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Miguel Cotto had a thrilling 47-fight career over the span of 16 years and faced some of the biggest names in the sport, not least Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

The four-weight world champion had 14 successful title defences during his campaign, but would lose belts to both of the Hall of Famers mentioned above.

Pacquiao snatched the WBO Welterweight World Title from Cotto in 2009, stopping him with less than a minute to go on the clock. The huge-selling box office bout prompted veteran promoter Bob Arum to brand Pacquiao ‘the best fighter’ he had ever seen – high praise considering he worked with Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard.

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Three years later, Cotto was relieved of his WBA super-welterweight belt by Mayweather via unanimous decision.

In a feature with The Ring Magazine, the Puerto Rican star ranked opponents throughout his career in various categories.

While he gave the nod to Pacquiao when it comes to best footwork, saying it was ‘very difficult to hit’ the Filipino fighter, he said the smartest, most-skilled and best overall fighter was Mayweather.

“He was so slippery in every moment of the fight. It was so difficult to get to him.

No doubt, Floyd Mayweather [was the smartest]. You can catch him with one good shot, but it is so hard to catch him twice that it makes me believe he is the smartest one.

Boxing and fundamentals, I would say Mayweather. The difficulty with Mayweather is that he’s so hard to catch him twice with the same mistake. He had very good skills. He had all the shots.

[Floyd] was smarter than everyone else. He was a really good boxer. He did everything about as well as anybody.”

Mayweather and Pacquiao would of course pit their skills against one another in 2015. Mayweather won on all three scorecards, but most feel the rivalry would have been better represented had it happened half a decade prior.

Floyd Mayweather Jr is widely considered one of the greatest boxers of all time and has the resume to back that claim up, as the Michigan native has worked tirelessly to perfect his craft and keep his perfect record of 50-0 unblemished throughout his career. Though he is boxing nowadays just for the money, against opponents with name value as opposed to building a legacy of career boxers, what he has accomplished over the past few decades may never be seen again.

Floyd Mayweather 10 Best Wins Ranked

Every fight fan remembers the biggest moments of their favourite fighter’s career. While Mayweather Jr has a long list of wins under his belt, there are a few that stand out above the rest. Here are the 10 best wins of Floyd “Money” Mayweather’s career – ranked.

Besides having an all-time series of fights against Manny Pacquiao, Mexican great Juan Manuel Marquez battled against some of the best boxers of his generation, including Mayweather Jr. Their meeting came right in the middle of “Money” Mayweather Jr’s obliteration of all challengers. Coming off of an extended hiatus, Mayweather Jr’s return against a dangerous opponent sparked large viewership numbers. Marquez had limited success against his adversary. He tried to stick to his game plan, but after frustration set in, the Mexican fighter tried the different approach of throwing caution to the wind. This played beautifully into Mayweather Jr’s counter-punching that enabled him to win by a large disparity and reminded the competition that he was still king.

Floyd Mayweather 10 Best Wins Ranked

While the most memorable moment of the Mayweather Jr and Victor Ortiz fight was the illegal headbutt by the latter, this fight was instrumental in proving that age is just a number for the pound-for-pound king. During this established point in his career, Mayweather Jr, 34, was a master at cultivating fans to tune into his fights in hope of his demise. Regardless of his age, Mayweather Jr looked technically sound and was asserting his will routinely. He looked a step or two ahead of his younger counterpart. By frustrating the young Mexican boxer purely out of execution of a game plan, Ortiz lashed out with a cheap shot. The younger Ortiz was mighty and strong, but let his emotions get the better of him. In the midst of the chaos, Mayweather Jr capitalised on the moment by knocking out an apologetic and unprotected Ortiz to remain champion.

At the time, Shane Mosley was the number three ranked pound-for-pound fighter on the planet and had a tough test in front of him against Mayweather Jr. Mosley had several big-time wins on his record, lost to a few elite fighters as well, but really looked sharp early on versus Mayweather Jr. In an extremely rare circumstance, Mayweather Jr’s button was severely pinged by Mosley in the second round to buckle the undefeated champion and put him on stilts. However, what makes Floyd so special is his ability to stay composed under duress. Mayweather Jr stayed on the course to win the rest of the fight by a large margin.

After another round of failed negotiations with the great Manny Pacquiao, Team Money Mayweather turned their attention to a different opponent, a former world champion Miguel Cotto. Cotto faced and beat some of the sport’s most elite boxers, and he would’ve loved to have nothing more than to tally a “1” in Mayweather Jr’s career loss column. Cotto came out with a pressuring offensive style to counter the Michigan native’s elusiveness. Mayweather Jr responded by mixing up light and heavy shots that landed around the guard of Cotto to ultimately turn the tables of the fight in the later rounds. Though the fight went all 12 rounds, Mayweather Jr nearly finished Cotto, but the tough Rhode Island native respectably hung on. It was another dominant performance for “Money” Mayweather Jr.

