Birth name: Michael Gerard Tyson Nickname: Iron Mike Height:
5' 11" (1.80 m) Spouse: | Monica Turner
| ( 19 April 1997 - 13 January 2003) (divorced) 2 children
| | Robin Givens | ( 7 February
1988 - 14 February 1989) (divorced) | Tyson was born on June
30, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York. After run-ins with the law and expulsion from
high school, Tyson was taken out of reform school by boxing trainer Cus D'mato.
Cus saw the potential in this troubled kid and knew what he could become if given
the right influence and training. With Cus's guidance, Mike Tyson became the hottest
young heavyweight in professional boxing and was soon on the road to the heavyweight
crown. Cus D'Amato's tragic death from pneumonia in 1985 was a blow to Mike Tyson,
but he continued the journey to the heavyweight title with trainer Kevin Rooney
at his side along with promoters Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton. The Reign and the
Unthinkable Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in heavyweight
history (20 years, 144 days) when he knocked out the then WBC Champion Trevor
Berbick in the second round of their matchup on November 22, 1986, breaking Floyd
Patterson's mark. He then went on to conquer the WBA and the IBF versions of the
heavyweight crown from James "Bonecrusher" Smith and Tony Tucker, respectively.
This made Mike Tyson the first undisputed champion since Leon Spinks. Tyson reigned
supreme as the undisputed champ, easily defeating all challengers. In late 1988,
Mike Tyson and trainer Kevin Rooney parted ways over a dispute over Mike's then
wife, actress Robin Givens. Tyson's next fight against Frank Bruno in February
1989 was his first without Rooney and the first in which Mike Tyson was noticeably
wobbled in a fight. Tyson soon lost his undisputed titles in February of 1990,
when he was knocked out by 42-1 underdog Buster Douglas in the eleventh round
in what is known as the biggest upset in boxing history. Iron Mike, determined
to recapture his crown, returned to the ring with a vengeance, quickly dispensing
of Henry Tillman, Alex Stewart, and Donovan "Razor" Ruddock. He was
scheduled to challenge Evander Holyfield for the heavyweight crown when he was
indicted on rape charges in Indiana. A jury soon convicted him of the charges
and Mike sentenced to six years in an Indiana state penitentiary. One of boxing's
most talented fighters was gone. The Return In the early morning hours of March
1995, Mike Tyson was released from an Indiana state prison.The world was buzzing
with the news and thoughts on the future of this former world champion.Wasting
little time, Mike was back in the gym one month later - determined to regain the
crown that had eluded him since 1990. His first bout was against a little known
Irish club fighter by the name of Peter McNeeley. Tyson wasted little time disposing
of his overmatched opponent, knocking him to the canvas fifteen seconds into the
match. A minute and fifteen seconds and a knockdown later, McNeeley's corner stepped
into halt the bout. Mike then went on to defeat feather-fisted Buster Mathis Jr.,
and then challenged Frank Bruno's WBC heavyweight crown. Tyson pummelled the Englishman
into submission on March 16, 1996, regaining the heavyweight crown. Bruce Seldon
was next on the opponent list for the new champ, and Mike wasted little time in
disposing of the glass-jawed WBA champ. Next Iron Mike would go on to face the
IBF champ Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield |