'Tough' Tyson Is America's Most Beautiful Bulldog!

While his namesake, the former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, may not have been very thrilled, 2-year old Tyson didn't seem to mind in the least bit when he was crowned winner of this year's 'Beautiful Bulldog' pageant, held by Des Moines based Drake University.

Now in its 33rd year, the popular contest which took place on April 23rd, 2012 is a precursor to the Drake Relays - The nation's oldest and most prestigious track and field competition.

As is the case every year, among the 50 contestants picked by lottery, were bulldogs masquerading as ballerinas, businessman complete with a tie, Zena the princess warrior and even a massive barbeque sandwich similar to one sold by a nearby restaurant.

While Fletcher, the delectable sandwich dog did not impress the judges, his costume which comprised of a bun, tenderloin, buffalo chicken strip, cheeseburger, bacon, brisket, fried cheese and white cheddar sauce, sure did, earning him the 'Slickest Dressed' costume award.

But all these costumes did not fool the judges who were looking for a bulldog with pizzazz - And that, was shown by the unadorned Tyson, who came as himself. Instead, he impressed the judges with his fetching looks, compact figure and most importantly, winning personality! The bulldog's owner Tyler and Chelsea Motter said his pleasant demeanor was the reason they decided to enter him for the competition and not his brother Chubbs.

Unused to all this fame, the Urbandale resident seemed to be a little nervous following the first few minutes of the announcement. He first fell flat on his face from the winner's chair and then refused to even look at the celebratory doggie-cake placed in front of him. However, as the nerves subsided, he began enjoying all the fuss and devoured the entire dessert in a few bites.

Tyson's yearlong tenure as Most Beautiful Bulldog began with a bang on April 24th, when he regally paraded around the stadium as the official mascot for the Drake Relays at the opening ceremonies of the championships. His owners have no doubt the the cute puppy who loves to play, will fulfill the rest of his duties cheerfully - For that apparently, is just his personality. 

Resources: hawkeye.com,guardian.co.uk