Despite having a supportive wife in his corner, he still couldn’t seem to shake the deep-rooted issues that had destroyed many of the relationships from his past. “I don’t like being loved. I like loving. I don’t feel like being loved,” he said. “I have too much love to give and none to accept.”
D’Amato taught Tyson a peekaboo boxing style, with hands held close to his cheeks and a continuous bobbing motion in the boxing ring that made his defense almost impenetrable. At 5 feet 11 inches (1.8 metres) tall and weighing about 218 pounds (99 kg), Tyson was short and squat and lacked the classic heavyweight boxer’s appearance, but his surprising quickness and aggressiveness in the ring overwhelmed most of his opponents. On November 22, 1986, he became the youngest heavyweight champion in history, with a second-round knockout of Trevor Berbick, to claim the crown of the World Boxing Council (WBC). On March 7, 1987, he acquired the World Boxing Association (WBA) belt when he defeated James Smith. After he defeated Tony Tucker on August 1, 1987, Tyson was unanimously recognized as champion by all three sanctioning organizations (WBC, WBA, and International Boxing Federation ).
Previously classified as learning disabled, Tyson managed to raise his reading abilities to the seventh-grade level in a matter of months. He also became determined to learn everything he could about boxing, often slipping out of bed after curfew to practice punches in the dark.
During his career, Tyson faced some of the biggest names in the sport. He had a fierce rivalry with British boxer Frank Bruno, with whom he fought three times. He also faced off against Evander Holyfield, who he famously bit the ear of during their 1997 match. This incident was one of the most infamous events of Tyson’s career, and it resulted in Tyson being disqualified from the match.
A member of various street gangs at an early age, Tyson was sent to reform school in upstate New York in 1978. At the reform school, social worker and boxing aficionado Bobby Stewart recognized his boxing potential and directed him to renowned trainer Cus D’Amato, who became his legal guardian. Tyson compiled a 24–3 record as an amateur and turned professional in 1985.
LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 9: Mike Tyson talks with the media after he was defeated by Evander Holyfield for the WBA Heavyweight tittle at the MGM Grand Garden on November 9, 1996 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Holyfield won the fight with a TKO in the 11th round. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
On June 12, 2011, Tyson was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside legendary Mexican champion Julio César Chávez, light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, and actor/screenwriter Sylvester Stallone. In 2011, Bleacher Report omitted Tyson from its list of top 10 heavyweights, saying that “Mike Tyson is not a top 10 heavyweight. He killed the fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he fought another elite fighter, he always lost. I’m not talking about some of those B-level fighters he took a belt from. I’m talking about the handful of good boxers he fought throughout his career.”
Tyson was The Ring magazine’s Fighter of the Year in 1986 and 1988. A 1998 ranking of “The Greatest Heavyweights of All-Time” by The Ring magazine placed Tyson at number 14 on the list. Despite criticism of facing underwhelming competition during his run as champion, Tyson’s knockout power and intimidation factor made him the sport’s most dynamic box-office draw. According to Douglas Quenqua of The New York Times, “The began with Mike Tyson, considered by many to be the last great heavyweight champion, losing his title to the little-known Buster Douglas. Seven years later, Mr. Tyson bit Evander Holyfield’s ear in a heavyweight champion bout—hardly a proud moment for the sport.”
After an uncomfortable minute or so, the woman’s boyfriend came to her defense, telling the flight attendant that “he had bought the tickets, that he was a platinum member of the airline, and that he tends to book all of his company’s business trip flights with the airline, and if she booted me to the economy, he would take his business elsewhere.”
Mike Tyson, the legendary boxer, remains a monumental figure in sports history. Born on June 30, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York, Tyson’s career surged with immense talent and sheer power. His unparalleled rise in boxing led to his becoming the youngest heavyweight champion at just 20 years old.
WHEN NGANNOU WAS 10 years old, he used to tell the people of Batie, his small village in Cameroon, that his dream was to become a professional heavyweight boxer someday — like his idol, “Iron” mike tyson movie about his life Tyson.
In this engaging episode of ‘Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson,’ wrestling legend Ric Flair, known as “The Nature Boy,” sits down with Mike to share his extraordinary journey in the world of professional wrestling. Flair, a WWE Hall of Famer, opens up about his illustrious career, personal struggles, and the resilience that has defined his life both inside and outside the ring.