Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson – Thug Or Great Boxing Champion?


Mike Tyson, is an American boxer, now retired, won the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight boxing titles. His brutal and menacing style of boxing made him well known throughout his career, along with his controversial exploits inside and outside of the ring.

He became known as “Iron Mike” along with other nicknames, because of winning his first professional 19 bouts with a knockout. Mike Tysons’ knockouts accounted for him winning 26 of his first 28 professional fights and throughout his career many fighters were very much intimidated by him. By the late 1980’s Mike Tyson was regarded as a major sports star and was the heavyweight champion of the world. In 1990 he lost his heavyweight title when a points decision went against him fighting an underdog named James “Buster” Douglas.

His boxing career was halted for three years in 1992 when he was convicted of raping Desiree Washington. In Indiana the law states that once a felon is convicted he must serve his sentence immediately. He was originally sentenced to six years but was released after three years. While in prison he converted to Islam.

He got back into the ring in 1995 after his release from prison and regained part of his heavyweight title but lost it to Evander Holyfield in 1996. In a Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield rematch in 1997, Tyson was banned from boxing for biting off  part of Holyfields’ ear. The first time he did it the match was stopped, but when it resumed, he did it again and was immediately disqualified. A piece of Holyfields’ right ear was found on the floor of the ring. Once the fight was stopped and Holyfield declared the winner, a riot erupted in the ring and several people were injured.

Mike Tyson had a few more successful matches in the subsequent years but in 2002 he was knocked out by Lennox Lewis at the age of 35. In 2005 he retired from boxing and declared himself bankrupt, despite receiving well over $30 million in previous fights and winning approximately $300 million throughout his career. To this day he is rated number 16 on Ring magazines’ boxing news, as one of the greatest ever punchers.

Mike Tyson has been married three times and has seven children with several different women. His first marriage to actress Robin Givens lasted only one year after he was accused of violence and spousal abuse, and his mental state was also questioned. Tyson accused Givens of being a gold digger. They had no children.

In 1997 he married Monica Turner and the marriage lasted until 2003, when she divorced Mike Tyson citing adultery as the reason. She has never forgiven him. They had two children together.

The latest controversy surrounding Mike Tyson happed in May 2009, when his four year old daughter Exodus, was found unconscious and tangled up in a cord hanging from an exercise machine. She was found by her brother, 7 year old Miguel, and their mother administered CPR until medical attention arrived. She was placed on life support in hospital, but died the next day from her injuries.

Incredibly, Mike Tyson wed his girlfriend, Lakiha Spicer, ten days after his daughters’ death at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel and Casino. Spicer was a resident of Henderson, Nevada, and local county records have shown that the marriage license was only obtained 30 minutes before the ceremony.