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Who is Mike Tyson?
Michael Gerard Tyson, also known as Mike Tyson, is a retired American professional boxer who competed from 1985 until 2005. Tyson, nicknamed “Iron Mike” and “Little Dynamite” in his early career before becoming “The Baddest Man on the Planet,” is widely regarded as one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time. From 1987 through 1990, he was the undisputed world heavyweight champion. Tyson knocked out his first 19 professional fights, 12 of them in the first round. Tyson is the youngest heavyweight champion in history, having won his first title at the age of 20 years, four months, and 22 days.
He was the first heavyweight boxer to hold the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles simultaneously, and the first heavyweight to do it in succession. Tyson became the lineal title the following year when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. In one of the biggest surprises in boxing history, Tyson was knocked out by underdog Buster Douglas in 1990.
Mike Tyson’s Early life
On June 30, 1966, Michael Gerard Tyson was born into a Catholic household in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City. He has an older brother named Rodney (born around 1961) and an older sister named Denise, who died of a heart attack in February 1990 at the age of 24. Tyson’s mother, born in Charlottesville, Virginia, was described as a promiscuous woman who may or may not have been a prostitute.
On his birth certificate, Tyson’s biological father is listed as “Purcell Tyson,” a “humble cab driver” (from Jamaica), although the man He had known as his father was a pimp called Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick came from Grier Town, North Carolina (a primarily black community annexed by Charlotte), and was one of the neighborhood’s top baseball players.
Kirkpatrick married and had a son, Tyson’s half-brother Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, who played high school football in Charlotte in 1965. Jimmy Kirkpatrick relocated to Brooklyn in 1959, when he met Tyson’s mother, Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson. Kirkpatrick went to pool halls, gambled, and loitered on the streets. “My father was just a typical street man who got caught up in the street world,” Tyson explained. Kirkpatrick abandoned the Tyson family shortly after Mike was born, leaving Tyson’s mother to care for the children alone. Kirkpatrick passed away in 1992.
The family lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant until their financial situation forced them to relocate to Brownsville when Tyson was ten years old. Six years later, Tyson’s mother died, leaving the 16-year-old Tyson in the care of boxing manager and trainer Cus D’Amato, who would become his legal guardian. Later, Tyson stated, “I never saw my mother happy or proud of me for doing something; she only knew me as a wild kid running the streets and returning home with new clothes she knew I didn’t pay for. I never met her or learned anything about her. It has a little professional impact but is emotionally and personally devastating.”
Mike Tyson’s Accomplishments and Career
During his amateur career, Tyson competed in the Junior Olympics in 1981 and 1982, winning gold medals on both occasions. Tyson made his pro debut in March 1985, defeating Hector Mercedes by Knockout in the first round. He defeated 15 opponents in his first year of professional boxing.
Tyson’s growing winning run drew the attention of boxing stakeholders, particularly the media. Unfortunately, D’amato died just as his career was about to take off. Pundits attribute Tyson’s struggles in his glamorous career to the death of the man who guided him in his early career.
Tyson won the World Boxing Council Heavyweight title at the age of 20 about a year after D’amato died. As a result, he became the youngest Heavyweight champion in history. He advanced in his job and developed a frightening personality, as well as the peekaboo method imparted to him by his late instructor, D’amato.
Tyson added the World Boxing Association belt to his WBC crown in March 1987. Following his victory, the term ‘Tyson-mania’ became frequently used in the media. In August 1987, he won the International Boxing Federation belt, becoming the first fighter in history to hold the WBC, WBA, and IBF belts all at the same time.
After a Nintendo executive watched Tyson fight, it was decided that Tyson would be included in a video game. The Mike Tyson Punch-Out video game was released in 1987, and around one million copies were sold. After he won the belts of the three major sanctioning bodies, he became the undisputed boxing champion.
Tyson’s problems worsened when he won the uncontested championship. He sacked his manager, Bill Cayton, and longtime trainer Kevin Rooney, who helped him grow his career after D’amato died. He couldn’t train adequately because of the problems he was having in his personal life.
Tyson, who was fit and in form, lost his undisputed Title against Busta Douglas in a battle. The defeat is regarded as one of the most shocking upsets in boxing history. Tyson continued to fight after his defeat, although his performance was not as convincing as in previous contests.
The disaster occurred just as Tyson was about to win a championship. Desiree Washington, Miss Black Rhode Island winner at the age of eighteen, accused him of rape. Tyson was tried in Marion County Superior Court and found guilty, receiving a six-year prison term with four years of probation.
He was arrested in April 1992 at the Plainfield Correctional Institution, formerly known as the Indianapolis Juvenile Center, and released in August 1995, after three years in prison. He converted to Islam and changed his name to Malik Abdul Aziz while in prison.
| Full Name | Michael Gerard “Mike” Tyson |
| Nickname | The Baddest Man on the Planet, Iron Mike, Kid Dynamite |
| Date of Birth | June 30, 1966 |
| Age | 56 years old |
| Place of Birth | New York City, USA |
| Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5’10” |
| Weight | 109 kg |
| Education | Ottawa High School |
| Father | Purcell Tyson |
| Mother | Lorna Smith |
| Brothers | Shiva Thapa, Rodney Tyson, Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick |
| Sister | Denise Tyson (sister) |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Lakiha “Kiki” Spicer (married 2009) |
| Sons | Miguel Lyon Tyson, Amir Tyson, Morroco Tyson |
| Daughters | Exodus Tyson, Mikey Lorna Tyson, Rayna Tyson, Milan Tyson |
| Occupation | Boxer(retired) |
| Weight/Division | Heavyweight |
| Boxing Career | 1985-2005 |
Tyson returned to boxing after being freed and went on to win the WBC and WBA crowns. Tyson lost his WBA title in November 1996 against Evander Holyfield, who came out of retirement to fight Tyson. Throughout the fight, Holyfield was accused of using headbutts. The rematch took place in June 1997, when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ears twice.
