Mike Tyson is a former American professional boxer born on June 30, 1966. He fought professionally from 1985 to 2005 and plans to compete again in 2024. People call him “Iron Mike” “Kid Dynamite” and “The Baddest Man on the Planet.” He’s known as one of the best heavyweight boxers ever.
Tyson was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. He won his first 19 fights by knockout 12 in the first round. At 20 years and 4 months, he became the youngest boxer to win a heavyweight title. Tyson was the first to hold the WBA WBC and IBF titles together and unify them.
In 1990, Mike Tyson lost to Buster Douglas in a major upset. In 1992 he was convicted of rape and served three years in prison. After his release, he regained the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 joining a small group of boxers who’ve done that.
Tyson is famous for his aggressive boxing style and controversial actions inspired by boxer Sonny Liston. He’s considered one of the hardest hitters in boxing history with an 88% knockout rate. Tyson has been honored with the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
| Full Name | Mike Tyson |
| Date of Birth | June 30, 1966 |
| Place of Birth | New York, USA |
| Occupation | Former Professional Boxer |
| Height | 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) |
| Spouse | Lakiha Spicer (m. 2009) |
| Children | Miguel Leon Tyson, Exodus Tyson, Milan Tyson, Mikey Lorna Tyson, Amir Tyson, Ramsey Tyson |
| Net Worth | $10 million |
Mike Tyson’s Early Life and Education
Michael Gerard Tyson was born in New York City on June 30, 1966. He grew up in Brooklyn with his older brother Rodney and older sister Denise who sadly passed away when she was 24.
His mom from Virginia had a tough life and his dad on paper was a cab driver but the man Mike knew as his dad was a pimp named Jimmy. Jimmy left the family when Mike was born and Mike’s mom had to raise them alone.
They lived in different parts of Brooklyn where there was a lot of crime. Mike got into trouble a lot partly because he defended his pigeons and partly because people made fun of his voice. By the time he was 13, he’d been arrested 38 times. Eventually, he went to a school for boys where a counselor noticed he was good at boxing. This counselor introduced him to Cus D’Amato who became his trainer and guardian after Mike’s mom passed away.
Mike Tyson dropped out of school but later got an honorary degree. He trained hard with Kevin Rooney and sometimes with Teddy Atlas until he was 15. After that Rooney trained him all the way.
Losing his mom was tough for Mike emotionally as she never got to see him succeed.
Mike Tyson’s Career
In his early career, Mike Tyson started strong making his professional debut at just 18 years old in Albany New York on March 6, 1985. His first opponent was Hector Mercedes whom he defeated with a first-round TKO. Over the next year, Tyson fought 15 times winning 26 out of his first 28 fights by knockout or TKO with 16 of those victories coming in the first round. Initially facing less experienced fighters he gradually moved up to more seasoned opponents like James Tillis David Jaco Jesse Ferguson Mitch Green and Marvis Frazier.
Mike Tyson gained considerable attention from the media due to his winning streak being touted as the future heavyweight champion. However, his mentor Cus D’Amato passed away in November 1985 which some believe marked the beginning of challenges that Tyson would face in his personal and professional life.
Moving up in the rankings Tyson’s first nationally televised fight was on February 16, 1986, against Jesse Ferguson in Troy New York. Tyson knocked down Ferguson in the fifth round causing a nose injury that led to the fight being stopped in the sixth round due to Ferguson’s holding and clinching. Initially called a disqualification win for Tyson it was later changed to a technical knockout to maintain Tyson’s streak of knockout victories.
Continuing his impressive run Tyson won several more fights by knockout in 1986 including a notable victory over Marvis Frazier. His tough match against José Ribalta at Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City showcased Tyson’s resilience despite Ribalta enduring numerous body blows and persistently engaging Tyson.
On November 22, 1986, Mike Tyson faced Trevor Berbick for the WBC heavyweight championship and won by TKO in the second round becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in history at just 20 years and 4 months old. He went on to add the WBA and IBF titles to his collection in 1987 after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker.
Tyson’s boxing style combined incredible strength speed accuracy and defensive skills utilizing the peek-a-boo technique taught by D’Amato. His dominance in the ring and series of victories made him a celebrated figure in the boxing world often compared to legendary champions like Dempsey Tunney Louis Marciano and Ali.
Throughout the late 1980s, Mike Tyson continued to defend his titles and faced off against renowned fighters such as Larry Holmes Tony Tubbs, and Michael Spinks whom he famously knocked out in 91 seconds. Despite his success in boxing Tyson’s personal life began to unravel with issues in his marriage to Robin Givens and conflicts over his management and training team.
Tyson’s career took a downturn in 1990 when he lost his undisputed championship to Buster Douglas in a shocking upset. This defeat marked a turning point in Tyson’s life prompting reflection and a renewed focus on his career.
Despite setbacks, Tyson made a comeback with wins over Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart setting the stage for a potential rematch for the heavyweight championship against Evander Holyfield.’
Mike Tyson faced legal troubles when he was arrested in July 1991 for raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington in an Indianapolis hotel room. His trial in Marion County court took place from January 26 to February 10, 1992. Washington’s account was partly supported by Tyson’s chauffeur who confirmed her distressed state after the incident. A doctor also testified that Washington’s physical condition matched that of a rape victim.