One of the biggest wins of Mayweather Jr’s career came when he took on Zab Judah for the IBF and IBO welterweight championship belts. However, during the fight, Judah, like a handful of Mayweather Jr’s opponents, tried to bully the more talented boxer with unnecessary – and sometimes illegal – physicality. Floyd refused to be big brothered by Judah, and responded with even more swiftness and skill. When Judah could not outbox Mayweather Jr, he turned to foul play. In the 10th round with Mayweather Jr up on the scorecards, Judah landed a blatant low blow followed by a punch to the back of Floyd’s head. This resulted in Roger Mayweather rushing into the ring to confront Judah and to protect his fighter. A scrum broke out, but the tension would eventually subside, and Mayweather Jr would go on to win the fight.

It quickly became apparent that the 18-year-old was several levels above his opponent, who was dropped in the final few seconds of round one.

Buzolin popped back to his feet, but it was clear he had been saved by the bell.

Moton continued to swarm in round two and at the midway point the referee stepped in to wave off what was a spectacularly one-sided fight.

Both of his first two opponents were dealt with similarly, but the teenager was pushed the eight-round distance when he fought Anthony Cuba in March.

Boxing fans were seriously impressed by the 4-0 prospect’s latest win.

One person tweeted: “Curmel will be a huge star!!!”

Another said: “What a beast!!!”

A third person added: “Reminder: This kid is 18 years old.”

Someone else commented: “He is the future of boxing!”

Even though Moton is still in the early stages of his promising career, there is plenty of hype surrounding the youngster.

Floyd Mayweather’s entourage is one of the biggest and most powerful in the game and there are slew of ridiculous requirements for joining.

‘The Money Team’ are not only tasked with protecting the undefeated 50-0 boxer in public but also the substantial amounts of cash he regularly carries with him.

They are paid extremely well, with reports saying some are said to earn around $150,000-a-year.

The team also get to travel on a separate private jet as well as receive one or two pieces of jewellery.

But it’s not always an easy ride working for the 47-year-old as he expects his bodyguards to go on the attack as soon as he utters a command.

During the press conference with Conor McGregor ahead of their 2017 superfight, Mayweather shouted at his crew to ‘Form Voltron’.

It sounded like something out of a Marvel movie but 15-time world champion was demanding the TMT go on the attack and surround McGregor.

A huge fracas occurred when McGregor’s team also showed they were game for a scrap.

Mayweather, who has had multiple altercations with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, has also been known to yell “sick them” – which also means activating his mob into action.

One of Mayweather’s bodyguards, Alfonso Redick, stands at a ridiculous 7ft and is quite rightly nicknamed ‘Big Church’.

But another of his personal minders, Jizzy Mack – once labelled a “juicehead turkey” by McGregor – suffered a brutal knockout defeat back in September 2022.

Mack previously fought on the undercard of Mayweather’s exhibition bout against Mikauru Asakura over in Japan.

He took on a much smaller opponent in kickboxer Kouzi but was finished off in the third round.

Kouzi put him on the canvas on multiple occasions and after a final flurry of punches, Mack was put to the sword when the referee waved away the contest.

The guards followed the command and promptly surrounded the Notorious – with a scuffle ensuing on stage after McGregor’s team leapt to his defence.

As expected, the Irishman did not take too kindly to what happened when asked about the altercation.

“Juicehead fools,” said McGregor, as per MMA Fighting.

“I don’t know, man. I didn’t even see them until they were on top of me. I was like, ‘what?’ and then everybody was pushing and shoving. But, handbags, we call that back where I come from. It means it’s nothing, it’s just handbags. It’s just a term we use.

“We’re having a good time, but I’ll tell you what, if those fucking juiceheads [do it again], I’ll slap the hell out of all of them. If something like that happens at the next one, something will have to happen.”

‘The Money Team’ are widely viewed as merely being Mayweather’s stooges but according to Rod Braswell, who has been friends with Mayweather since 1987, there’s much more to it.

“It’s a collaboration of entrepreneurial minded people that are highly-educated with good common sense,” Braswell told the New York Post in 2017.

“Floyd looks out for everybody and gives them an opportunity to go forward. Everybody is not meant to go forward, but he at least tries to put you in position to go forward.”

Ricky Hatton has fought the very best, but was left quaking in his bots by Luis Collazo.

‘The Hitman’ retired from boxing in November 2012 following a ninth-round TKO defeat against former WBA welterweight champion Vyacheslav Shevchenko.

However, his career at the top level ended three years earlier when he was brutally knocked out inside two rounds by Manny Pacquaio at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In 2007, he suffered a tenth-round stoppage defeat – the first of his career – when he squared off against five-weight world champion Floyd Mayweather.

Mayweather and Pacquiao are regarded by many as two of the best boxers of all time, so many assumed one of them will have given Hatton his toughest night at the office.

The British fight icon claims that, despite the devastating nature of his first two losses, his hardest test actually came when he jumped up to welterweight and became a two-weight titleholder by outpointing Collazo.

That was my toughest fight,” Hatton told talkSPORT’s Jim White and Simon Jordan about his 12-round battle with Collazo for the WBA 147lb title in May 2006.

“I mean, getting beat by Pacquiao like I did was very tough to come to terms with and Floyd Mayweather was just technically so good.

“From a physical point of view [Collazo was tougher]. I never made fights easy for myself. I was always going to have it out with someone.”

Hatton believes the fact he jumped up a division played a huge role in him having such a hard night against Collazo despite scoring an early knockdown.

“So, to move up to welterweight… Billy Graham, my trainer, said, ‘No, don’t do it, Rick. Don’t do it.’ But I wanted to do what my heroes had done. I wanted to try to become a world champion in two weight divisions.

I took it, and I knocked him down in the first ten seconds. I thought, ‘I’ll be in the bar in half an hour at this rate.’ But he got up and I won it on a unanimous decision, but only by one point.

“I think it was only the knockdown that won it. The people that I could bully at 10 stone. When I got close, I could push them, shove them all.

“I couldn’t do it at 10st 7lbs. I hit him, and the shots just bounced off him. I went to shove him back and he didn’t move. I thought, ‘Oh this is going to be a long night.’”

The glory of becoming a two-weight champion came at a cost for Hatton who still remembers how bad he felt after sharing a ring with Collazo for 36 minutes.

“It was the worst after I’ve felt. I had hot sweats, shaky, shivering and I couldn’t even go to the afterparty I was in such a bad way,” he said.

“Every time he hit me – Floyd Mayweather wasn’t a big puncher, he was technically unreal – but [Collazo] was a big punching southpaw, and every time he hit me, oh my lord!”

Hatton was one of Manchester’s finest and following his Las Vegas defeat to Pacquiao, the Briton got a final homecoming fight.

He fought Vyacheslav Senchenko in his final bow, which ended in disaster at the Manchester Arena as he was stopped in front of the raucous crowd.

But nonetheless he went down in boxing royalty, and he wasn’t done there as he returned in a more successful exhibition in November 2022.

He fought in an eight-rounder with Marco Antonio Barerra with the bout unscored, but ruled out any future return despite looking impressively fit.

Mayweather had a hugely impressive boxing career retiring as a 50-0 professional, having fought in the sport’s biggest modern-era events

He fought Conor McGregor in his own curtain-closer in 2017, but has since fought in a series of money-spinning exhibitions himself including against Deji and Logan Paul.

Money’ has also been linked with a rematch with Pacquiao, who he himself fought and beat in the ‘Fight of The Century’ on May 15, but it has never materialised.

Pacquiao retired in 2021 after losing to Yordenis Ugas, to focus on his political career in the Phillipines.

But he is now searching for a full comeback fight after competing in an exhibition against Korean YouTuber DK Yoo.

He is exploring a remarkable world title shot aged 45 against Mario Barrios at 147lbs, which would be a simply incredble final hoorah.

Collazo was only young in 2006 when he fought Hatton, and went on to fight some of the sport’s best.

 

It appears as if Floyd Mayweather and John Gotti III will be running it back, and for real this time.

On Friday night, Mayweather announced that a rematch between the undefeated boxer and six-time MMA veteran will take place Aug. 24 in Mexico City. “Money” made a similar announcement this past November for a fight during Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas, but it never materialized, and in fact, Gotti himself never confirmed the booking.

This time, Gotti did promote the new date on several posts on his Instagram stories.

The two fighters competed in an exhibition bout in June 2023 where things ended in chaotic fashion.

In the sixth round of a somewhat forgettable affair, the angry energy between Mayweather and Gotti boiled over into mayhem as referee Kenny Bayless called a stop to the bout, which led to Gotti continuing to engage Mayweather and both camps entering the ring for an ugly melee.

The 31-year-old grandson of the infamous mob boss John Gotti is 5-1 as a pro MMA fighter, but made the switch over the boxing following his first MMA loss to Nick Alley in a massive upset at CES 61 in October 2020. Gotti is 2-0 in his pro boxing career, including a first-round knockout victory in January 2023.

Mayweather, 47. has kept himself busy with exhibition bouts against the likes of Logan PaulDeji, and even Tenshin Nasukawa since defeating Conor McGregor in his final pro boxing bout in August 2017.

It appears as if Floyd Mayweather and John Gotti III will be running it back, and for real this time.

On Friday night, Mayweather announced that a rematch between the undefeated boxer and six-time MMA veteran will take place Aug. 24 in Mexico City. “Money” made a similar announcement this past November for a fight during Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas, but it never materialized, and in fact, Gotti himself never confirmed the booking.

