The story of Mike Tyson: from Brooklyn to legend

Who is Mike Tyson?

Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight boxing world champion in 1986, at the age of 20. He lost his title in 1990 and then spent three years in prison. He gained worldwide notoriety by biting Evander Holyfield's ear in a 1997 rematch. Tyson went on to appear in several films, staged a Broadway show about his life, published best-sellers and launched a cannabis business.

Young Mike Tyson: a difficult start in life

Michael Gerard Tyson was born on 30 June 1966 in Brooklyn, New York. When Michael was two, his father left the family. The Tysons moved to Brownsville, Brooklyn, a neighbourhood known for its high crime rate. Small and shy, Tyson was often a target for bullying and began developing his own street fighting style. By the age of 13, Mike Tyson had been arrested more than 30 times. His behaviour landed him in the Tryon School for Boys, where he met counsellor Bob Stewart, a former amateur boxing champion. Tyson wanted Stewart to teach him how to use his fists.

Meeting Cus D'Amato

In 1980, Stewart introduced Tyson to the legendary trainer Constantine "Cus" D'Amato, who ran a gym in Catskill, New York State. D'Amato immediately recognised Tyson's promise: "If you want to stay here, and if you want to listen, you could be heavyweight champion of the world one day."

The relationship between D'Amato and Tyson was more than a trainer and a boxer — it was also a father and a son. On 4 November 1985, Cus D'Amato died of pneumonia, when Tyson was only at the start of his professional career. Those close to Tyson say he never fully recovered from the loss.

The professional debut

On 6 March 1985, Tyson made his professional debut in Albany against Hector Mercedes. The 18-year-old put Mercedes down in one round. His strength, fast hands and defensive ability earned him the nicknames "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite". Mike was fairly short for a heavyweight at 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in), but with 100 kg (220 lb) of muscle, ferocious speed and devastating combinations, he terrified his opponents. He was also a keen exponent of the Dempsey roll, the lateral weaving technique invented by Jack Dempsey.

Mike Tyson, world champion

By 1986, Tyson had a record of 22 wins and 0 defeats, 21 of them by knockout. On 22 November 1986 he faced Trevor Berbick for the WBC heavyweight title. Tyson won the title by knockout in round two. At 20 years and four months, he became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. He then defended his title against James Smith on 7 March 1987 to add the WBA belt. On 1 August 1987 he became the first heavyweight to hold the WBC, WBA and IBF belts simultaneously, beating Tony Tucker. He then defended against Frank Bruno (KO 5, February 1989) and Carl Williams (KO 1, July 1989).

Defeat to Buster Douglas

Tyson's winning run ended on 11 February 1990, when he lost his belts to Buster Douglas in Tokyo. Tyson, a heavy favourite, put Douglas down in round eight — but Douglas came back in the tenth and knocked Tyson out for the first time in his career. Tyson resumed his march with knockouts of Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart later that year.

Prison and return to boxing

In July 1991, Tyson was accused of raping Desiree Washington. On 26 March 1992 he was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison. During his imprisonment, Tyson converted to Islam and took the name Malik Abdul Aziz. On 25 March 1995, after serving three years, Tyson was released. He returned with a win over Peter McNeeley in 89 seconds, then over Buster Mathis Jr. in December 1995.

Mike Tyson against Evander Holyfield

On 9 November 1996, Tyson faced Holyfield for the WBA title and lost by technical knockout in round 11. Holyfield made history by winning the heavyweight belt for a third time. On 28 June 1997 the two met again. In the third round, Tyson grabbed Holyfield and bit both his ears, taking a piece clean off the right one. He was disqualified. The Nevada State Athletic Commission revoked his licence and fined him three million dollars.

The Lennox Lewis fight and retirement

In 2002, Tyson faced Lennox Lewis for the WBC/IBF/IBO title and lost by knockout in round eight. After defeats to Danny Williams (2004) and Kevin McBride (2005), Tyson announced his retirement. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in June 2011.

Marriage, arrests and life after boxing

In February 1988, Tyson married the actress Robin Givens — formally separating on 14 February 1989 after allegations of domestic violence. His second wife, Monica Turner, filed for divorce in 2003. That same year he declared bankruptcy. In 2009, Tyson married for a third time, to Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer, and suffered the tragic loss of his four-year-old daughter, Exodus. Tyson is the father of seven known children.

Screen appearances, books and cannabis

In 2009, Tyson made a cameo in the comedy The Hangover, which opened the door to other roles in Entourage and How I Met Your Mother. In 2012 he staged his one-man show on Broadway: Mike Tyson: The Undisputed Truth. In 2013 he published his memoir Undisputed Truth, a New York Times best-seller, followed by Iron Ambition in 2017. In 2016, Tyson launched Tyson Holistic Holdings, a cannabis business with a 407-acre ranch in California. In 2019 he created the podcast Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson.

Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr — 28 November 2020

In April 2020, Tyson announced he was training again. On 28 November 2020 he faced Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in an exhibition bout. Eight two-minute rounds let the two men in their fifties test each other without real risk of injury. The WBC declared an unofficial draw through its three judges.

Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul — 15 November 2024

Nineteen years after his last official fight, Mike Tyson stepped back into the ring at 58 against Jake Paul, 27, a YouTuber turned professional boxer. The bout, originally set for July 2024, was postponed after Tyson suffered an ulcer requiring medical care. It finally took place in November at the AT&T Stadium near Dallas in front of more than 72,000 spectators.

The fight was officially sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and counted on both boxers' professional records. Paul clearly controlled the exchanges — Tyson showed flashes of his old power, but his age and the months of preparation told on his mobility and explosiveness. There were no knockdowns. Paul took all eight rounds on all three cards.

Tyson, pragmatic, acknowledged the physical gap: "I'm not the same man any more. But I walked out on my own two legs and I looked him in the eye." Whatever its sporting verdict, the fight generated a record worldwide audience on Netflix and revived the conversation about the Mike Tyson legend.

Mike Tyson's boxing style

Mike Tyson — 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in), 100 kg (220 lb) — was formidable through a combination of qualities rarely found together: devastating punching power, ferocious speed, great precision, explosive body combinations and slipping (the peek-a-boo style) of exceptional quality. His image — black trunks, black low-cut shoes with no socks, a military haircut — intimidated opponents before the first punch. A keen exponent of the Dempsey roll, Tyson weaved his body laterally to close the distance while taking as little as possible.

Mike Tyson fights — the official list of 59 professional bouts

Tyson took part in 59 official fights over his professional career, from 6 March 1985 to 15 November 2024. He won 50 of them, 44 by knockout.

Frequently asked questions — Mike Tyson

For a wall already covered in frames, the Mike Tyson wall sticker in die-cut vinyl goes up without fixings and comes off without a mark; the rest of the range is in the boxing wall stickers collection.

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