The heavyweight boxer Tyrone Spong has had 23 charges filed against him over the escape of an “extremely dangerous” cougar in Florida.

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, wildlife officers had to tranquilize the 60lbs cat in January after it was found sunbathing on a driveway before jumping into a backyard in Parkland, Broward County. It was initially thought to be an endangered Florida panther but was subsequently identified as a captive-bred cougar. Cougars rarely attack humans but they have killed people in the the western United States in the past, most recently in Oregon in 2018.

Errol Spence Jr in intensive care after high-speed Ferrari crash Read more

The animal, which was underweight when it was found, was eventually traced to Spong. The Sun-Sentinel reports that the cougar has since regained its health. It is not illegal to keep cougars in Florida but strict guidelines must be followed. Among the charges the 34-year-old Spong faces are allowing the cougar to escape, keeping it without a permit, keeping it in too small a cage, not providing it with shelter, failing to provide it with toys or things to do, and failing to provide clean water for exotic birds. Each of the charges carries a fine of up to $500. Formal charges were filed in court this week.

“I don’t know nothing about it,” Spong told the Sun-Sentinel when reached for comment.

Spong started his fight career as a kickboxer before turning to boxing. He has a professional record of 14-0 with 13 wins by knockout, and is the WBC and WBO Latino heavyweight champion. He was due to fight Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk this weekend in Chicago but failed a drugs test, a charge he denies.