During the trial, Tyson claimed the encounter was consensual denying any wrongdoing. However, after nearly 10 hours of deliberation, the jury found him guilty of rape on February 10, 1992. His defense team led by Alan Dershowitz argued legal errors in the trial including the exclusion of certain evidence and witnesses but the appeals court upheld the verdict.
Mike Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison and four years of probation starting from March 26, 1992. He served time at the Indiana Youth Center until his release in March 1995 less than three years later. As a result of his conviction, Tyson had to register as a Tier II sex offender under federal law.
Despite his prison term Tyson returned to boxing in 1995 and quickly regained popularity with wins against Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. His comeback fights garnered huge earnings notably his first bout back which grossed over $96 million worldwide.
Mike Tyson continued his boxing career reclaiming titles and engaging in high-profile matches such as his fights against Frank Bruno Bruce Seldon and Evander Holyfield. The infamous rematch with Holyfield in 1997 ended in disqualification for Tyson after he bit Holyfield’s ear leading to widespread condemnation and a temporary suspension from boxing.
Throughout his career Tyson’s life outside the ring was marked by legal issues and controversies including assault charges and incidents that affected his public image and career trajectory.
Tyson had a chance to fight for a heavyweight title again in 2002 against Lennox Lewis who held several titles. They had known each other since a training camp in 1984. Tyson wanted to fight Lewis in Nevada for more money but he was denied a boxing license there due to legal issues. Before the fight, Tyson made provocative comments about Lewis and they even got into a brawl at a press conference in New York.
After struggling to get licensed in several states they finally fought in Memphis Tennessee. Lewis won the fight decisively and it became the highest-grossing pay-per-view event ever at the time.
Tyson’s next fight in Memphis in 2003 was against Clifford Etienne which he won in less than a minute. However, Tyson’s career was marked by financial problems and he eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2003.
In 2004, Mike Tyson tried to arrange a fight with K-1 fighter Bob Sapp but couldn’t get a visa for Japan due to his criminal record. He later fought British boxer Danny Williams in Kentucky but lost by knockout after injuring his knee early in the match.
Tyson continued to struggle in subsequent fights and eventually lost interest in boxing. He faced legal issues including drug possession charges in 2007.
In 2013, Tyson admitted in his autobiography to using his wife’s and infant’s urine to pass doping tests during his career.
Recently Tyson planned to return to the ring in 2024 against Jake Paul but the fight was postponed due to health issues. It’s now rescheduled for November 15, 2024, in Arlington Texas.
What Is Mike Tyson’s Net Worth?
Mike Tyson’s Net Worth is estimated to be $10 Million as of 2024, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Mike Tyson’s Personal Life
Mike Tyson who lives in Seven Hills Nevada has been married three times and has seven children one of whom has passed away. His children are from different relationships. He counts his second wife’s oldest daughter as his own.
His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens on February 7, 1988, in Chicago. Givens was famous for her role in the sitcom Head of the Class. Their marriage was tough with claims of violence and mental problems from Tyson’s side. In September 1988 they gave an interview with Barbara Walters on 20/20 where Givens said living with Tyson was like torture. She also said Tyson was “manic depressive” which doctors later confirmed. Givens announced she was divorcing Tyson a month later and they officially split on February 14, 1989.
In a book called “Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson” Tyson admitted to punching Givens saying it was the best punch he ever threw although he later said the book was full of lies. They didn’t have any children together but Givens said she had a miscarriage which Tyson denied claiming she lied about being pregnant to marry him. During their marriage, they lived in a big house in New Jersey.
Mike Tyson’s second marriage was to Monica Turner from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003. Turner was working as a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center at the time. She’s the sister of Michael Steele who used to be Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and chairman of the Republican National Committee. Turner filed for divorce in January 2002 accusing Tyson of cheating during their five-year marriage. They had two kids together sons named Amir and Ramsey.
On May 25, 2009, Mike Tyson’s four-year-old daughter Exodus was found unconscious and tangled in a treadmill cord by her seven-year-old brother. She died the next day. Tyson rushed back from Las Vegas to be with her but she didn’t make it.
Eleven days after Exodus’s death Tyson married for the third time to his long-time girlfriend Lakiha “Kiki” Spicer. They got married on June 6 2009 in a quick private ceremony in Las Vegas. They have two children together a daughter named Milan and a son named Morocco.
Mike Tyson was raised Catholic but converted to Islam before going to prison. Many media outlets incorrectly reported that he converted during his time in prison and adopted the Muslim name Malik Abdul Aziz or Malik Shabazz but Tyson never officially changed his name.
In November 2013, Mike Tyson expressed disillusionment with organized religion saying “The more I look into the churches and mosques for God the more I start seeing the devil.” However, by December 2013, he told Fox News he was very grateful to be a Muslim and needed Allah in his life. He also spoke about his journey towards sobriety and how being around good people has inspired him to become a better and more humble person.
Tyson first completed the Islamic pilgrimage Umrah in July 2010 and did it again in December 2022 this time with DJ Khaled a Palestinian American Muslim.
In March 2011, Mike Tyson went on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to talk about his new Animal Planet reality show Taking On Tyson. He told DeGeneres about how he had made positive changes in his life over the past two years like living without alcohol and following a vegan diet. But then in August 2013, he admitted that he had been lying about being sober and was struggling with alcoholism which had nearly killed him.
Tyson also shared that he had stopped being vegan. He said “I was vegan for four years but not anymore. I eat chicken sometimes. I probably should still be vegan. I can’t eat red meat at all or I’d get very sick. That’s probably why I was so messed up before.
