Mike Tyson

Meet Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard 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 match up 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 pummeled 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.

Tyson pummels Bruno into submission

Tyson loses his cool in the second bout with Holyfield

TYSON INFO

Height: 5' 11-1/2"

Weight: 218 lbs

Reach: 71"

Chest (normal): 43"

Chest (expanded): 45"

Waist: 34"

Bicep: 16"

Neck: 19-3/4"

Wrist: 8"

Calf: 18"

Ankle: 11"

Thigh: 27"

Fist: 13"

Forearm: 14"

Career fights

Undisputed world heavyweight champion: 87-90
WBC heavyweight champion: 86-90, 96
WBA heavyweight champion: 96
Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year: 86; 88
Amateur record: 24-3
Pro record: 49-3-0-1 (43 KOs)

1985
Mar. 6 -- Hector Mercedes, Albany, N.Y., TKO 1
Apr. 10 -- Trent Singleton, Albany, N.Y., TKO 1
May 23 -- Don Halpern, Albany, N.Y., KO 4
June 20 -- Rick Spain, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1
July 11 -- John Alderson, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 2
July 19 -- Larry Sims, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., KO 3
Aug. 15 -- Lorenzo Canady, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 1
Sept. 5 -- Michael Johnson, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1
Oct. 9 -- Donnie Long, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1
Oct. 25 -- Robert Colay, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1
Nov. 1 -- Sterling Benjamin, Latham, N.Y., TKO 1
Nov. 13 -- Eddie Richardson, Houston, KO 1
Nov. 22 -- Conroy Nelson, Latham, N.Y., KO 2
Dec. 6 -- Sammy Scaff, New York, KO 1
Dec. 27 -- Mark Young, Latham, N.Y., KO 1
1986
Jan. 10 -- Dave Jaco, Albany, N.Y., TKO 1
Jan. 24 -- Mike Jamison, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 5
Feb. 16 -- Jesse Ferguson, Troy, N.Y., TKO 6
Mar. 10 -- Steve Zouski, Uniondale, N.Y., KO 3
May 3 -- James Tillis, Glen Falls, N.Y., W 10
May 20 -- Mitch Green, New York, W 10
June 13 -- Reggie Gross, New York, TKO 1
June 28 -- William Hosea, Troy, N.Y., KO 1
July 11 -- Lorenzo Boyd, Swan Lake, N.Y., KO 2
July 26 -- Marvis Frazier, Glen Falls, N.Y., KO 1
Aug. 17 -- Jose Ribalta, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 10
Sept. 6 -- Alfonzo Ratliff, Las Vegas, KO 2
Nov. 22 -- Trevor Berbick, Las Vegas, TKO 2
(Won WBC Heavyweight Title)
1987
Mar.7 -- James Smith, Las Vegas, W 12
(Won WBA Heavyweight Title/Retained WBC Heavyweight Title)
May 30 -- Pinklon Thomas, Las Vegas, TKO 6
(Retained WBA/WBC Heavyweight Titles)
Aug. 1 -- Tony Tucker, Las Vegas, W 12
(Won IBF Heavyweight Title/Retained WBA/WBC Heavyweight Titles/Became Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion)
Oct. 16 -- Tyrell Biggs, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 7
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
1988
Jan. 22 -- Larry Holmes, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 4
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
Mar. 21 -- Tony Tubbs, Tokyo, Japan, KO 2
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
June 27 -- Michael Spinks, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
1989
Feb. 25 -- Frank Bruno, Las Vegas, TKO 5
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
July 21 -- Carl Williams, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 1
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
1990
Feb. 11 -- James Douglas, Tokyo, Japan, KO by 10
(Lost World Heavyweight Title)
June 16 -- Henry Tillman, Las Vegas, KO 1
Dec. 8 -- Alex Stewart, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 1
1991
Mar. 18 -- Donovan Ruddock, Las Vegas, TKO 7
June 28 -- Donovan Ruddock, Las Vegas, W 10
1992-1994
inactive
1995
Aug. 19 -- Peter McNeeley, Las Vegas, WDSQ 1
Dec. 16 -- Buster Mathis, Jr., Philadelphia, KO 3
1996
Mar. 16 -- Frank Bruno, Las Vegas, TKO 3
(Won WBC Heavyweight Title)
Sept. 7 -- Bruce Seldon, Las Vegas, TKO 1
(Won WBA Heavyweight Title)
Nov. 9 -- Evander Holyfield, Las Vegas, TKO by 11
(Lost WBA Heavyweight Title)
1997
June 28 -- Evander Holyfield, Las Vegas, L DQ 3
(For WBA Heavyweight Title)
1998
inactive
1999
Jan. 16 -- Francois Botha, Las Vegas, KO 5
Oct. 23 -- Orlin Norris, Las Vegas, NC 1
2000
Jan. 29 -- Jules Francis, Manchester, Englad, TKO 2
June 24 -- Lou Savarese, Glasgow, Scotland, TKO 1
Oct. 20 -- Andrew Golota, Detroit, TKO 3

                                                      Tyson Pictures

       

       

       

       

       

World Rankings

WBC	WBA	IBF	WBO
Hasim Rahman	John Ruiz	Hasim Rahman	Wladimir Klitschko
1. Mike Tyson	1. Not Rated	1. David Tua	1. Kirk Johnson
2. Lennox Lewis	2. Kirk Johnson	2. Not Rated	2. Larry Donald
3. Vitali Klitschko	3. Evander Holyfield	3. Wladimir Klitschko	3. Vitali Klitschko
4. Kirk Johnson	4. Larry Donald	4. Larry Donald	4. Chris Byrd
5. Larry Donald	5. Mike Tyson	5. Chris Byrd	5. David Tua
6. Lance Whitaker	6. Vitali Klitschko	6. Lennox Lewis	6. Lance Whitaker
7. David Tua	7. David Tua	7. Danell Nicholson	7. Danny Williams
8. Fres Oquendo	8. Henry Akinwande	8. Mike Tyson	8. David Izon
9. Henry Akinwande	9. David Izon	9. Kirk Johnson	9. Fres Oquendo
10. Vaughn Bean	10. Lance Whitaker	10. Lance Whitaker	10. Ray Mercer

Last Updated: 05/29/01

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