Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
14 year-old Mike Tyson training for the Jr. Olympics 1981
Canastota, New York, United States
International Boxing Hall of Fame
Milan, Italy
14 year-old Mike Tyson training for the Jr. Olympics 1981
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Canastota, New York, United States
International Boxing Hall of Fame
Milan, Italy
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Michael Gerard Tyson was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York on June 30, 1966. Born to Jimmy Kirkpatrick and Lorna Smith Tyson, was one of the three children of the couple. He had an elder brother Rodney and a sister Denise who passed away in 1991 due to heart attack. Additionally, he also had a half-brother Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick from Kirkpatrick’s earlier marriage.
In 1978, Mike was sent to the Tryon School for Boys, a reformatory, where the physical education instructor, Bobby Stewart, spotted his potential as boxer. At age 16, he was expelled from high school.
Legendary boxing manager Constantine "Cus" D'Amato took Tyson under his wing, and when the 14-year-old was paroled from Tryon in September 1980, he entered into D'Amato's full-time custody. D'Amato set a rigorous training schedule for the young athlete, sending him to Catskill High School during the day and training in the ring every evening. Tyson continued his schooling through private tutors while he trained for the 1984 Olympic trials. He would later be awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Central State University in 1989.
A member of various street gangs at an early age. Social worker and boxing aficionado Bobby Stewart recognized his boxing potential and directed him to renowned trainer Cus D’Amato, who became his legal guardian. Tyson compiled a 24–3 record as an amateur and turned professional in 1985.
D’Amato taught Tyson a peekaboo boxing style, with hands held close to his cheeks and a continuous bobbing motion in the boxing ring that made his defense almost impenetrable. On November 22, 1986, he became the youngest heavyweight champion in history, with a second-round knockout of Trevor Berbick, to claim the crown of the World Boxing Council (WBC). On March 7, 1987, he acquired the World Boxing Association (WBA) belt when he defeated James Smith. After he defeated Tony Tucker on August 1, 1987, Tyson was unanimously recognized as champion by all three sanctioning organizations (WBC, WBA, and International Boxing Federation [IBF]).
After the deaths of D’Amato and manager Jimmy Jacobs, Tyson aligned with controversial promoter Don King. He made 10 successful defenses of his world heavyweight title, including victories over former champions Larry Holmes and Michael Spinks. In 1988 Tyson married actress Robin Givens, but the couple divorced in 1989 amid allegations that Tyson had physically abused her. A myriad of assault and harassment charges were subsequently filed against Tyson.
On February 11, 1990, in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, Tyson lost the championship to lightly regarded James (“Buster”) Douglas, who scored a technical knockout in the 10th round. Tyson rebounded from the loss with four straight victories. In 1991, however, he was accused of having raped a beauty pageant contestant, and he was convicted of the charge in 1992.
Following his release from prison in 1995, Tyson resumed boxing and in 1996 regained two of his championship belts with easy victories over Frank Bruno and Bruce Seldon. On November 9, 1996, in a long-anticipated bout with two-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, Tyson lost for the second time in his professional career, by a technical knockout in the 11th round. In a rematch against Holyfield on June 28, 1997, he was disqualified after he twice bit his opponent’s ears, and, as a result of the infraction, he lost his boxing license.
Tyson eventually was relicensed, and he returned to the ring on January 16, 1999, when he knocked out Franz Botha in the fifth round. On February 6, however, Tyson was sentenced to one year in jail, two years of probation, and 200 hours of community service and was fined $2,500 after he pleaded no contest to charges that he had assaulted two elderly men following a 1998 automobile accident. Tyson was released after serving just a few months of the one-year sentence.
Nevertheless, Tyson’s self-control problems continued. After the referee stopped a fight in June 2000 with American Lou Savarese, Tyson continued punching and inadvertently injured the referee. In comments made to the press after this fight, Tyson outraged boxing fans with bizarre and vicious remarks about British heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. In his October 2000 bout with Andrew Golota, Tyson won in the third round, but the fight was later declared a no contest because Tyson tested positive for marijuana. Tyson had only one more fight between October 2000 and his June 2002 fight with Lewis.
