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Marked by his famous face tattoo, Mike Tyson is set to step into in the ring against Jake Paul 19 years after he retired from professional boxing.
Few athletes are as polarising and fascinating as Mike Tyson, and nothing captures his eccentricity quite like the tribal tattoo etched across his face.
The boxing legend got inked in 2003 by tattoo artist Victor Whitmill, and the ink has become a defining part of Tyson’s identity, sparking intrigue and urban legends about its origin and meaning.
At the time, Tyson’s career was winding down, and the tattoo caused quite a stir.
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One rumour suggested the 58-year-old legend got it to avoid a fight against Jeff Fenech, as regulations prohibit competing with fresh ink, especially on the face.
Tyson himself later revealed in a 2008 documentary that the tattoo was meant to symbolise his “warrior spirit,” embodying his combative and intense personality.
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Interestingly, Tyson initially wanted heart designs to become what he called “the heart boy,” but Whitmill convinced him to embrace the striking tribal design instead. The result? A tattoo that is as controversial and iconic as the man himself.
Mike Tyson’s other tattoos
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Mike Tyson’s facial tattoo might be his most famous, but his body is a canvas of fascinating artwork, each with its own backstory.
Tyson sports a tattoo of Mao Zedong, showcasing his admiration for the former Chinese leader, and an inked portrait of revolutionary icon Che Guevara.
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Tyson’s tumultuous love life is also reflected in his tattoos, with an inked tribute to his ex-wife.
One of his most personal pieces is a portrait of his daughter, honouring her memory and serving as a poignant reminder of his softer side.
On May 25, 2009, Tyson's four-year-old daughter Exodus was found by her seven-year-old brother Miguel unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill.
The child's mother, Sol Xochitl, untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention.
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Tyson, who was in Las Vegas at the time of the incident, traveled back to Phoenix to be with her.
Unfortunately, she died of her injuries on May 26, 2009.
As 58, Tyson gears up for an exhibition bout against Jake Paul, his tattoos remain a hot topic of discussion, blending the bizarre, the bold, and the deeply personal – just like the man himself.
Mike Tyson officially retired from professional boxing in 2005 after his fight against Kevin McBride, where he failed to come out for the seventh round.
Since then, he has made sporadic returns for exhibition matches
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The boxing legend is regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.
He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990.
Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, 4 months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title.
Mike Tyson was also the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession.
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