The many eras of Mike Tyson: from 'Iron Mike' to prison, to Holyfield and a Jake Paul fight

Another chapter will be added to the many lives of Mike Tyson on Friday.

At 58, Tyson will fight Jake Paul, the 27-year-old YouTube star-turned-boxer who wasn't even born when Tyson's career was at its peak. It is Tyson's first sanctioned professional bout since 2005.

The Tyson who steps into the ring Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, is a far cry from the Tyson whose pro career ended 19 years ago when he retired to his stool before the start of the seventh round in a defeat to Kevin. McBride. He is another far cry from the Tyson who infamously bit Evander Holyfield's ear, the Tyson who spent three years in prison or the 'Iron Mike' who dominated the sport in the 1980s.

This Tyson is a shadow of the fighter he once was, even as he retains the confidence of a championship competitor: “I'm not going to lose,” he said this week.

As Tyson prepares for his comeback against the current boxing star, his career beckons to be rewinded. Here's a look at Tyson's evolution by the decade.

The 1980s: The Rise of 'Iron Mike'

At the age of 18, Tyson won his professional debut with a first-round TKO against Hector Mercedes on March 6, 1985 in Albany, NY. From then on his rise was meteoric.

Tyson fought fifteen times in a ten-month period in 1985, winning all by knockout. He fought thirteen more times in 1986, becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in history (20 years, 145 days old) with a second round of vicious left hooks that sent Trevor Berbick – the last fighter to beat Muhammad Ali – stumbling across the ring. .

“I honestly believe Mike creates an aura of invincibility,” Tyson's then co-manager Jim Jacobs said afterward. “I've seen Trevor Berbick on tape. And this Trevor Berbick looked nothing like the Trevor Berbick I've seen. He fought like he was in slow motion.”

On Tyson's 21st birthday, he was 30-0 with the unified WBA and WBC heavyweight titles. In fight #31, Tyson defeated Tony Tucker to win the IBF title and become the first heavyweight to hold all three major belts. By the end of the decade, he defended those titles six more times – all by knockout. His finish of Michael Spinks, 91 seconds into the first round, is considered by many to be the highlight of Tyson's career.

The numbers for Tyson's 37 fights in the 1980s were staggering: he won 33 by knockout, and 17 of them in the first round.

Early 1990s: a prank and a conviction

Tyson was a 42-to-1 favorite and seemingly a safe bet to go to 38-0 when he took on Buster Douglas in February 1990. Instead, the Tokyo Dome was treated to one of the biggest upsets in sports history when Douglas hit him. out in the 10th round. Douglas had just been TKOed by Tucker three years earlier and was demoted to the undercard on the same night Tyson Spinks dominated.

Behind the scenes, Tyson's personal life began to crumble leading up to the upset. His first wife, actress Robin Givens, said in a television interview that marrying Tyson was “torture, pure hell” and filed for divorce, citing spousal abuse. Tyson also split with his manager and trainer prior to the fight.

After the loss, Tyson rebounded with four wins in twelve months to restore his status and set up a match with heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, but that fight wouldn't last another five years. In 1992, Tyson was convicted of raping an 18-year-old woman and sentenced to six years in prison. He would serve three before being released on parole in March 1995.

Late 1990s: Tyson vs. Holyfield

Tyson returned to the ring to much fanfare in August 1995, regaining the WBC and WBA titles within 13 months to eventually set up the heavyweight clash with Holyfield. But Holyfield, seen over the mound in 1996, produced a stunning TKO of Tyson in the eleventh round.

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Revisiting the classics: Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield 1

A rematch was quickly arranged for June 1997. The highly anticipated Tyson-Holyfield II set a then PPV record of 1.99 million buys.

Those watching on PPV and at the MGM Grand saw one of the most stunning moments in professional sports history. As the third round came to a close, Tyson grabbed Holyfield multiple times and bit both of Holyfield's ears, severing part of Holyfield's right ear and ending the fight with a disqualification of Tyson.


Holyfield touched his right ear after being bitten by Tyson in 1997. (Photo: Jeff Haynes/AFP via Getty Images)

Tyson's boxing license in Nevada was later suspended, a ruling followed by other state athletic commissions. It would be more than 18 months before the license was reinstated, and it was during that time that Tyson first dipped his toe into pop culture, performing at WrestleMania XIV.

The decade ended when Tyson returned to the ring to knock out Francois Botha in January 1999 and subsequently served three and a half months in prison for attacking two drivers in a 1998 incident, before returning to fight Orlin Norris in October 1999 to fight. was ruled a no-contest.

The 2000s: boxing retirement, pop culture rise

At age 33, Tyson was attempting to build a late-career resurgence. After knocking out Lou Savarese in June 2000, Tyson called out heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and infamously said, “I want your heart, I want to eat your children.”

His chance against Lewis finally came in June 2002. Lewis largely controlled the fight, as the champion survived Tyson's attack in the first round and controlled the pace with powerful jabs. With less than a minute left in the eighth round, a right cross from Lewis landed flush and put Tyson on his back for the count.

The loss hastened the end of Tyson's professional career. His last professional victory came in 2003 against Clifford Etienne.

His last professional fight – until Friday against Paul – came against McBride in 2005. Tyson, who struggled mightily with his stamina and height difference, managed to keep the fight close on the scorecards but was then given a two-point penalty for head loss . bump. The sixth round ended with Tyson collapsing to the mat after a slip, and the match ended without Tyson ever getting off his stool to answer the seventh round.

“I don't have the courage to practice this sport anymore,” Tyson said afterwards. “I don't want to disrespect the sport I love. My heart doesn't love this anymore. I'm sorry for the fans who paid for this. I wish I could have done better.”


Tyson to the mat after slipping against McBride at the end of the sixth round. Tyson would stop the fight before the start of the seventh. (Photo: Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images)

Within a few years, Tyson found a second career: through films, television and entertainment.

He appeared in the 2006 film 'Rocky Balboa', but his breakout role came in 'The Hangover' in 2009, when he appeared on Phil Collins' 'In the Air Tonight' before taking out Zach Galifianakis' character, Alan. . He later made cameos in “How I Met Your Mother,” “Dancing with the Stars” and in a Foot Locker commercial in which he apologizes to Holyfield for biting his ear and hugs his old rival.

The 2020s: a return to the ring

In 2020, Tyson agreed to fight Roy Jones Jr. to compete in an eight-round exhibition, a bout that was sanctioned in California. Both boxers were over 50, and the match was played under specific instructions that it should not go beyond “the limits of a competitive boxing exhibition,” meaning neither opponent should attempt to knock out the other.

The fight was scored as a split draw despite Tyson significantly outpointing Jones. On the same card, Paul appeared in his second boxing match, knocking out former NBA player Nate Robinson.

Netflix announced the Tyson-Paul fight on Friday in March 2024. It was initially scheduled to take place in July. In April, the fight was approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations as a professional bout, consisting of eight two-minute rounds fought with 14-ounce gloves.

In late May, Tyson suffered a flare-up of an ulcer while flying from Miami to Los Angeles, forcing the fight to be postponed. According to Tyson, the ulcer in his stomach was more than two inches in size, causing him to lose 26 pounds. During the flight, he said he vomited blood.

“I asked the doctor, 'Am I going to die?'” Tyson said in the preview series: “Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson.” “And she didn't say no. She said we do have options. Then I got nervous.”

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(Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)



The New York Times

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