This time, Gotti did promote the new date on several posts on his Instagram stories.

The two fighters competed in an exhibition bout in June 2023 where things ended in chaotic fashion.

In the sixth round of a somewhat forgettable affair, the angry energy between Mayweather and Gotti boiled over into mayhem as referee Kenny Bayless called a stop to the bout, which led to Gotti continuing to engage Mayweather and both camps entering the ring for an ugly melee.

The 31-year-old grandson of the infamous mob boss John Gotti is 5-1 as a pro MMA fighter, but made the switch over the boxing following his first MMA loss to Nick Alley in a massive upset at CES 61 in October 2020. Gotti is 2-0 in his pro boxing career, including a first-round knockout victory in January 2023.

Mayweather, 47. has kept himself busy with exhibition bouts against the likes of Logan PaulDeji, and even Tenshin Nasukawa since defeating Conor McGregor in his final pro boxing bout in August 2017.

Terence Crawford wants a shot at Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez. Despite the current weight disparity, he believes he can be just the third man to beat him.

Having conquered lightweight, super-lightweight and welterweight, Crawford wants to make an unprecedented jump to super-middleweight to face Canelo, who has held all four belts in the division since 2021

Speaking to FightHype, two-weight world champion Teofimo Lopez said Crawford was trying to ‘copy and paste’ what Floyd Mayweather did against Canelo over ten years ago, but warned him that he wasn’t on the same level.

“Canelo’s still the face of boxing, you can’t take that away. You cannot take that away. This guy is still the guy everyone talks about, everyone wants to fight. Crawford wouldn’t want to fight Canelo if he wasn’t the face of boxing, realistically. It’s a money grab, it’s a money fight.

He wants to do what Floyd Mayweather did to Canelo. That’s all it is man, they just trying to copy and paste it. He can’t do that. Ain’t nobody like Floyd. Nobody.”

Mayweather caught Canelo relatively early in his career and won a majority decision. It’s a victory that has aged increasingly well given the Mexican has only lost once since, to Dmitry Bivol in a jump up to light-heavyweight. He has still never been knocked down or stopped.

Crawford – like Mayweather did before him – makes the jump up to super-welterweight on August 3 to face WBA Champion Israil Madrimov. Fans and analysts will use the performance as a measuring stick to see how realistic the move to 168 for Canelo really is.

Mike Tyson’s fight with Jake Paul has been postponed indefinitely after the heavyweight legend received a warning from medical professionals.

Tyson, 57 and Paul, 27, were due to meet at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on July 20 in the main event of a card to be broadcast on Netflix.

It was also set to feature an undisputed super lightweight title fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, with UFC star Darren Till also making his professional boxing debut on the undercard.

But the event has now been postponed until a later date.

A statement released on Friday by Paul’s promotional company MVP announced Tyson is unable to train due to an ulcer, forcing the fight to be called off.

“During a follow up consultation on Thursday with medical professionals on his recent ulcer flare up, 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,” read the statement.

“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 well-being 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.”

Tyson expressed his disappointment but promised fans the fight would take place later this year

“I want to thank my fans around the world for their support and understanding during this time. Unfortunately, due to my ulcer flareup, I have been advised by my doctor to lighten my training for a few weeks to rest and recover,” he said in a statement released by MVP.

“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. Jake Paul, this may have bought you some time, but in the end you will still be knocked out and out of boxing for good.

“I appreciate everyone’s patience and can’t wait to deliver an unforgettable performance later this year.”

Paul, meanwhile, said he is happy to wait to face Tyson “at his best” rather than rushing through a fight.

“I fully support postponing the event so Mike Tyson has no excuses come fight night,” added Paul.

“My fans know I don’t want to face Iron Mike at anything but his best, but let there be no mistake – when he steps into the ring with me, I will be ready to claim my W with a sensational finish.

“Paul vs Tyson will be one for the ages, and I promise to bring my best for this once-in-a-lifetime matchup.”

Fans slam Jake Paul after hearing what he said about Mike Tyson after ‘medical emergency’

Jake Paul vowed to ‘f**k up’ Mike Tyson when they fight.

Fans genuinely can’t believe what Jake Paul said after Mike Tyson suffered a ‘medical emergency’ ahead of their fight.

Tyson had a scare on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles ahead of returning to the sport against Paul on July 20.

The 57-year-old became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare and received medical attention.

“Thankfully Mr. Tyson is doing great,” Tyson’s representatives said. “He became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare up 30 minutes before landing. He is appreciative to the medical staff that were there to help him.

The boxing icon issued an update on social media as he sent a message to Paul, who himself reacted to his upcoming opponent’s medical incident as he fired a warning ahead of their summer showdown.

Speaking on his podcast, ‘The Problem Child’ insists he’s going ‘f**k up’ ‘Iron’ Mike and will make it look easy.

“I’m certain I’m going to win,” he said. “I’m gonna f**k him up.

“It might just be easy actually. He doesn’t want that smoke and it’s a pro fight now so it’s just war.

“In the most respectful way possible because I do love him

Paul’s claim, however, doesn’t sit well with fight fans online as they hit out at the YouTuber-turned-boxer especially considering Tyson’s recent scare.

One X user wrote: “Bro just gained more confidence after a medical scare.”

A second tweeted: “Of course it’s gonna be easy he’s 75 years old.”

A third added: “Why is anyone entertaining this trash.”

A fourth slammed: “Lmaoooooo why is he always picking on retired or old fighters. Bro is a coward.”

Another commented: “Oh what a hard guy. Beating up an old man with health complications.”

Tyson will make his first appearance in a pro fight since June 2005 when he suffered a defeat to Kevin McBride.

But he did come out of retirement back in November 2020 as he faced fellow great Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition bout.

Boxing superstar offers to replace Mike Tyson against Jake Paul after ‘medical emergency’

A boxing superstar has offered to replace Mike Tyson against Jake Paul if he is unable to compete following his ‘medical emergency’.

Tyson suffered an ulcer flare on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles on Sunday as he received urgent medical attention.

He became nauseous and dizzy and was treated on the plane.

His representatives said: “Thankfully Mr. Tyson is doing great. He became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare up 30 minutes before landing. He is appreciative to the medical staff that were there to help him.”

 

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has courted controversy in and outside of the ring, including biting opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear and a 1992 rape conviction.

Mike Tyson News: Fight with Jake Paul Rescheduled

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has courted controversy in and outside of the ring, including biting opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear and a 1992 rape conviction.

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson’s highly anticipated fight against Jake Paul is rescheduled for November 15 in Arlington, Texas. The sanctioned eight-round match against Paul, 27, will stream on Netflix and mark Tyson’s first competitive bout since June 2005.

The fight was originally scheduled for July 20, but postponed because of a recent ulcer flare-up for the 57-year-old Tyson. According to a representative, Tyson became dizzy and nauseated while flying from Miami to Los Angeles on May 26. Paramedics boarded the plane upon landing to assist him. Doctors subsequently advised Tyson to do minimal to no training in the coming weeks, upsetting the original timeline for the fight.

“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,” Tyson said. “Jake Paul, this may have bought you some time, but in the end, you will still be knocked out and out of boxing for good.”

Who Is Mike Tyson?

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has courted controversy in and outside of the ring, including biting opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear and a 1992 rape conviction.

Retired professional boxer Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion of the world in 1986, at age 20. He lost the title in 1990 and later served three years in prison after being convicted on rape charges. Tyson subsequently earned further notoriety by biting off part of opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear during a 1997 match. Since retiring from boxing in 2005, Tyson has appeared in several movies and TV shows, become a best-selling author, and launched a successful cannabis business.

Where Is Mike Tyson From?

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has courted controversy in and outside of the ring, including biting opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear and a 1992 rape conviction.

Michael Gerard Tyson was born on June 30, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York, to parents Jimmy Kirkpatrick and Lorna Tyson. When Michael was 2 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, a Brooklyn neighborhood known for its high crime. Small and shy, Tyson was often the target of bullying. To combat this, he began developing his own style of street fighting, which ultimately transitioned into 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 years old at the time.

Tyson frequently ran into trouble with police over his petty criminal activities, and by age 13, he had been arrested more than 30 times. His 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 Tyson would stay out of trouble and work harder in school.

Previously classified as learning disabled, Tyson 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.

Amateur Boxer with Trainer “Cus” D’Amato

In 1980, Bob 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 partner 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 contender, telling him, “If you want to stay here, and if you want to listen, you could be the world heavyweight champion someday.”

The relationship between D’Amato and Tyson was more than that of a professional trainer and a boxer—it was one akin to 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,” non-sanctioned fights, to teach the teen how to deal with older opponents.

Tyson’s life seemed to be looking up, but in 1982, he suffered a couple personal losses. That year, Tyson’s mother died of cancer. “I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something,” he later told reporters. “She only knew of me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn’t pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her.” Around this same time, Tyson was expelled from Catskill High for his erratic, often violent behavior. He continued his education through private tutors while he trained for the 1984 Olympic trials.

Tyson’s showing in the trials didn’t make the cut. He lost to Henry Tillman, the eventual gold medalist, and failed to make the Olympic team. After that, D’Amato decided that it was time for his fighter to turn professional.

Professional Boxing Career

On March 6, 1985, Tyson made his professional boxing debut in Albany, New York, against Hector Mercedes. The 18-year-old knocked Mercedes out in one round. Tyson’s strength, quick fists, and notable defensive abilities intimidated his opponents, who were often afraid to hit the fighter. This gave Tyson the uncanny ability to level his opponents in only one round, and earned him the nickname “Iron Mike.”

