History of Mike Tyson
Views: 5
Mike Tyson history
This article is about the American boxer and media personality. For other people named Mike Tyson, see Mike Tyson (disambiguation). For other people who use the moniker “Iron Mike”, see Iron Mike (disambiguation) § People.
Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1985 and 2024. Nicknamed “Iron Mike”[4] and “Kid Dynamite” in his early career, and later known as “the Baddest Man on the Planet”,[5] Tyson is regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.[6] He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, 4 months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title.[7] He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. The following year, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round.[8] In 1990, Tyson lost the undisputed heavyweight championship when he was knocked out by underdog Buster Douglas[9] in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
Mike Tyson
Tyson in 2023
Born
Michael Gerard Tyson
June 30, 1966 (age 58)
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Spouses
Robin Givens
(m. 1988; div. 1989)
Monica Turner
(m. 1997; div. 2003)
Lakiha Spicer (m. 2009)
Children
7
Boxing career
Statistics
Weight(s)
Heavyweight
Height
5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[1][2][nb 1]
Reach
71 in (180 cm)[3]
Stance
Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights
59
Wins
50
Wins by KO
44
Losses
7
No contests
2
Medal record
Men’s amateur boxing
National Junior Olympics
1981 North Carolina Heavyweight
1982 Tennessee Heavyweight
Golden Gloves
1984 New York Heavyweight
Website
www.miketyson.com
He returned to the ring that same year, defeating Henry Tillman via knockout in the first round. He would go on to win three fights, including two against Donovan Ruddock. In 1992 he was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison. He was released on parole after three years.[10] After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ears. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring, which he explained was inspired by Sonny Liston, a boxer who is widely regarded as the most intimidating man in the history of boxing.[11][12] With a knockout-to-win percentage of 88%,[13] he was ranked 16th on The Ring magazine’s list of 100 greatest punchers of all time,[14] and first on ESPN’s list of “The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History”.[15] Sky Sports described him as “perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring”.[16] He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Outside his boxing career, Tyson has appeared in numerous popular media, including television shows, films, and video games. In movies and television, he appeared in the well-received Rocky Balboa (2006), The Hangover (2009), Mike Tyson Mysteries (2014–2020), Ip Man 3 (2015), and Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018). His personal and professional exploits were recounted in the documentary Tyson, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008. His memoirs Undisputed Truth (2013) and Iron Ambition:
