The Tragic Career Of Iron Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson in 2019. Source: Wikimedia Commons
Early Life and Amateur Career
Mike Tyson was born in Brooklyn, New York City. His biological father is listed as "Purcell Tyson", but the man Tyson knew as his father was Jimmy Kirkpatrick, a pimp from Grier Town, North Carolina. He grew up in neighborhoods with high crime rates.A member of various street gangs at an early age, Tyson was sent to reform school in upstate New York in 1978. At the reform school, social worker and boxing aficionado Bobby Stewart recognized his boxing potential.
- Stewart introduced Tyson to Cus D'Amato, a boxing manager and trainer.
- Kevin Rooney also trained Tyson, with occasional assistance from Teddy Atlas until D'Amato dismissed Atlas when Tyson was 15.
Tyson won gold medals at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, defeating Joe Cortez and Kelton Brown, respectively. In 1984, he won the gold medal at the National Golden Gloves in New York, beating Jonathan Littles. However, his amateur record was not without its setbacks. He fought Henry Tillman twice, losing both bouts by decision.
Professional Boxing Career
Tyson made his professional debut as an 18-year-old on March 6, 1985, in Albany, New York. He defeated Hector Mercedes via first-round TKO. He had 15 bouts in his first year as a professional. Tyson's early career was marked by a series of devastating knockouts.
Rise to Fame
- Fighting frequently, Tyson won 26 of his first 28 fights by KO or TKO; 16 of those came in the first round.
- In July, he defeated Marvis Frazier by knockout.
- In 1986, he also defeated Jose Ribalta.
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. At 5 feet 11 inches (1.8 meters) 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.
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Heavyweight Champion
Mike Tyson vs Trevor Berbick. Source: The Guardian
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). He added the WBA and IBF titles in 1987, defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker. 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.
Personal Turmoil and Championship Loss
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. In 1989, he defeated Frank Bruno and Carl "The Truth" Williams. 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.
Legal Issues and Comeback Attempts
Tyson rebounded from the loss with four straight victories. After the loss, Tyson defeated Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart. He then defeated Donovan "Razor" Ruddock twice in 1991. In 1991, however, he was accused of having raped a beauty pageant contestant, and he was convicted of the charge in 1992.
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Release from Prison and Holyfield Fights
Mike Tyson Evander Holyfield. Source: Sky Sports
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. Initially, Mitch Halpern was assigned as the referee, but Tyson's camp objected, citing concerns about headbutts in the previous fight. In the first round, Holyfield stunned Tyson with an overhand right. In the second, an accidental headbutt from Holyfield opened a cut over Tyson's right eye, exacerbating Tyson's frustration. The third round descended into chaos. Tyson started without his mouthpiece, returning to his corner to insert it. He then bit Holyfield's right ear, tearing off a piece of cartilage which he spat out. Later in the match, Tyson bit Holyfield's left ear. Upon discovering the second bite, the match was stopped.
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.
Later Career and Retirement
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.
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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. states that usually hold major boxing matches (such as Nevada). It had been so long since Tyson had fought a boxer of his own caliber 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.
Life Outside of Boxing
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 (2014-20), 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 written with Larry Sloman.
Tyson vs Paul
In 2024 the 58-year-old Tyson returned to the ring in a sanctioned fight against social media personality Jake Paul, who is 31 years younger. Streamed live on Netflix, the event drew an estimated 65 million concurrent viewers. Paul emerged victorious via unanimous decision in the eight-round contest.
The fight was initially discussed as an exhibition, but it was later sanctioned as a professional contest by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations. This decision led to slight modifications in the rules, including eight two-minute rounds, 14-ounce gloves and the absence of headgear. The pre-fight buildup included three press conferences held in New York City and Irving, Texas. Netflix also produced a three-part documentary series, "Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson."
