Mike Tyson

Growing up

Mike Tyson was born June 30th, 1966 into a Catholic family out of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York. He had two older siblings, a brother named Rodney Tyson and an older sister named Denise who sadly passed from a heart attack at the age of 24 in February of 1991. Lorna Tyson’s mother was said to be promiscuous and was rumored to have been a prostitute. Mike’s biological father is listed as a “humble cab driver” named “Purcell Tyson” since that was the name on his birth certificate but the man Mike grew up with calling his father was a known pimp named Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick moved to Brooklyn and met Tyson’s mother Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson and brought his son Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick. On top of having little money, Mike’s siblings had to share with Jimmie while Kirkpatrick went out frequently to pool halls, gambled, and hung out in the streets. Kirkpatrick was eventually abandoned around the time Mike was born leaving his mother to care for all 4 kids with nothing but her little earnings from whatever job she did. When Mike was 10 years old the family moved out of Bedford-Stuyvesant and into Brownsville where they continued to live until their mother died when Mike was 16 years old at the time he was put into the care of his boxing manager Cus D’Amato which would later become his legal guardian. Tysons never really had a strong relationship with his mother Tyson states that “I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: She only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn’t pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it’s crushing emotionally and personally.”

Amateur Career

In Tyson’s amateur career he won gold medals in the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games by defeating Joe Cortez in 1981 and Kelton Brown in 1982. Fast forward to 1984 Tyson competed in the Nation Golden Gloves and won beating Jonathan Littles. Tyson looked up to Durán and later in his career would explain why.

Interview with Tyson

“He’s your favorite fighter?”

“Durán, yes”

“Most people assume that it’s Ali but it’s really Durán for you why?”

“He was a street fighter like me. He’s crude and mean I respected Ali and I worshiped Ali but he was uh he was very tall and very handsome I was very short and not so handsome and I wasn’t good looking and he was very articulate and I spoke with a lisp. Ali was a middle class kid his mother and father both worked and my mother and father was in um the sex industry. So you know Roberto Durán’s mother was pretty much you know what I mean out there as well and so I related to that. I didn’t have to change. I didn’t have to learn how to talk polite I didn’t have to be nice and if he can be accepted and be worshiped that way I thought that I would be able to as well..”

Professional Career

Entering his professional career Tyson started his professional debut at 18 years old on March 6th, 1985. His first win was against Hector Mercedes with a TKO. Tyson won his first 26 of the 28 fights he competed in by either KO or TKO. With his win streak, the media noted him as the next great heavyweight champion. Tyson’s coach D’Amato died in November 1985 relatively early into Tyson’s career which hit him hard and some speculated that D’Amato’s death would bring many troubles into Tyson’s career. Going into 1990 Tyson seemed to have lost direction for his love of boxing and his personal life troubles but then the fight vs Douglas on February 11th, 1990 Tyson lost the undisputed championship in Tokyo. In the 8th ground Tyson caught an uppercut to Douglas that knocked him to the floor but after getting up Tyson would complain the count was longer than 10 seconds for Douglas to get up but 35 seconds into the 10th round Douglas hit Tyson with a lethal uppercut followed by a four punch combination that knocked Tyson down for a first time in his career and he was counted out by the referee Octavio Meyran. 

After Douglas’s knockout

After Tyson’s loss to Douglas had shocked the world Tyson stated that it was the greatest moment of his career because he “Needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter. I have a broader perspective of myself and boxing.” After coming back Tyson went on to win 8 fights in a row before losing to Evander Holyfield to a TKO and in the rematch by disqualification for biting off Holyfield’s ear after he angered Tyson but came back after and won against Frans Botha to KO, Julius Francis by TKO, Lou Savarese with another TKO and Brian Nielsen to KO but losing to Lennox Lewis on June 8th, 2002 but came back the next year on February 22nd, 2003, and won against Clifford Etienne by KO. After Etienne Tyson lost two matches back to back on July 30th, 2004 to Danny Williams and on June 11th, 2005 to Kevin McBride. After 15 years, Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr on November 28th, 2020 which ended in a draw by decision.

Rape trial and prison

On July 1991 Tyson was arrested for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington. The trial lasted from January 26th to February 10th, 1992. Tyson’s chauffeur confirmed Desiree Washington’s state of shock after further testimony from a physician who examined Washington more than 24 hours after. Washington’s physical condition was consistent with rape but Tyson insisted that Washington wanted to have sex with him. Tyson was convicted for the rape of Washington and was sentenced to 6 years in prison with 4 years of probation and was required to register as a Tier II sex offender under federal law. Tyson was released in March 1995 after serving less than 3 years of his sentence. 

Where is Tyson today?

Currently Tyson owns his own company and has also come out with gummies in the shape of an ear. The release was a reminder to his rematch with Evander Holyfield where Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield’s ear. Tyson is currently located in Henderson, Nevada in his Mediterranean style house that costs upwards of $2.5 million dollars. Tyson’s net worth is estimated to be only 10 million after his successful 20-year career.