Boxing legend Mike Tyson is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous boxers of all time after becoming heavyweight champion at the age of just 20 and he’s now preparing to face Floyd Mayweather.
In 1987, Mike Tyson became the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and reigned over the division until 1990.
‘Iron’ Mike fought his last professional boxing bout against Kevin McBride in 2005 and retired following an illustrious career in the sport.
Despite that, 2024 saw Tyson come out of retirement to battle Jake Paul, a fight which ended in a unanimous decision victory for the YouTube star.
As he now prepares to face Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition fight, here is everything you need to know about Mike Tyson.
Mike Tyson’s age
Michael Gerrard Tyson was born June 30, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York City, USA. As of September 2025, he is 59 years old.
Mike Tyson’s height and weight
Mike Tyson stands at 5 feet and 10 inches (178 cm) tall and, as of 2020, weighed 220lbs, according to the Express. In his prime, Tyson fought in the heavyweight division at about 218 lbs.
Mike Tyson’s boxing record
| Total fights | Wins | Wins by KO | Losses | No contests |
| 58 | 50 | 44 | 7 | 2 |
Who did Tyson lose to?
Mike Tyson lost just six fights during his glittering career. They were to Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield twice, Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams, Kevin McBride and Jake Paul.
Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul
19 years after his last bout, Tyson came out of retirement to fight Jake Paul on November 15, 2014, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The former world champion looked slow against his opponent half his age, and struggled to get a foothold in the fight.
Paul won via unanimous decision in a bout that reportedly earned the boxer $39 million.
Why was Tyson vs Paul postponed?
The fight was initially supposed to take place on July 20, 2024, but was postponed after Tyson was unable to train due to an ulcer flareup.
Tyson said: “Unfortunately, due to my ulcer flare-up, I have been advised by my doctor to lighten my training for a few weeks to rest and recover.
“My body is in better overall shape than it has been since the 1990s, and I will be back to my full training schedule soon.”
When is Tyson vs Paul?
As confirmed by Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions, Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson will now take place on November 15.
Tyson training for fight against Jake Paul
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), who are staging the bout alongside Netflix, said both fighters want to ensure they have an equal amount of training before meeting in the ring.
MVP said: “The recommendation is for Mike Tyson to do minimal to light training over the next few weeks and then return to full training with no limitations.
“Both Mike and Jake are in agreement that it is only fair to ensure that both athletes have equal training time to prepare for this important match and are able to compete at the highest level.
“The health and wellbeing of athletes is our top priority, and we fully support Mike in taking the necessary time to allow him to perform at the level he expects of himself.”
Mike Tyson X/Twitter and Instagram accounts
Mike Tyson has an official Instagram account with over 30m followers @miketyson. He regularly posts videos of him in training for his big fight.
Mike Tyson also has an X, formerly Twitter, account with 6m followers @MikeTyson.
Mike Tyson net worth
Mike Tyson has an estimated net worth of $10m, according to Celebrity Net Worth, however, this number likely isn’t entirely accurate.
Mike Tyson documentary film
Following his fruitful career in boxing and his storied life outside of the ring, in 2009 ‘Tyson’ was released in the United States, which was a documentary film highlighting the life of the boxing legend.
The documentary written and produced by James Toback, is narrated by Tyson himself as he reflects on his feats inside the ring, but also his controversial public life.
The film documentary was received well by the public and scored 85% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Whose ear did Tyson bite off?
Following their blockbuster fight in 1996 when Evander Holyfield pulled off a big upset by stopping Tyson in round 11, the two rematched in a 1997 bout that was marred by controversy.
In round three of their highly anticipated rematch, the fight was halted momentarily after Holyfield winced in pain, protesting that Tyson had bitten his ear.
Referee in charge, Mills Lane deducted two points from ‘Iron’ Mike, and the bout continued.
However, following the return to action, Tyson bit Holyfield again, drawing blood from the ear, and subsequently, the match was stopped and Tyson was disqualified.
The bites from Tyson were so severe that Holyfield lost a chunk of his ear, which was later found on the canvas.
Mike Tyson wife and children
Mike Tyson married Lakiha Spicer, his third wife, in 2009. He was married to Robin Givens from 1988-1989 and also to Monica Turner from 1997-2003, according to The Sun.
Tyson has seven children from various women, named Mikey, Rayna, Amir, Miguel, Exodus, Milan, and Morocco.
Why did Mike Tyson go to prison?
Tyson was arrested for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington in July 1991.
A year later, Tyson was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison with a further four years of probation.
He was released in March 1995 after serving less than three years of his sentence.
Mike Tyson tattoo
Mike Tyson has become recognizable worldwide because of his iconic face tattoo.
Tyson got the tattoo after his 50th boxing win, a win against Clifford Etienne. Explaining the meaning and decision behind his tattoo, he said via The Sun: “I just thought it was a cool tattoo. I was going to get a bunch of hearts and stuff.
“Victor Perez, the tattoo artist, said I ain’t doing that, I can’t do that.”
The iconic tattoo takes inspiration from the traditional New Zealand tribe, Maori.
Mike Tyson tiger
After rising to fame at such a young age, Tyson began to enjoy the money that was coming his way, and purchased several luxury cars, before deciding to push the boat out on a more extravagant and unusual purchase.
Talking to his car dealer at the time, Tyson was made aware that he could purchase tigers from him and he ended up buying three, reports TalkSport.
After owning them for a short amount of time, Tyson donated two of the Bengal tigers to a local sanctuary, keeping one for 16 years, which he named Kenya. Kenya also featured in the film The Hangover with Mike.
Tyson got rid of Kenya after an incident that occurred at his home when a trespasser jumped the fences of his property to try and pet the tiger. Things took a turn for the worse and the tiger caused severe damage to the trespasser’s arm.
Although they tried to sue Tyson, the judge dismissed the claim after learning that it occurred after they trespassed.
Mike Tyson’s house
Currently residing in Las Vegas, Tyson purchased his home for $2.5m in 2015, according to the Express.
His house in Henderson, close to the Las Vegas strip includes six bedrooms, and seven bathrooms, and is over 10,000 square feet.
The property also sits on almost an acre of land, and the outside area includes a big pool, a relaxing spa, an outdoor kitchen, and two guest houses, one of which is fully equipped.
Buster Douglas and Mike Tyson
In 1990, Mike Tyson returned to the ring to fight Buster Douglas in Japan, on an event billed as ‘Tyson is Back’.
The fight was largely considered a warm-up fight for the then undisputed heavyweight champion, as Evander Holyfield waited ringside for his opportunity to fight the champion.
Buster Douglas was ranked number seven by Ring Magazine at the time and was given virtually no chance of beating ‘Iron’ Mike who at the time was 37-0.
Douglas went on to score a huge upset win by knocking Tyson out in round 10, handing him his first professional loss.
Pigeon in Mike Tyson mysteries
In October 2014, an adult animated television series called Mike Tyson Mysteries was released. Tyson co-created the series along with Hugh Davidson, and during the animation, Tyson solves mysteries.
As a child, Mike Tyson found a love for pigeons, claiming that they were an escape from the bullying he endured.
In Mike Tyson Mysteries, an alcoholic pigeon is a main feature, and the pigeon was formerly a human but was turned into a bird after cheating on his wife.
Mike Tyson vs Floyd Mayweather
Two years after his clash with Paul, Tyson takes on former world champion Floyd Mayweather in a dream match fans never expected to see.
The bout pits the 59-year-old Heavyweight against his 48-year-old opponent, who last fought at Light Middleweight as a professional.