Mike Tyson is one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time. His meteoric rise to fame began at the age of 20 when he won the heavyweight title. This made him the youngest boxer to achieve this. That said, Mike Tyson showed the world his ugly side on and off the ring.
It’s only fair to say he’s one of the most controversial boxers in the sport’s history. Check out his record.
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Mike Tyson’s Early Career
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Mike Tyson didn’t have a pleasant childhood. His father abandoned his mother and left her to care for him and his sibling. As a result, they moved from Brooklyn into another neighborhood with a high crime rate.
Tyson was the target of bullies because of his petite frame. To stand up for himself, he taught himself street fighting. Instead of using these skills to defend himself, he ended up in crime. At one point, he even had his gang. He was arrested at least 13 times.
That said, this is how he found boxing. While in the hand of authorities, he met Bob Stewart, who redirected his path. He taught him boxing as long as he stayed away from crime. Later, he introduced him to Constantine Amato, who was known for nurturing some of the best boxers in the world.
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Mike Tyson’s Record
It was under him that Mike Tyson made his professional debut aged 18. He won his first bout against Hector Mercedez. His quick fists and punching abilities earned him the name Iron Mike.
A year later, Mike Tyson had a record of 22-0. This earned him a fight against Trevor Berbick. He beat him in two rounds and became the youngest heavyweight champion. Tyson successfully defended his title and added the WBA (World Boxing Association) and IBF (International Boxing Federation) titles. He was the first to hold all three belts at the same time.
In 1990, Tyson lost for the first time in his career to Buster Douglas. By the time he left the boxing ring, Mike Tyson had fought in 58 professional fights, won 50, lost 6, and contested 2.
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Mike Tyson’s Imprisonment and Boxing Comeback
In 1991, Tyson was found guilty of rape and sent to prison for six years. This kept him out of the boxing world, but after his release in 1995, he returned to the ring.
His first bout after release was against Peter McNeeley, in which he ran riot over the guy in just 89 seconds. He fought a couple of more bouts before he faced a big challenger.
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Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield
Tyson faced Holyfield twice in bouts that went down in history for all kinds of reasons. In their first matchup, Holyfield defeated Tyson and became the second man to hold all three heavyweight belts. Tyson wasn’t pleased with the outcome, alleging that Holyfield got away with illegal headbutts.
In 1997, the two met again. Mike Tyson did the unthinkable. He bit Evander Holyfield’s ears and tore away his right ear. He claimed that he retaliated against Holyfield’s headbutts in their first bout, but that didn’t convince the judge. He was disqualified.
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Mike Tyson’s Retirement
A fight against Lennox Lewis was supposed to prop Mike Tyson back to boxing glory. However, Lennox Lewis knocked him out. He went on and lost two other bouts against Kevin McBride and Danny Williams, and that pretty much signaled the end of his career.
Mike Tyson’s Sporting Gear
The former heavyweight champion has a collection of boxing gear you can use in your training. From gloves, focus mitts, and hand wraps. If you want signed gloves used by the legendary fighter, you can purchase them on Amazon.
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