Mike Tyson

Hall of Fame

⭐ International Boxing Hall of Fame

Michael Gerard Tyson was born on June 30, 1966, in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, and grew up in the Brownsville section — one of New York City's most economically desperate neighborhoods. His father left when he was young and his mother died when he was 16. Arrested dozens of times before his teenage years, Tyson was sent to the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York, where a counselor named Bobby Stewart — a former fighter — recognized his extraordinary physical gifts and introduced him to trainer Cus D'Amato in Catskill, NY. D'Amato, who had also trained Floyd Patterson, became Tyson's legal guardian and instilled in him a technique built on ferocious head movement, explosive combinations, and a "peek-a-boo" defensive style. Tyson turned professional in 1985 and went through opponents at a pace the sport had rarely seen. On November 22, 1986, he stopped Trevor Berbick in the second round to become the WBC heavyweight champion at age 20 years and 4 months — the youngest heavyweight champion in history, a record that still stands. He unified all three major heavyweight titles by 1988 and was widely considered the most feared fighter on the planet. His career was marked by extraordinary highs and turbulent lows, but at his peak Tyson was one of the most terrifying athletes in the history of sports. He retired with a professional record of 50–6 with 44 knockouts. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.