This boxer’s name is known even to those who are far from boxing. He has become a true legend. Partly because of his incredible talent, partly because of his scandalous behavior. Let’s find out more about this extraordinary personality.
Early Life and Rise to Boxing Fame
At the height of his career, Tyson was the subject of unimaginable bets. Now, you can bet on boxing online with 1xBet. But then people came to the bookmakers. And before Tyson’s fights, you could see a real crowd there. However, he did not immediately become a great athlete.
Michael Tyson was born in June 1966 in Brownsville, New York. His father abandoned the family when his son was not yet born. Michael was the youngest child; he also had a sister and a brother. In early childhood, Tyson was very weak. He even became a target for bullies. He often suffered because of this, coming home with bruises and without pocket money.
His only outlet and hobby (which, by the way, has survived to this day) were pigeons, which Mike bred. And he was ready to defend the birds. The first incident happened when one boy killed a pigeon in front of Mike. The boy got crazy and beat the offender so hard that everyone started to respect him after that.
From that moment on, Mike Tyson never let anyone hurt him again. Everyone was afraid of him becoming angry. When the boy grew up, he no longer resembled that vulnerable boy who could be humiliated. 10-year-old Tyson got into a gang of street teenagers who made a living by robbery. Soon, the police became interested in the teenager, and at 13, he was placed in a reform school in the northern part of New York.
Record-Breaking Youngest Heavyweight Champion
Mike’s decision to become a boxer was influenced by the great Muhammad Ali. He visited the special institution where the young Tyson was studying at the time and made a lasting impression on the future champion. From then on, everything was decided for Michael. He began training with his physical education teacher and then moved on to a more experienced trainer.
Mike’s sports biography began when he turned 15. Mike even got the nickname Tank. It perfectly reflected the essence of his style and power. Almost no one could stay on their feet until the end of the fight. Devastating pressure and powerful blows knocked out one opponent after another.
Tyson’s Peak Fighting Style
In March 1985, Tyson debuted in the professional ring. The athlete immediately proved his uniqueness. Firstly, his physical parameters allowed him to win even against the most difficult opponents. In addition, Mike knew how to inspire horror and suppress the opponent psychologically. Many of those who faced him in the ring recalled some kind of animal aggression that terrified them.
Unfortunately, after the death of his beloved coach and de facto adoptive father, Tyson began to appear in bars more and more often, and his form suffered significantly. In addition, he began to be noticed for aggressive behavior and drunken brawls. As a result, this lifestyle led him to prison.
Return to the Ring and Redemption Story
In 1995, after being released from prison, Mike returned to professional boxing. This return was called the event of the year. Both Tyson himself and his fighting style changed. The athlete’s punching power increased. However, his endurance and defensive behavior became weak points.
In the fall of 1996, the cult fight with Evander Holyfield took place. Everyone knows about it, even those who are far from boxing. The thing is that during the fight, a brawl broke out in the ring. That’s when Mike bit off a piece of his opponent’s ear. He was fined for this act. In addition, the public was outraged by the boxer’s unsportsmanlike and aggressive behavior.
After this incident, the champion’s career declined. The athlete practically did not attend training, and participated only in the highest-rated fights. He still won, but he did not choose the strongest opponents. In the winter of 1999, Mike almost lost a battle to South African Francois Botha, underestimating his opponent and poorly preparing for the fight.
Post-Retirement
In June 2005, Mike met in the ring with the then-little-known Irish boxer Kevin McBride. Of course, fans bet on Tyson. But in the 5th round, the champion began to show fatigue, and in the 6th, he sat down on the floor and refused to continue the fight. After this fight, Mike announced that he had decided to end his sports career.
More than once, news appeared in the press that the former champion was choosing his next opponent, but Tyson was in no hurry with this. In the spring of 2022, it became known that the athlete began producing and selling Mike Bites gummy candies in the shape of an ear with a bitten-off piece.
Tyson’s Influence on Modern Boxing
It was he who brought world sports to sky-high levels of fees. Few people remember that even the great Michael Jordan signed an 8-year contract with Chicago in 1988 for only $25 million. And his salary of just over $3 million a year looked ridiculous against the backdrop of Michael Tyson’s fees already in the early 90s. The basketball star’s next contract in 1996 soared 10-fold – to $30 million a year.
At the same time, at the end of the last century, fees jumped in other sports, including in Europe, where the transfer value of football players has already crossed the $50 million mark. And all this thanks to the legendary boxer, who changed this world forever with his animal recklessness.
The Legacy of “Iron Mike” Tyson
Tyson is still the youngest world heavyweight champion (he became one at 20 years and 144 days). He is the youngest absolute world heavyweight champion (21 years old). The boxer who spent the least time from his debut to winning the title of champion and absolute world heavyweight champion (1 year and 8.5 months and 2 years and 5 months). He was the first and only absolute champion who won three main titles of different versions consecutively one after another and the highest paid heavyweight in history. Mike Tyson took part in six of the ten most expensive fights in boxing history and was the only one who defended the absolute champion title 6 times (WBC, WBA, IBF). It is not a surprise that he inspired many young athletes to try themselves in sport and left an impressive boxing legacy. How does it know, maybe there are many other wins awaiting Mike Tyson in the future?
Conclusion
Mike Tyson can be viewed in many ways. He is a controversial figure with a scandalous reputation. However, his legendary status in boxing cannot be denied. He is a truly talented athlete. He raised the standards of boxing and became a role model for a whole generation of young fighters.
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