Mike+Tyson

Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson was born on June 30, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York. Tyson has a brother, Rodney, and a sister, Denise. At a very young age Mike, his mother, and siblings were abandoned by his father. For a while they lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant (otherwise known as bed-stuy) homeChris Rock and __The Notorious B.I.G.__ By the age of 13 Mike had been in and out of jail 33 times and was eventually sent to a reform school where his boxing career would begin. Mike natural talent was obvious and his potiential was quickly spotted and imediatley noted to the boxing legend that is __[|Cus D'Amato.]__ Unfortunatley Tyson's mother died when he was only 16 years old. He claims that the early death of his mother did not have any impact on his agressive style of boxing but that it did tremendously impact him personally and emotionally. Coincidentally Tyson was taken in by his boxing coach Cus D'Amato and who soon would become his legal gaurdian and ticket to greatness.

Tyson began his career fighting in te junior olympics. He won a silver meadal and was ready to progress onto professional fighting. Out of his first 28 fights, 26 of them were by knockout or technical knockout (16 of which were in the first round). His beloved trainer died in November of 1985, the same year of Tyson's professional debut. In November of the following year, Tyson was given his first title fight against [|Trevor Berbick] for the __[|World Boxing Council (WBC]__) heavyweight championship. In an astonishing victory Tyson would win this fight in the second round by way of TKO and become the new WBC heavyweight champion. This was only the beginning of a proverbial avalanche ofsuccess for Mike Tyson. By August of 1987 he had defeated [|James Smith] for the WBA and [|Tony Tucker] for the IBF title, both by unanimous decision. This made Tyson the first to hold all three major league belts at the same time, making Micheal Tyson the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. & [|Donald Curry]** ||= **[|Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]** 1986 || Succeeded by 1988 || Succeeded by June 27, 1988 - February 11, 1990 || Succeeded by November 22, 1986 – February 11, 1990 || Succeeded by March 7, 1987 – February 11, 1990 ||^  || August 1, 1987 – 11 February 1990 ||^  || August 1, 1987 – 11 February 1990 ||^  || March 16, 1996– September 24, 1997 Vacated || **Vacant**Title next held by**[|Lennox Lewis]** || September 7, 1996 – November 9, 1996 || Succeeded by
 * ~ Awards ||
 * Preceded by
 * [|Marvin Hagler]
 * [|Evander Holyfield]** ||
 * Preceded by
 * [|Evander Holyfield]** ||= **[|Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]**
 * [|Pernell Whitaker]** ||
 * Preceded by
 * [|Michael Spinks]** ||= **[|The Ring] [|Heavyweight Champion]**
 * [|James Buster Douglas]** ||
 * ~ Sporting positions ||
 * Preceded by
 * [|Trevor Berbick]** ||= **[|WBC] [|Heavyweight Champion]**
 * [|Buster Douglas]** ||
 * Preceded by
 * [|James Smith]** ||= **[|WBA] [|Heavyweight Champion]**
 * Preceded by
 * [|Tony Tucker]** ||= **[|IBF] [|Heavyweight Champion]**
 * **Vacant**Title last held by**[|Leon Spinks]** ||= **[|Undisputed] [|Heavyweight Champion]**
 * Preceded by
 * [|Frank Bruno]** ||= **[|WBC] [|Heavyweight Champion]**
 * Preceded by
 * [|Bruce Seldon]** ||= **[|WBA] [|Heavyweight Champion]**
 * [|Evander Holyfield]** ||

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Mike Tyson's largest contribution to society in my opinion is in him being a testiment to the fact that, it does not matter where ones life begins but instead what you make out of it. Tyson overcame his rough upbringing to become the Youngest Heavyweight champion (20 years and 4months), and a one time [|Ring magazine] Fighter of the Year. Tyson has also been the 4th greastest heavyweight fighter in the past 50 years. Although Mike Tyson went through some rough periods of his life such as his rocky marriage with actress Robin Givens and the contorversy that surrounded his ear biting bout with Evander Holyfield, he has always maintained a consistant level of skill and has almost never allowed outside influences to negatively impact his success in the ring.

He will most be remembered for his skilfulness and raw talent in the boxing arena. Tyson with the help of trainers over the years invented and perfected a unique syle of boxing that had never been seen before. this style was one that involved tremendous power accompanied by speed and counter punches. The style was given the name "Peek-a-boo" because Tyson would hide behind the guard of his hands and proceed to attack his opponent at the slightest opening. This is a style that is now strived for in the world of boxing and has almost become common. Generations from now peaple will remember Tyson as easily one of the greatest and strongest fighters who ever entered the ring. They will of course acknowledge his troubles and negative instaces in his life, but overall what will reign supreme in the memory of the vast majority of the public is his outstanding preformance in the ring.