It had been difficult to schedule this fight. Both men were contractually bound to different promoters and cable television companies. Tyson had attacked and bitten Lewis during a press conference, which also had a dampening effect. Tyson’s legal problems caused him to be denied a boxing license by the sanctioning bodies of the U.S. states that usually hold major boxing matches (such as Nevada). It had been so long since Tyson had fought a boxer of his own calibre that no one knew the level of his skills. The question was settled when Lewis twice knocked Tyson to the canvas during the course of the fight before knocking him out in the eighth round.
Tyson had his final professional win in 2003, a 49-second first-round knockout. Later that year he filed for bankruptcy, claiming to be $34 million in debt after earning an estimated $400 million over the course of his career. Tyson lost bouts in 2004 and 2005, and he retired in the aftermath of the latter fight. In 2007 he served 24 hours in prison after pleading guilty to drug possession and driving under the influence, charges that stemmed from a 2006 arrest.
He holds the record of being the Youngest Heavyweight Boxing Champion till date. He was only 20 years and 4 months old then.
The Junior Olympic quickest KO (Knock-Out) at 8 seconds is held by Tyson.
In 1985, Tyson won the Ring magazine Prospect of the Year.
For his outstanding performance in the ring, he was awarded with the Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year award in 1986 & 1988.
Tyson was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality in the year 1989.
Tyson was included the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012 for his achievements in professional boxing arena. Additionally, he has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Tyson’s personal and professional exploits were recounted in the documentary Tyson, which premiered at the Cannes film festival in 2008, and in a one-man stage show, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, which he first performed in Las Vegas in 2012. (The show was subsequently mounted on Broadway in a production directed by filmmaker Spike Lee.) He also appeared as himself in a number of television shows and films, including the blockbuster comedy The Hangover (2009) and its sequel (2011), as well as the animated television show Mike Tyson Mysteries (2014– ), a spoof on the various Scooby Doo cartoon series. His memoirs Undisputed Truth (2013) and Iron Ambition: My Life with Cus D’Amato (2017) were cowritten with Larry Sloman.
Though Tyson admits that he doesn’t follow the Muslim tradition like he should (such as not always praying five times a day), it is undoubtedly a very big part of his life. He said:
"Being a Muslim is who I am as a person. But let’s say there wasn’t Islam. Just that spirit, just for me to have my everyday [routines] helps. I have to be constantly on the move, or else the machine is going to break. I’m a realist. I deal with the world coming at me. It comes at me fast — faster sometimes than I can say my prayers. God will have to forgive me if I forgot a few things. I hope he does, at least."
Tyson seems to be a conservative Republican, despite taking jabs at Republicans on occasion.
Mike Tyson’s politics can be about as gruesome as his bouts in the ring. Sometimes you wonder if it’s even about politics at all, like when he suggested that former Alaska Republican governor and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin might enjoy finding herself in a compromising sexual position with a horse (or a black guy).
But sometimes, he’s genuinely funny, such as when he spoofed Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain’s creepy campaign ad–cheesy smile and all.
All of this might lead you to believe that Tyson is a Democrat: disparaging comments toward Republicans and the fact that he once said that black Republicans are “sellouts.”
But Tyson is a man of many conversions and his latest is to the Republican Party. He even campaigned on behalf of Maryland Republican Senate candidate Lt. Governor Michael Steele. Plus, he’s expressed a few conservative views. He’s said that welfare is bad and praised private education over public. Plus, he pissed off PETA when he started holding pigeon racing events. That’s a one-way ticket out of the liberal camp.
Quotations:
On Muhammad Ali: "No man like him. There just isn't, everything that we have, he supersedes us, even our arrogance and our ego...I'd say from a boxing perspective, Ali is a fucking animal. He looks more like a model than a fighter, but what he is, he's like a tyrannosaurus rex with a pretty face. He's just mean and evil, and he'll take you to deep water and drown you. He's very special, the best in the world."
"Everybody has plans until they get hit."
"Am I a born boxer? No—if I was, I'd be perfect."
"My life has been a total waste."
"People love you when you're successful, but if you're not, who really cares about you?"