On the night of the event, Paul entered the ring first, followed by Tyson. However, Tyson appeared to tire quickly, a pattern that persisted throughout the match. Reported purses for the fight were significant, with Paul expected to earn $40 million and Tyson $20 million. The judges scorecards were all in favour of Paul, with scores of 79-73, 80-72 and 79-73.
Personal Life
Mike Tyson has been married three times.
- His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens. They wed on February 7, 1988, in Chicago. They officially separated on February 14, 1989. Tyson admitted to punching Givens during their marriage.
- Tyson's second marriage was to Monica Turner, from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003. Turner, who worked as a paediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center, filed for divorce, citing Tyson's adultery.
- He is currently married to his third wife, Lakiha “Kiki” Spicer. The couple wed in 2009. Eleven days later, Tyson and Spicer married.
Tyson also considers his second wife’s oldest daughter to be one of his own. Altogether, Tyson is a father to seven children, including three daughters, three sons, and a nonbinary child.
Financial Troubles and Net Worth
Mike Tyson's net worth is $30 million, as reported by multiple sources. However, Tyson's extravagant lifestyle, legal troubles and financial mismanagement led to significant losses. Following his retirement from boxing, Tyson has diversified his income streams. He launched a cannabis business, Tyson 2.0, which has contributed to his financial recovery.
Professional Record
Mike Tyson competed in 58 fights during his professional career. His official record is 50 wins and six losses, with two no-contests. Of his victories, 44 were via knockout. Tyson won his first 37 bouts before his memorable first loss to Buster Douglas in February 1990.
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| March 6, 1985 | Hector Mercedes | Win |
| April 10, 1985 | Trent Singleton | Win |
| May 23, 1985 | Don Halpin | Win |
| June 20, 1985 | Ricardo Spain | Win |
| July 11, 1985 | John Alderson | Win |
| July 19, 1985 | Larry Sims | Win |
| August 15, 1985 | Lorenzo Canady | Win |
| September 5, 1985 | Michael Johnson | Win |
| October 9, 1985 | Donnie Long | Win |
| October 25, 1985 | Robert Colay | Win |
| November 1, 1985 | Sterling Benjamin | Win |
| November 13, 1985 | Eddie Richardson | Win |
| November 22, 1985 | Conroy Nelson | Win |
| December 6, 1985 | Sammy Scaff | Win |
| December 27, 1985 | Mark Young | Win |
| January 11, 1986 | David Jaco | Win |
| January 24, 1986 | Mike Jameson | Win |
| February 16, 1986 | Jesse Ferguson | Win |
| March 10, 1986 | Steve Zouski | Win |
| May 3, 1986 | James Tillis | Win |
| May 20, 1986 | Mitch Green | Win |
| June 13, 1986 | Reggie Gross | Win |
| June 28, 1986 | William Hosea | Win |
| July 11, 1986 | Lorenzo Boyd | Win |
| July 26, 1986 | Marvis Frazier | Win |
| August 17, 1986 | Jose Ribalta | Win |
| September 6, 1986 | Alfonso Ratliff | Win |
| November 22, 1986 | Trevor Berbick | Win |
| March 7, 1987 | James Smith | Win |
| May 30, 1987 | Pinklon Thomas | Win |
| August 1, 1987 | Tony Tucker | Win |
| October 16, 1987 | Tyrell Biggs | Win |
| January 22, 1988 | Larry Holmes | Win |
| March 21, 1988 | Tony Tubbs | Win |
| June 27, 1988 | Michael Spinks | Win |
| February 25, 1989 | Frank Bruno | Win |
| July 21, 1989 | Carl Williams | Win |
| February 11, 1990 | Buster Douglas | Loss |
| June 16, 1990 | Henry Tillman | Win |
| December 8, 1990 | Alex Stewart | Win |
| March 18, 1991 | Donovan Ruddock | Win |
| June 28, 1991 | Donovan Ruddock | Win |
| August 19, 1995 | Peter McNeeley | Win |
| Buster Mathis Jr. | Win |