American heavyweight Tyrone Spong faces 23 charges after pet cougar ESCAPED in Florida – days after getting hooked from fight with ‘The Cat’ Oleksandr Usyk for ‘adverse drug test’
- Tyrone Spong could be given 60 days in jail for each of the alleged offences
- His pet cougar escaped the backyard and wildlife officers tranquilised animal
- Cougars are native to the Americas and can grow to around 200-pounds
- Spong was recently pulled from fight with Oleksandr Usyk for failed VADA test
American heavyweight Tyrone Spong faces 23 charges after his pet cougar escaped and was found roaming the streets of his Florida neighbourhood.
The boxer, who is enduring a dreadful week after being pulled from his fight with Oleksandr Usyk due to an ‘adverse’ drug test, will now have to face prosecutors on the numerous alleged offenses relating to his pet.
Alarmed neighbours in Parkland called wildlife officers to the scene after seeing the 60-pound animal leap over a fence and sunbathe in a driveway.
American heavyweight Tyrone Spong is facing 23 charges after his pet cougar escaped
Cougars are native to the Americas and are the fourth largest cat species in the world
When asked about the incident Spong said he didn’t know anything about it
Fortunately the emergency services were able to tranquilize the cougar and take it to a nearby wildlife centre.
The incident occurred in January but the charges from the State Attorney’s Office are now being brought.
If found guilty, Spong faces fines of more than £400 and up to 60 days in jail for each offence, according to South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The long list of alleged offences include; keeping the cougar without a permit, holding it in a small cage, failing to give the animal clean water or shelter and allowing it to escape his property.
Spong’s cougar, not pictured, was tranquilised after wildlife officers were called
The heavyweight describes himself as an animal lover and posts pictures with them online
Cougar’s have been known to kill household pets, even large dogs and can grow to around 200-pounds.
They are native to the Americas and are the fourth largest cat species in the world.
When asked by the South Florida Sun Sentinel about the charges, Spong said: ‘I don’t know nothing about it’ and then hung up the phone.
Feline problems seem to be plaguing the unbeaten 14-0 fighter, who was scheduled to face Usyk, known as ‘The Cat’.
But the ‘adverse findings’ in Spong’s Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency drug test meant he was not permitted to fight.
The American denies any wrongdoing and Usyk will now take on Chazz Witherspoon in Chicago this Saturday instead.
Spong was supposed to fight Oleksandr Usyk but had to pull out over an ‘adverse drug test’