a guy that’s clean-cut, and behind the door you never know what he’s doing? Human beings have a problem with being real with themselves … we all make mistakes,” Mike Tyson said of Rob Ford.

“He’s a human being. He’s no different than anybody else.”

Nathan Downer raised the point in his questioning of Mike Tyson: “Some of your critics would say, <<There’s a race for mayor. We know you’re a convicted rapist. This could hurt his campaign>>. How would you respond to that?”

“Hey, I don’t know who said that. You’re the only one I’ve heard say that,” Mike Tyson replied.

“I don’t have no comment to that, because it’s negative. You’re being negative.”

When Mike Tyson’s handler, seated next to him, tried to get the subject switched, it was obvious that Tyson was stewing at being blindsided by the unexpected questions over his links to Rob Ford.

That’s when he fired off at Nathan Downer.

“It’s so interesting, you come off like a nice guy, but that was really a piece of s***, that comment. F*** you. That was a piece of s***.”

Nathan Downer reminded Mike Tyson they were appearing on live TV – to no avail.

“I don’t care. What are you going to do about it?”

When he was questioned about the pressures of appearing in a one-man show, Mike Tyson didn’t give up: “It’s more nerve-racking for me to sit here talking to a rat piece of s*** like you.”

Nathan Downer then called time on the interview, politely thanking Mike Tyson for the opportunity.

“F*** you,” Mike Tyson said in the background as the show took a break.

Nathan Downer later tweeted: “I’m okay everybody. Unfortunately my question hurt Mike Tyson’s feelings. That was not my intentions. My apologies for the language.”