The year was a successful one for Tyson, but it was not without its tragedies: On November 4, 1985, his trainer and surrogate father, Cus D’Amato, died of pneumonia. Kevin Rooney took over for D’Amato and, less than two weeks later, Tyson continued his climb up the heavyweight rankings. He recorded his thirteenth knockout in Houston and dedicated the fight to the man who had molded him into a professional. Those close to Tyson have said he never fully recovered from D’Amato’s passing.

Heavyweight Championship and First Loss

Mike Tyson beat Trevor Berbick on November 22, 1986, to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history.

By 1986, Tyson had garnered a 22-0 record, winning 21 of the fights by knockout. November 22, 1986, was a particular auspicious day. Tyson faced Trevor Berbick in his first title fight for the World Boxing Council heavyweight championship. Tyson won the title by a knockout in the second round. At the age of 20 years and 4 months, he broke Floyd Patterson’s record to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history.

Tyson’s success in the ring didn’t stop there. He defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, adding the World Boxing Association championship to his list of victories. On August 1, he became the first heavyweight to own all three major boxing belts when he seized the International Boxing Federation title from Tony Tucker.

But Tyson’s game seemed to be on the decline. Once known for his complicated offensive and defensive moves, the boxer seemed to continually rely on his one-punch knockout move to finish his bouts. He blamed his trainer for his struggles in the ring and fired Rooney in mid-1988.

Tyson defended his title twice more before his winning streak came to an end on February 11, 1990, when he lost his championship belt to Buster Douglas in Tokyo. Tyson, the clear favorite, sent Douglas to the mat in the eighth round, but Douglas came back in the 10th, knocking Tyson out for the first time in his career.

Discouraged but not ready to give up, Tyson recovered by knocking out Olympic gold medalist Henry Tillman, who was his former amateur boxing adversary, later that year.

Evander Holyfield Fights

Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson fight in November 1996 in Las Vegas.

After several successful fights, Tyson came head-to-head with his next big challenger: Evander Holyfield. Holyfield had been promised a title shot against Tyson in 1990 before Douglas defeated Tyson. Instead, Holyfield fought Douglas for the heavyweight title on October 25, 1990, and beat his opponent by knockout to become the new undefeated, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

On November 9, 1996, Tyson faced Holyfield for the heavyweight title. The evening didn’t end successfully for Tyson, who lost to Holyfield by a knockout in the 11th round. Instead of Tyson’s anticipated victory, Holyfield made history by becoming the second person to win a heavyweight championship belt three times. Tyson claimed he was the victim of multiple illegal head butts by Holyfield and vowed to avenge his loss.

Tyson trained heavily for a rematch with Holyfield, and on June 28, 1997, the two boxers faced off again. The fight was televised on pay-per-view and entered nearly 2 million households, setting a record at the time for the highest number of paid television viewers. Both boxers also received record purses for the match, making them the highest-paid professional boxers in history until 2007.

The first and second rounds provided the typical crowd-pleasing action expected from the two champions. But the match took an unexpected turn in the third round. Tyson shocked fans and boxing officials when he grabbed Holyfield and bit both of the boxer’s ears, completely severing a piece of Holyfield’s right ear. Tyson claimed that the action was retaliation for Holyfield’s illegal head butts from their previous match. Judges didn’t agree with Tyson’s reasoning, however, and disqualified the boxer from the fight.

On July 9, 1997, the Nevada State Athletic Commission revoked Tyson’s boxing license in a unanimous vote and fined the boxer $3 million for biting Holyfield. Several months later, Tyson was dealt another blow when he was ordered to pay boxer Mitch Green $45,000 for a 1988 street-fighting incident.

Final Fights and Retirement

In October 1998, Tyson’s Nevada boxing license was reinstated and he returned to the ring the next year. The boxer four wins and two no contests before attempting to win back the heavyweight title in 2002. To do so, he would need to beat Lennox Lewis, the WBC, IBF, and International Boxing Organization champion.

The buildup to the highly-publicized fight was contentious. Two years prior, following his win over Lou Savarese, Tyson called out Lewis and morbidly threatened to “eat his children.” At a January 2002 press conference, the two boxers began a brawl that threatened to cancel the match, but the fight was eventually scheduled for that June. Tyson lost the fight by a knockout, a defeat that signaled the decline of the former champion’s career.

Tyson only fought three more times. After losing to Danny Williams via knockout in July 2004, he faced Kevin McBride just under a year later. A journeyman fighter from Ireland, McBride was considered a heavy underdog and offered only $150,000 for the bout. He responded to taunts from Tyson by saying “when I hit you on the chin, you’re going to take the whole of Ireland.” McBride backed up the talk by winning via technical knockout in the sixth round.

