Never has a fighter displayed more raw aggression, power and desire to knock another human being out cold than Mike Tyson.
These days you are more likely to see him in the latest instalment of the popular movie series The Hangover, but in the late 80s and 90s Iron Mike captivated audiences with his pure punching ability and brutal power.
Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1966, Tyson was a World Heavyweight Champion at the age of 20. After a troubled upbringing and under the guidance of trainer Cus D’Amato he would go on to hold the WBC, IBF and IBO titles, becoming the first person to hold all three at the same time.
Mike Tyson had arrived and his potential was scary, but after the death of his trainer and surrogate father D’Amato in 1985 something had not been right. Although he had followed the path set for him by D’Amato, he never fully recovered and after he started to become known for his antics outside of the ring rather than inside it.
A failed marriage and a flailing game professionally; Tyson suffered his first loss, the first of many events that would negatively impact the once untouchable champion.
A successful title defence to British boxer Frank Bruno led to a meeting with Buster Douglas in Tokyo, Japan. Tyson lost in the tenth and although he would win his next four fights, the troubled boxer was heading for much worse than losing one fight.
His trouble with women continued to impact his life in the wrong way and on March 26, 1992 was found guilty on one count of rape and two counts of deviant sexual conduct. He was sentenced to six years in prison but released after three.
It emerged that Tyson had not handled prison well initially and was planning his comeback while still inside. After making a successful comeback by winning his first few fights back, he would come up against his toughest opponent Evander Holyfield.
On November 9, 1996, Holyfield beat Tyson in the 11th round, but Tyson claimed he was the recipient of several illegal head butts and set his sights on a re-match to avenge his loss. It was in the re-match with Holyfield that Tyson showed his problems were not completely behind him.
In the third round of the fight, Tyson grabbed his opponent and bit his ears, ripping parts clean off onto the canvas. His life was set to continue downhill following the fight and was left without a boxing license after he was stripped of it following the fight.
The period between his fight with Holyfield and his next fight with Lennox Lewis in 2002 saw Tyson in and out of court for all manner of reasons including assault, illegal drugs, sexual harassment and a multi-million lawsuit with former promoter Don King.
As a child growing up in the 90’s, no one fighter interested me more than the baddest man on the planet, Mike Tyson. After a storied career, Tyson justified his nickname and tendency to be presented as a brutal, violent fighter at the press conference for his infamous fight with Lennox Lewis.
Before Lewis was even in place on the podium, Tyson made a move and in no time the two fighters were rolling around on the floor, previewing the anticipated fight. Later, he would hurl profanities and abuse at journalists in attendance while grabbing his crotch in a vulgar display that summed up Tyson’s up and down boxing career.
After making it personal with Lewis by threatening to eat his children, Tyson went on to lose the fight in what was at the time the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history. After losing several more fights he retired in 2005.
Now much older and wiser, Mike Tyson is a much calmer figure. He has found success in Hollywood, appearing in several films and even had his own one man show – Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth that went on tour in America.
He may be much different now, but Tyson is never far from the headlines and more often than not for the wrong reasons.
He continues to intrigue, declaring that he is living pay check to pay check these days. His life has been tarnished by scandal and addiction but he will always be remembered as a unforgiving fighter whose legacy will remain both inside and out of the ring.
By Jamie Bassett
