Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is a former two-time
American world heavyweight boxing champion and is the youngest man
to win the heavyweight title. During his prime in the late 1980s,
Tyson was considered one of the greatest heavyweights and one of
the most recognizable athletes in the world.
Tyson unified the belts in the splintered heavyweight division
in the late 1980s and won many of his fights by knockout. Tyson
knocked out his first 19 professional opponents within six rounds,
stopping 13 of them in the first round. He reigned as undisputed
heavyweight champion for over two years before losing in a shocking
upset to Buster Douglas in early 1990. After being released from
prison in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights. In 1997,
a rematch with Holyfield ended when Tyson bit off a portion of
Holyfield's ear. He fought again, losing by knockout to Lennox
Lewis in 2002. After losing twice, Tyson retired from competitive
boxing in 2005.
