Mike Tyson (born 1966) is an American boxer who became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at age 20. He was trained by Cus D’Amato, who taught Tyson a peekaboo boxing style, with hands held close to his cheeks and a continuous bobbing motion in the boxing ring that made his defense almost impenetrable. After the deaths of D’Amato and his manager, Tyson aligned with promoter Don King and successfully defended his world heavyweight title 10 times. Tyson’s achievements in the ring, however, were often overshadowed by his turbulent personal life.
In 1988 Tyson married actress Robin Givens, but the couple divorced in 1989 amid allegations that Tyson had physically abused her. Three years later he was convicted of raping a beauty pageant contestant. He was released in 1995 and returned to boxing. Despite self-control issues, he continued fighting but faced suspensions for erratic behavior. Notably, in 1997 he twice bit the ear of Evander Holyfield during a bout. Tyson had his final professional win in 2003 and later declared bankruptcy. In 2024, at age 58, Tyson returned to the ring to fight 27-year-old Jake Paul but lost by unanimous decision. Tyson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011.