Mike Tyson is one of the most colourful s
ports stars of all time.
Born in Brooklyn, New York ‘Iron Mike’ had a meteoric rise, filled with anger about his past, that led to him becoming the youngest heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 20.
He owned tigers in his sprawling mansions, spent time behind bars, admitted drug addiction, blew all his money, but somehow found Hollywood redemption through the Hangover movies.
Raised in Brownsville, a neighbourhood rife with crime, Tyson, now 55, had a tough start to life – fit for the boxer he became.
He didn’t know his biological father Purcell Tyson and his stepdad Jimmy Kirkpatrick walked out on him and his family soon after he was born.
Tyson would later say about Kirkpatrick: “My father was just a regular street guy caught up in the street world.”
As a teen, he fell into bad company, associating with local gangs and getting himself into trouble.
He was taunted by other kids for his high-pitched voice and lisp, and got into plenty of fights.
Remarkably, before he had turned 13, Tyson had been arrested around 38 times and was sent to a juvenile home called Tyson school for boys.
Tyson became the youngest ever heavyweight champion at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old.
Wins over James Smith and Tony Tucker in 1987 added both the WBA and IBF titles to the WBC belt he won off Berbick.
But mentally Tyson was suffering. A year before lifted his first title, mentor D’Amato passed away.
Many believe his death from pneumonia aged 77 was the catalyst to the problems Tyson faced later in life. in1991 Tyson was arrested for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington, a former Miss Black Rhode Island, in a hotel room in Indianapolis.
He was soon put on trial at the Marion County superior court, with his reputation in tatters.
Washington’s story was corroborated by Tyson’s then-chauffeur Virginia Foster, who the model revealed her state of shock moments after the incident.
ER physician Thomas Richardson who examined Washington provided further testimony that her physical condition was consistent with rape.
Despite Tyson’s protestations that Washington had given him full consent, he was sentenced to six years in prison in 1992 along with four years of probation. He was just 25 at the time.
Tyson’s purse was suspended, his boxing license was rescinded and he was fined around £2 million. Tyson returned to the ring two years later. His infamous fight against Evander Holyfield resulted in disqualification for ear biting. Tyson was filling for bankruptcy, despite earning around £200million during his career. “My whole life has been a waste – I’ve been a failure,” he said.
“I just want to escape. I’m really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary.
“I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country.
“I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down.”
