Rachael A. Carmen et al. in the Review of General Psychology posit that Tyson’s face tattoo may be an example of « body ornamentation as a form of intimidation ». Charlie Connell and Edmund Sullivan in Inked describe it as having become « instantly iconic », while Vice’s Mitchell Sunderland ranks it as one of the two things Tyson is best known for, box alongside biting off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear. Marie Hadley, in A History of Intellectual Property in 50 Objects, writes that the tattoo « has been described as one of the most distinctive tattoos in North America ». Its stature has increased over time, aided by Tyson and the 2009 comedy The Hangover, in which it is prominent on Tyson, who appears as a fictionalized version of himself. The tattoo has become strongly associated with Tyson and has made his persona more distinctive.
Thus, while Mike Tyson’s financial achievements are undeniably impressive, painting him as a titan of the sports world, they place him among the richest, yet not at the pinnacle as the wealthiest athlete of all time.
Throughout his illustrious career, Tyson’s per-fight earnings were a spectacle of their own, with amounts soaring as high as $35 million for a single bout, notably against Lennox Lewis. His return to the ring in 2020 against Roy Jones Jr. alone added $10 million to his fortune, showcasing his lasting draw in the boxing world.
Tyson’s new trainer, the legendary Freddie Roach, actually pleaded with his fighter to postpone the event billed as ‘Back to Business’ due to his poor conditioning. Tyson had gone through a messy divorce in January and has since admitted he’d been hanging out in drug dens, taking coke and weed, in the aftermath of his fight with Lewis. Roach feared that a defeat to Etienne could end Tyson’s career.
Tyson has an original tattoo of Mao Zedong on his right arm, the founder of the Chinese People’s Republic. The great leader was credited with ending civil unrest, which Tyson read about in prison. In 2006 Tyson visited the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, with the Chicago Tribune in tow, to pay respects.
Jake Paul sure knows how to stir things up, especially with that move of replicating Mike Tyson’s face tattoo for the promo of their Netflix fight. It got people talking, wondering if he’d face the same legal heat that Warner Bros. did over the tattoo in The Hangover: Part II.
« I thought it was so hot. I would be in these dens, these clubs and strip places sometimes and all the girls said ‘oh you are very exotic, where are you from? Where did your family come from? Why did you put this tattoo on your face?’
Tyson got the tattoo done a week before the fight, and because of his lack of conditioning, he was asked to cancel the fight. However, Tyson decided to go forward with it and broke everyone’s expectations by defeating Etienne in 49 seconds.
In November 2013, Tyson stated « the more I look into the churches and mosques for god, the more I start seeing the devil ». But, just a month later, in a December 2013 interview with Fox News, Tyson said that he is very grateful to be a Muslim and that he needs Allah in his life. In the same interview Tyson talked about his progress with sobriety and how being in the company of good people has made him want to be a better and more humble person.
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On March 26, 1995, the world eagerly awaited Tyson’s release. It was clear he wasn’t the same man as the one who went in, said Todd Boyd, a professor of media studies at the University of Southern California. Many people wondered if he would return to the ring.
The more George watched, the more he liked. Zhang had size, sure. But he also had speed. Athleticism. Slashing power. After the meet, the Chinese coaches invited George to a camp in the Poconos. « They liked my philosophies, » says George. With the 2010 Asian Games around the corner, the coaches asked George to come to Beijing to work with their top prospects.
It’s just not popular. Not yet anyway. China has 1.4 billion people, but, says promoter Bob Arum, « that doesn’t mean anything. India has number of people, and you couldn’t sell a ticket to Mahatma Gandhi fighting for the title. » In 2013, Arum signed Zou Shiming, Zhang’s Olympic teammate. The relationship was successful, with Zou even winning a 112-pound title. But he failed to capture national interest. « The problem was the guy couldn’t f—ing fight, » says Arum. « He won two gold medals, I don’t know how, but he couldn’t fight. » Zhang, Arum says, is different. « Heavyweights are the baddest guys in the world, » says Arum. « And I think his ability is much greater than Zou’s was. »
However, Tyson has appeared in just one boxing match in the past 19 years. That only fight was an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, where the fight was scored a split draw. However, Tyson did not look out of place, as he out-landed Jones with punches 67-37.