Michael Gerard "Iron Mike" Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is a retired American boxer. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion and remains the youngest man ever to win a world heavyweight title at just 20 years old. Throughout his career, Tyson became well-known for his controversial behavior both inside and outside the ring.

Nicknamed "Kid Dynamite", "Iron Mike," and "The Baddest Man on the Planet," Tyson won his first 19 professional bouts by knockout, 12 in the first round. He unified the belts in the splintered heavyweight division in the late 1980s. Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight champion for over two years, before losing to 42-to-1 underdog Buster Douglas in 1990.

In 1992, Tyson was convicted of raping Desiree Washington, for which he served three years in prison. After being released from prison in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights. He regained a portion of the heavyweight title, before losing it to Evander Holyfield in 1996 by an 11th round TKO. Their 1997 rematch ended in disqualification for Tyson after he bit off a piece of Holyfield's ear and an attempt to repeat the same a second time a few minutes later during the same match. He fought for a championship again at 35, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis in 2002. Tyson retired from competitive boxing in 2005 after two consecutive knockout losses to Danny Williams and journeyman Kevin McBride.

Tyson declared bankruptcy in 2003, despite receiving over US$30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career.

Early years

Tyson was born in Brooklyn, New York. He has two siblings: a brother, Rodney, and a sister, Denise. Tyson's father, Jimmy Kirkpatrick, abandoned his family when Tyson was 2, leaving his mother, Lorna Smith, to care for them on her ownPuma, Mike., Sportscenter Biography: 'Iron Mike' explosive in and out of ring, ESPN.com, 2005-10-10, Retrieved on 2007-03-27. The family lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant until their financial burdens necessitated a move to Brownsville when Tyson was 10.1. She died six years later, leaving 16 year-old Tyson in the care of boxing manager and trainer Cus D'Amato, who would become his legal guardian. Tyson has been quoted saying, "I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: she only knew 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. Professionally, it has no effect, but it's crushing emotionally and personally."2 Throughout his childhood, Tyson lived in and around high-crime neighborhoods. He himself was repeatedly caught committing petty crimes and assaulting those who ridiculed his high-pitched voice and lisp. He was constantly abused by older children in his neighborhood. By the age of 13, he had been arrested 38 times.Mike Tyson, St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture via findarticles.com, Retrieved on 2007-04-17. He ended up at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York. It was at the school that Tyson's raw boxing ability was discovered by Bobby Stewart, a juvenile detention center counselor and former boxer. Stewart considered Tyson to be an outstanding athlete and trained him for a few months before introducing him to D'Amato.