Explore photos of a young Mike Tyson in high school long before his boxing fame!
Full Name: Michael Gerard Tyson
Birthdate: June 30, 1966 (Age 59)
High School: Catskill High School
Yearbooks: 1982
Who is Mike Tyson?
Mike Tyson is a world-renowned boxer who competed professionally from 1985 to 2024. From 1987 to 1990, Tyson was the undisputed world heavyweight champion. Today, he is generally considered one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011.
Outside of boxing, Mike Tyson has become a household name, with iconic acting roles from Rocky to the Hangover, and a reputation for being controversial within the ring, in interviews, and in his personal life.
But before he was a generation-defining boxer, a young Mike Tyson spent his childhood in New York City and a brief stint attending Catskill High School during his teenage years.
Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
What to Know About Mike Tyson?
- Mike Tyson Education/Early Life: Born June 30, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York, Mike Tyson grew up in Brownsville and attended Catskill High School. Before that, Tyson spent time at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, NY, where he first trained as a boxer.
- Rise to Boxing Greatness: Tyson turned professional in 1985 and became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at age 20. From 1987 to 1990, he held the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles simultaneously, achieving a record of 50 wins (44 by knockout) and 7 losses.
- Career Highlights: Known for his explosive power and aggressive style, Tyson’s most iconic bouts include victories over Trevor Berbick in 1986 and Michael Spinks in 1988, as well as his controversial fights with Evander Holyfield in the 1990s and a comeback match against Jake Paul in 2024.
- Beyond the Ring: A pop culture icon, Tyson appeared in films like The Hangover, Rocky Balboa, Ip Man 3, and voiced himself in Mike Tyson Mysteries (2014–2020).
- Personal Life: Tyson has been married three times and is a father to seven children. He has been married to his current wife, Lakiha Spicer, since 2009.
Where is Mike Tyson From?
Mike Tyson was born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, NYC at Cumberland Hospital on June 30th, 1966. He spent the majority of his younger years in Brooklyn, spending his early childhood in Bed-Stuy before moving to Brownsville when he was 10 years old.
Where Did Mike Tyson Go to School?
In his early-teens, after facing 38 arrests related to petty crimes and fighting, Mike Tyson spent time at the juvenile reformatory Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, NY starting at age 13. Shortly thereafter, his mentor Cus D’Amato, who wanted to keep him out of trouble, brought Tyson to Catskill, NY for a more stable living environment. He attended Catskill High School before dropping out as a junior.
In 1989, Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio gave Mike Tyson an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters.
Mike Tyson: Then Vs. Now
Check out a young Mike Tyson vs. the man you recognize today:
Then – Classmates® 1982 Catskills High School Yearbook, p. 20. https://www.classmates.com/siteui/yearbooks/20362?page=24
Now – Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
How Old Is Mike Tyson?
Mike Tyson’s age is 59. His date of birth was June 30, 1966.
Who is Mike Tyson’s Family?
Parents
Mike Tyson’s mother was Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson, who may have been a prostitute. His father is listed on his birth certificate as Purcell Tyson, a ‘humble cab driver’ from Jamaica, but was never in Mike’s life.
Lorna raised a young Mike Tyson until her passing when he was a teenager.
Father Figures / Mentors
Meet the men that made Mike Tyson the household boxer he is today while he was in his youth.
While attending Tryon School for Boys, Tyson was introduced to his mentor, boxing manager Cus D’Amato. D’amato took a young Mike Tyson under his wing to keep him out of trouble as he honed his boxing abilities while learning from with boxing trainer Kevin Rooney.
Siblings
Rodney Tyson is Mike’s older brother. His oldest sister Denise passed away when she was 24 in 1990.
Wives
Mike Tyson has been married three times:
- Robin Givens (American actress from the sitcom Head of the Class & director): married from 1988 until divorcing in 1989)
- Monica Turner: married in 1997 and divorced in 2003
- Lakiha Spicer: married since 2009
Kids
Mike Tyson has had 7 kids, including:
- Michael “Miki” Lorna Tyson, age 35
- Ramsey Tyson, age 29
- Amir Tyson, age 28
- Miguel Tyson, age 23
- Exodus Sierra Tyson, who tragically passed away at age 4.
- Milan Miyla Tyson, age 16
- Morocco Elijah Tyson, age 14
What Movies & TV Shows Has Mike Tyson Been In?
Mike Tyson became a pop culture icon as much as a boxing legend, playing a key role in many of the movies we love to look back on today.
Movies:
Notable movies featuring Mike Tyson include:
- The Hangover 1 & 2: his unexpected and iconic role in this movie was a game-changer for this classic. Who could forget Stu (Ed Helm’s) hilarious Mike Tyson face tattoo?
- Rocky Balboa (2006)
- Ip Man 3
- Scary Movie 5
TV Shows:
Mike Tyson had a cartoon of his own called Mike Tyson Mysteries from 2014 until 2020, which IMDB describes “In this macabre comedy, retired boxing champion Mike Tyson, his brainy adopted Asian-American daughter, a friendly but… gentleman ghost and a cursed perverse mean-spirited talking pigeon solve weird mysteries together.”
In addition, he has made appearances in popular TV shows/programs like:
- In the Know
- Entourage
- AEW Rampage
- AEW Dynamite
- The Last O.G.
- Franklin & Bash
- Breaking In
What is Mike Tyson’s Fighting Record?
That training with Cus D’Amato and Kevin Rooney starting in his high school years really paid off.
Overall, Mike Tyson’s record was 50-7, with over 44 knock outs! He held the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), and International Boxing Federation (IBF) titles simultaneously and was the first heavyweight boxer to do so.
Douglas C. Pizac, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
What are His Most Notable Fights
Do you remember the recent nationwide hype around his 2024 fight against influencer and boxer Jake Paul? While this one was especially notable because of Tyson’s return to the ring and his fight against the significantly younger influencer, any sports fan who was alive at the time can remember his most iconic fights from years past, which included:
- Defeating Michael Spinks in 1988 in mere moments to unify the heavyweight title
- Knocking out Trevor Berbick to be the win his title in 1986
- Shockingly losing to Buster Douglas in a major upset in 1990
- The ultra-controversial eat-biting incident in his second bout against Evander Holyfield in 1992
G.C. London Publishing, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
What Are the Best Mike Tyson Quotes?
Clearly, with his challenging upbringing and ability to overcome many challenges over the years, Mike Tyson has a lot of wisdom to share with his fans.
Some of the most popular Mike Tyson quotes include:
- Everyone has a plan ’till they get punched in the mouth.
- I’m a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of clouds.
- As long as we persevere and endure, we can get anything we want.
- Greatness is not guarding yourself from the people; greatness is being accepted by the people.
- God lets everything happen for a reason. It’s all a learning process, and you have to go from one level to another.
Keep Up With Everybody’s Yearbook Photos
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Sources
- https://hvmag.com/life-style/mike-tyson-hudson-valley-gym/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Tyson
- https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/mar/21/mike-tyson-interview-boxing
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005512/
- https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/mike-tyson-quotes
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHOQZE9ONzs&t=205
- Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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