"What I want in a woman is protection. Loyalty. Companionship. Loyalty, friendship, companionship, ferociousness. I want her to protect me, and have my back to the bitter end. If I have a fight, I want her to jump in. Even if I'm winning; even if she's ninety pounds. I like strong women—not necessarily a masculine woman—but I like strong women. I like strong, say a woman who runs a C.E.O. corporation. I like a strong woman with confidence—massive confidence—and then I want to dominate her sexually."
Tyson was also an unofficial member of Michaels' stable, D-Generation X.
Mike Tyson has a good memory, is highly intelligent, well balanced and with strong mental abilities. His thinking process is logical, and his problem solving skills are outstanding.
While intellectual, creative and with good judgement, Mike should avoid being impatient with others who are less gifted in the intellect and mental-strength department, or worst yet - looking down on them.
Tyson is more intellectual than emotional or practical and his quick analytical brain is capable of abstract thinking, so solves problems quickly and easily.
Intellect-driven that he is, it is important for Mike to keep his brain stimulated and to challenge himself mentally throughout his life with ongoing learning and study, however - he might also glitch into mental laziness due to lack of interesting triggers in his career and workplace, or in the people that he surrounds himself with.
He follows a vegan diet and sober lifestyle. He eats almost a pound of blueberries every day. He doesn't sleep well at night, and he doesn't dream.
Physical Characteristics:
At 5 feet 11 inches (1.8 metres) tall and weighing about 218 pounds (99 kg), Tyson was short and squat and lacked the classic heavyweight boxer’s appearance, but his surprising quickness and aggressiveness in the ring overwhelmed most of his opponents.
Tyson has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Quotes from others about the person
Evander Holyfield:
"I'm just one woman away, my mother, from being the same as Mike Tyson. I would've ended up like him if my mama had not been so tough and strong. A lot of people, including Mike, don't know I came from the ghetto. They think I'm too nice and proper. But that's the way my mama raised me - to look people in the eye and respect them."
George Foreman:
"sport needs a personality, not a fighter. We've got plenty of great fighters in the sport, but no personalities. No one is standing for anything. The last personality we had was Mike Tyson. He stood for something. It wasn't much, but he stood for something."
"Iron' Mike Tyson is the last boxer who was truly embraced by the media. They followed him around. You didn't know what he was going to do next: bite you, cut you, fight you. When you think about it, that defines him - it was an exciting adventure."
Seann William Scott:
"I got my very last tattoo after my father died. I'm not getting anymore; otherwise I'll end up like Mike Tyson with a tattoo on my face."
Spike Lee:
"Mike Tyson is the most complex person I've ever met in my life. I've known Mike since 1986. We're both from Brooklyn. I didn't know him growing up, but once he became heavyweight champion, I knew him then."
Don King:
"Mike Tyson has been given every penny he has coming."
J. Cole:
"I was a huge Mike Tyson fan growing up; his fights were always on in my house."
When he was 10 years old, he spent $100 on his flock of pigeons, but since then, his love for birds has never faded away. He even hosted an Animal Planet show about the birds, called Taking On Tyson.
He loves reading about ancient history, especially the Hellenistic period.
Mike Tyson has been married thrice and has fathered eight children. His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens. The union did not last more than a year (from February 7, 1988 to February 14, 1989) as the two separated following allegations of violence, spousal abuse and mental instability by Givens on Tyson. The couple had no children.
Tyson then went into the wedlock with Monica Turner. The marriage lasted for five years (from April 19, 1997 to January 14, 2003) after which Turner pursued divorce on grounds of adultery. The couple had two children, Rayna and Amir.
In 2009, in an unfortunate accident, Tyson lost his daughter Exodus after the latter was found unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill. She was on life support and declared dead the following day.
Tyson walked up to the altar the third time on June 6, 2009 with Lakiha ‘Kiki’ Spicer. The couple has been blessed with a daughter Milan and son Morocco. Tyson’s other children include Mikey, Miguel and D'Amato (born 1990). He has a total of eight children including the deceased Exodus.
Although Mike Tyson's birth certificate cites Jamaica-born Percell Tyson as his father, Jimmy Kirkpatrick is commonly alleged to be his biological father.
1927 - 1982
Givens was famous for her work on the sitcom "Head of the Class."
She was born in 1977.
1908 – 1985
