AceShowbiz - Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe has developed a crippling fear of boxer Mike Tyson after finding herself frozen to the spot as he walked by her at a recent awards ceremony. The "Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire" star, who landed her first Academy Award nomination on Tuesday, February 2, attended the Golden Globes in Hollywood in January, where Tyson was also a guest.

Sidibe didn't speak a word to the retired boxer because she was scared off by his intimidating facial tattoo. She explains, "At the Golden Globes Mike Tyson was there. I didn't realize, but I'm terrified of Mike Tyson. I saw him and I was standing with my manager and said, 'Don't move, don't move'."

"There's something about him. I'm sure he's a very nice man, but there's something about a face tattoo. It says, 'I've gone as far as I want to go in society' and it makes me want to take a few steps back. I'm sure he's nice though."

Tyson's successful career was overshadowed by a 1997 heavyweight title fight against Evander Holyfield, when he notoriously chewed off a piece of his opponent's ear. The former sportsmen buried their differences in October 2009 after Tyson apologized to Holyfield during an appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show".

The boxer also softened his hard man image in 2009 when he opened up about his demons and his past in a captivating documentary.