Tyson immediately announced his retirement. “I don’t have the stomach for this anymore,” he said. “I felt like I was 120 years old.”

In June 2011, Tyson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He began a stint as a boxing promoter in 2013 after forming Iron Mike Productions.

The former heavyweight champion is briefly stepping out of retirement for an eight-round sanctioned match against Jake Paul. The bout, which will stream live on Netflix, was originally scheduled for July 20, 2024, but later postponed to November 15 due to an ulcer flare-up Tyson experienced.

Boxing Record, Height, and Weight

In his prime, the 5-foot-10 Tyson generally competed at just under 220 pounds. His day-to-day weight became much higher after retirement. He revealed in November 2020 he had lost around 100 pounds, thanks to a new vegan diet and a lot of time on a treadmill, ahead of an exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr.

According to Forbes, Tyson competed in 58 fights during his professional career. His official record is 50 wins and six losses, with two no-contests. Of his victories, 44 were via knockout. Tyson won his first 37 bouts before his memorable first loss to Buster Douglas in February 1990.

Wives and Kids

Mike Tyson and his third wife, Kiki Spicer, share two children.

Tyson is currently married to his third wife, Lakiha “Kiki” Spicer. The couple wed in 2009. They have two children together: a daughter named Milan, born in 2008, and a son named Morocco, born in 2011.

Altogether, Tyson is a father to seven children, including three daughters, three sons, and a nonbinary child. His firstborn, a daughter named Mikey, arrived in 1990. Tyson had Mikey with Kimberly Scarborough. The boxer and his second wife, Monica Turner, welcomed Rayna, who is nonbinary, and Amir, their son, in 1996 and 1997, respectively. Next, Tyson had a son named Miguel in 2002 and a daughter named Exodus in 2005 with his former girlfriend Sol Xochitl. Milan and Morocco round out Tyson’s brood.

In March 2009, 4-year-old Exodus tragically died after accidentally strangling herself on a treadmill cord at her mother’s home in Phoenix. Tyson spoke about the incident later that year in a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey. “My first instinct was a lot of rage, and I am so happy I had the tools in life [from attending rehab] not to go in that direction,” he said. “There was no animosity. There was no anger towards anybody. I don’t know how she died, and I don’t want to know.”

First Marriage to Robin Givens

Robin Givens and Mike Tyson during a 1988 interview with 20/20 reporter Barbara Walters

Tyson partied hard and stepped out with various Hollywood stars early in his career. In the 1980s, Tyson set his sights on actor Robin Givens. The couple began dating, and on February 7, 1988, they got married in New York.

However, allegations of spousal abuse began to surface in the media in June 1988, and Givens and her mother demanded access to Tyson’s money for a down payment on a $3 million home in New Jersey. That same year, police were called to Tyson’s home after he began throwing furniture out of a window and forced Givens and her mother to leave the home.

Tyson’s behavior during this time became increasingly violent and erratic. In August 1988, he broke a bone in his right hand in a street brawl. The next month, Tyson was knocked unconscious after driving his BMW into a tree at his late trainer Cus D’Amato’s home. Tabloids later claimed the accident was a suicide attempt brought on from excessive drug use. He was fined $200 and sentenced to community service for speeding.

Also in September 1988, Givens and Tyson appeared in an interview with Barbara Walters in which Givens described her marriage as “pure hell.” Shortly thereafter, she announced that she was filing for divorce. Tyson countersued for a divorce and an annulment, beginning an ugly court process. On February 14, 1989, their split became official.

Second Marriage to Monica Turner

In the early 1990s, Tyson briefly met Monica Turner. They stayed in touch with Turner regularly visiting Tyson while he imprisoned, and the relationship eventually grew romantic. In 1997, the couple got married in a Muslim ceremony.

Tyson and Turner had two kids together as Turner trained to become a pediatrician. But their marriage hit the rocks, and in 2002, she filed for divorce on grounds of his alleged adultery. It took a year to work out the dissolution of their marriage. A judge officially granted their divorce in early 2003.

Legal and Financial Troubles

Tyson’s massive success in the ring was often accompanied by controversy away from it. He has served time in prison and jail on multiple occasions after being convicted on sexual assault, physical assault, and drug charges.

1992 Rape Conviction

In July 1991, Tyson was accused of raping Desiree Washington, a Miss Black American contestant. On March 26, 1992, after nearly a year of trial proceedings, Tyson was found guilty on one count of rape and two counts of deviant sexual conduct. Because of Indiana state laws, Tyson was ordered to serve six years in prison, effective immediately.

He initially handled his stint in prison poorly; he was found guilty of threatening a guard, adding 15 days to his sentence. That same year, Tyson’s father died. The boxer didn’t request leave to attend the funeral. While imprisoned, Tyson converted to Islam and adopted the name Malik Abdul Aziz. On March 25, 1995, after serving three years of his sentence, Tyson was released from the Indiana Youth Center near Plainfield.