A portion of Holyfield’s right ear was discovered on the floor as a result of the bite. His boxing license was temporarily revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and he was fined $3 million. Tyson apologized and asked not to be banned for life. He received his license in October 1998.
Mike Tyson fought from 1999 to 2005, but he never won a title. Toward the end of his career, there was a report that Tyson was going bankrupt, so he fired his entire crew and hired new ones. Tyson announced his retirement from fighting in June 2005.
Here are some of the best highlights of Mike Tyson’s career:
- Defeats Hector Mercedes in one round during his professional debut (1985)
- Youngest ever Heavyweight Champion (1986)
- Wins the WBA Heavyweight Title (1987)
- Becomes Undisputed Linear Heavyweight Champion by knocking out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds (1988)
- Tyson is knocked out by James “Buster” Douglas & loses Heavyweight Title (1990)
Mike Tyson’s Personal Life
Tyson currently resides in Seven Hills, Nevada. Tyson has been married three times and has seven children, one of whom died, with three different women; in addition to his biological children, Tyson considers his second wife’s oldest daughter to be one of his own.
From February 7, 1988, to February 14, 1989, he was married to actress Robin Givens. Givens was most recognized for her part on the sitcom Head of the Class at the time. Tyson’s marriage to Givens was notably turbulent, with charges of domestic violence, spousal abuse, and Tyson’s mental instability.
Tyson then tied the knot with Monica Turner. Turner filed for divorce on the grounds of adultery after the marriage lasted five years (from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003). Rayna and Amir were the couple’s two children.
Tyson tragically lost his daughter Exodus in 2009 when she was discovered unconscious and caught in a cord dangling from an exercise machine. She was put on life support and confirmed dead the next day.
Tyson married Lakiha ‘Kiki’ Spicer for the third time on June 6, 2009. The couple has two children: a daughter Milan and a son Morocco. Tyson has three other children: Mikey, Miguel, and D’Amato (born in 1990).
He has eight children in total, including the deceased Exodus. Tyson is suffering from bipolar disorder. He maintains a vegan diet and a sober lifestyle.
His opponents were intimidated by the prospect of his power, and fast hands, and recognized his defensive talents because of his reputation as a ferocious fighter. Iron Mike got his nickname from his ability to knock out opponents in the first round.
From 1987 through 1990, he was the undisputed heavyweight champion. He was the first heavyweight boxer to hold the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles all at the same time, and the only heavyweight to do so.
Mike Tyson’s Net Worth
Mike Tyson is a retired American boxer who held the undisputed world heavyweight title in the late 1980s. Mike Tyson has a net worth of $10 million as of this writing. Mike was one of the world’s most famous and highest-paid athletes during his prime. At the age of 20, he was the youngest champion in history. Regrettably, he squandered and/or was duped out of a personal wealth that peaked at $300 million. In 2003, Mike declared bankruptcy. He was reported $23 million in debt at the time of the bankruptcy filing.
Mike Tyson earned at least $430 million in purses and endorsements during his career or nearly $700 million after inflation.
“The Hardest Hitter in Heavyweight History,” according to ESPN, and “the most fierce fighter to go into a professional ring,” according to Sky Sports. Despite being a skilled boxer, Tyson’s reputation was damaged by controversy both inside and outside the ring.
What is Mike Tyson’s spending pattern?
Mike Tyson is arguably one of the greatest 15 heavyweight boxers to ever enter a gladiatorial arena, but he ranks significantly higher in terms of pound-for-pound spectacular spending. Mike was released from prison in 1995, after serving four years, with a reputed $300 million in the bank to help him adjust to normal life.
Mike purchased a 21-bedroom/24-bathroom estate in Connecticut, complete with a casino and a nightclub. He also bought estates in Maryland, Las Vegas, and Ohio, complete with gold-plated furniture and a basketball court. Tyson had a collection of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, a Range Rover, a Mercedes-Benz 500, and a 1995 Rolls Royce.
FAQs on Mike Tyson
What is Mike Tyson’s net worth?
Mike Tyson’s estimated net worth is $10 million.
Mike was born on what date?
June 30, 1966
Mike Tyson is how old?
He has been alive for 56 years.
Mike Tyson’s height?
Mike Tyson’s height is 1.78 meters, or 5 feet and 10 inches.
What is Mike’s father’s name?
Purcell Tyson
What is Mike’s mother’s name?
Lorna Smith
Who is the wife of Mike Tyson?
Lakiha “Kiki” Spicer
Conclusion
Although Mike Tyson has suffered over his career with many challenges, he still remains one of the greatest boxers of all time. Mike Tyson’s net worth today is only $10 million.
