Hi Nelson,
I think Kat provided you with a good answer and I'm only going to take this a little deeper and try and add some depth to the conversation.
1 Cor 15:32 If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beastsG2341 at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
The word beasts here is defined by strong's as:
G2341
thēriomacheō
thay-ree-om-akh-eh'-o
From a compound of G2342 and G3164; to be a beast fighter (in the gladiatorial show), that is, (figuratively) to encounter (furious men): - fight with wild beasts.
It is the only occurance in the bible of this word being used. This word is different than that used in Mark's account of Jesus being in the wilderness:
G2342
thērion
thay-ree'-on
Diminutive from the same as G2339; a dangerous animal: - (venomous, wild) beast.
Occurs 42 times.
Now an important thing you need to understand in scripture is that no verse interprets itself. You need to compare spiritual with spiritual. Two or three witnesses and considering the Sum of the Word.
2 Peter 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh [carnal men / false prophets etc...] in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2 Peter 2:12 But these [see v. 10], as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
Jude 1:10 But these [carnal men/ false prophets etc...] speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Now for completnesses sake, Peter uses a different word for beast than Mark or Paul but the same one as Jude.
Ecclesiastes 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
So as I stated initially, whether you take the beasts Paul delt with as literal or more figuratively it changes little the over all meaning of what he was trying to get across which Kat pointed out nicely.
Personally, I believe that you can look at what Paul delt with as figurative beasts in the form of the men that Peter,Jude, and Solomon described or as literal ones and still be following after the Truth. In fact, I think almost all of scripture has duel meaning. First the natural and then the spiritual. However you lookat it, either way, Paul certainly encountered those brutish beasts of men Peter and Jude described along his journey of spreading the gospel, of that I gaurentee you!
God bless,
Alex