Business Lawsuits

The beleaguered boxer was ensnared in more legal trouble, including a $49 million lawsuit filed by his former trainer Kevin Rooney for wrongful termination. A jury ordered the boxer to pay Rooney a little more than $4.4 million in October 1996.

Tyson landed in court again in 1998, this time as a plaintiff. On March 5, the boxer filed a $100 million lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New York against promoter Don King, accusing him of cheating him out of millions of dollars. He also filed a lawsuit against his former managers Rory Holloway and John Horne, claiming they had made King the boxer’s exclusive promoter without his knowledge. In 2004, King and Tyson settled out of court for $14 million, though Tyson used the award to pay off debt.

Days after Tyson filed his suit against King, two women sued the boxer after they said he verbally and physically assaulted them at a Washington restaurant. They sought $22.5 million in damages. The parties reached a confidential settlement in 2000.

1998 Road Rage Assault

In August 1998, in yet another outburst, Tyson assaulted two motorists after a car accident in Maryland dented his Mercedes. He pleaded no contest to second-degree assault for the attack. The judge sentenced Tyson to two concurrent two-year sentences, but he was given only one year of jail time, a $5,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service. He was released after serving nine months.

Drug Charges and Addiction

The next several years were marred with more accusations of physical assaults, sexual harassment, and public incidents. In 2000, a random drug test revealed that Tyson had been smoking marijuana. The results caused boxing officials to penalize Tyson by declaring his October 20 victory against Andrew Golota a loss.

In late 2006, Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, after nearly crashing into a police SUV. During a search of his car, police discovered cocaine and drug paraphernalia throughout the vehicle. On September 24, 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of narcotics and driving under the influence. He was sentenced to 24 hours in jail, 360 hours of community service, and three years’ probation.

Although his drug arrest was a one-off, Tyson has since discussed his alcohol and drug abuse and ongoing recovery. “I’m on the verge of dying because I’m a vicious alcoholic,” he said at a 2013 press conference, also admitting that he had been lying about his sobriety to family and friends. Tyson also admitted to abusing cocaine in his 2013 autobiography Undisputed Truth.

Over the years, he has attended rehab as well as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. His commitment to a sober life has been more successful recently. “For seven years, I didn’t get high, didn’t drink liquor,” Tyson said in 2023. He credits psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana for changing his life and curbing his reliance on alcohol and cocaine.

Bankruptcy

In 2003, the boxer filed for bankruptcy after his exorbitant spending, multiple trials, and bad investments caught up with him. To curb expenses, the boxer also sold his upscale mansion in Farmington, Connecticut, to rapper 50 Cent for a little more than $4 million. He crashed on friends’ couches and slept in shelters until he landed in Phoenix, where he bought a home in 2005.

Active Rape Case

Years later, in January 2023, a New York woman filed a lawsuit accusing Tyson of raping her outside a nightclub in March 1991 and seeking $5 million in damages. The case was moved to U.S. District Court in Albany later that year, and a trial date hasn’t been set.

Life Outside of Boxing: Movies and TV Shows

After leaving the ring, Tyson found a new level of celebrity through a number of notable movie anTV show appearances. In 2009, he had a memorable cameo in the hit comedy The Hangover, starring Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms. The positive reception to his appearance opened the door to more acting opportunities. Tyson soon landed guest spots on the TV series EntourageHow I Met Your Mother, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Ice-T and Mike Tyson on set of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

In 2012, Tyson made his Broadway debut in his one-man show Mike Tyson: The Undisputed Truth, directed by Spike Lee. Two years later, Tyson’s animated venture Mike Tyson Mysteries, a comical crime-fighting spoof, premiered on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.

Tyson expanded into books, releasing in 2013 a tell-all memoir, Undisputed Truth, which became a New York Times bestseller. A second book followed in 2017’s Iron Ambition: My Life With Cus D’Amato, which looked back at his earliest training days.

Always open to promoting his brand, Tyson also launched a YouTube channel in 2017, which parodies comedy sketches and music videos. In January 2019, he kicked off his Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson podcast.

Cannabis Business

In 2016, Tyson made a successful entry into the burgeoning cannabis industry with the launch of Tyson Holistic Holdings. The business includes the 407-acre Tyson Ranch in California, which the ex-champ reportedly aimed to transform into a bustling resort for marijuana enthusiasts. The boxer followed up in 2021 with a line of marijuana strains and gummies via his Tyson 2.0 brand.

Net Worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Mike Tyson’s net worth is estimated at $10 million as of March 2024. That same month, Sportico published a list of the 50 highest-paid athletes of all time. Tyson ranked No. 18 with $905 million in career earnings adjusted for inflation ($460 million non-adjusted).