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Mike Tyson biography

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Quick Facts

  • NAME: Mike Tyson
  • OCCUPATION: Boxer
  • BIRTH DATE: June 30, 1966 (Age: 45)
  • EDUCATION: Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York
  • PLACE OF BIRTH: Brooklyn, New York
more about Mike

Best Known For

Mike Tyson is considered to have been one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time. His bad behavior in and out of the ring has matched his boxing fame.


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  • Mike Tyson - Mini Bio (4:02)

  • Mike Tyson - Mini Bio

    An undisputed heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson became well-known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior. In 1997, he made headlines for biting Evander Holyfield's ear during a rematch.

Mike Tyson - Mini Bio watch more videos (1)

Synopsis

Mike Tyson (b. June 30, 1966 in Brooklyn) is an American boxer. Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight champion and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles.Throughout his career, Tyson became well-known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior both inside and outside the ring.

Quotes

"I'm a good guy, I'm a good brother. There's nothing wrong with me. Just don't push me too far, you know."

– Mike Tyson

Early Life

Born Michael Gerard Tyson on June 30, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York, to parents Jimmy Kirkpatrick and Lorna Tyson. When Michael was two years old his father abandoned the family, leaving Lorna to care for Michael and his two siblings, Rodney and Denise. Struggling financially, the Tyson family moved to Brownsville, Brooklyn, a neighborhood known for its high crime.
Tyson, small and shy, was often the target of bullying. To combat this, young Michael began developing his own style of street fighting, and graduated from this to criminal activity. His gang, known as the Jolly Stompers, assigned him to clean out cash registers while older members held victims at gunpoint. He was only 11 at the time. He frequently ran into trouble with police over his petty criminal activities, and by the age of 13 he had been arrested more than 30 times.

Tyson's bad behavior landed him in the Tryon School for Boys, a reform school in upstate New York. At Tryon, Tyson met counselor Bob Stewart, who had been an amateur boxing champion. Tyson wanted Stewart to teach him how to use his fists. Stewart reluctantly agreed, on the condition that Mike would stay out of trouble and work harder in school. Previously classified as learning disabled, Mike 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.

In 1980, Stewart felt he had taught Tyson all he knew. He introduced the aspiring boxer to legendary boxing manager Constantine "Cus" D'Amato, who had a gym in Catskill, New York. D'Amato was known for taking personal interest in promising fighters, even providing them room and board in the home he shared with companion Camille Ewald. He had handled the careers of several successful boxers, including Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres, and he immediately recognized Tyson's promise as a heavyweight contender, telling him, "If you want to stay here, and if you want to listen, you could be the world heavyweight champion someday." Tyson agreed to stay.

The relationship between D'Amato and Tyson was more than that of a professional trainer and a boxer—it was also one of a father and son. D'Amato took Tyson under his wing, and when the 14-year-old was paroled from Tryon in September 1980, he entered into D'Amato's full-time custody. D'Amato set a rigorous training schedule for the young athlete, sending him to Catskill High School during the day and training in the ring every evening. D'Amato also entered Tyson in amateur boxing matches and "smokers

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