mike tyson bio

On 30th June 1966 in Cumberland Hospital, New York City, something legendary happened, Michael Gerard Tyson was born.

Lorna Kirkpatrick was the mother, however, not a great deal is known of this lady.  She was born Lorna Smith in 1930, probably in the South.  As did many other blacks after WWII, Lorna moved North to search for a better life.  Her destination - Brooklyn, New York City.

Somewhere along the way, probably in Brooklyn, Lorna met and married a man called Percel Tyson, of whom nothing is known.  They later divorced and Lorna never did remarry, despite falling in love with Jimmy Kirkpatrick.  She took Kirkpatrick's name.  Jimmy was a heavyset, boisterous man, and father to some 16 children.  This number  would change-he fathered 3 children with Lorna.  Rodney in 1961, Denise in 1964, and 2 years later came Mike.

Kirkpatrick had already moved out by the time Mike was born, thus keeping his mothers marriage name.  A name that would later gain household recognition the world over…TYSON.

Now a poverty-stricken single parent.  Lorna moved into even deeper despair.  That move was to Brownsville.  In the heart of Brooklyn, it made their previous Brooklyn address of Bedford-Stuyvesent seem like Bel Air.  It would be here, 178 Amboy Street, Apartment 2A in the most destitute section of one of Americas roughest cities that Michael Gererd Tyson would be moulded.

Mike was a huge, tough lad…With a high, lisping voice.  This contrast was the key to many beatings in Brownsville - People would ridicule him-he'd promptly knock them out.

Mike was lonely in his fatherless, ghetto upbringing.  This maybe why he kept pigeons, this maybe why he got into trouble, this maybe why he fought on the street.  On one such street fight occassion when Mike was 9, a 15 year old boy stole one of his beloved pigeons.  Bad mistake!  Mike flew into a blind rage, throwing punches with everything he had, the kind of punches that would have knocked grown men out.  Many people witnessed this public onslaught of one of the areas most respected gang members.  Now Mike became the MAN.

Mike was now known to the whole of Brownsville, not as Mike, but as Mike Tyson.  A name that, in years to come, would be worth millions on  contracts.  That's some feat compared to his modest surroundings he was living in now.

Mike's new found recognised notoriety in Brownsville saw many events and crimes, such as muggings, robberies, burglaries, assaults, that would culminate a lot of arrests.  This couldn't carry on, something had to be done.  Some control had to be installed, some initialisation had to occur that would save the residents of Brownsville anymore distress.

Mike Tyson was sent to the Tryon School for boys in upstate New York.  This move was never disputed by Lorna, she couldnt control him anymore, let alone install discipline. 

It was here that Mike Tyson learnt to box.  The man who first taught Tyson the bare essentials of the fight game was Bobby Stewart, a modestly successful professional heavyweight.  He was the man who first saw Mikes power and prowess in the boxing ring.  At only 13, he weighed 200lbs, and had muscles that no other 13 year old had.  He was strong with it too.  He was bench pressing 220lbs for $10 bets with the staff at Tryon.

Stewart realised that what he had on his hands was something very special.  He made a deal with Tyson-so long as he tried in his lessons, Stewart would teach him more boxing.         

Mike tried very hard with his academic study.  He knew he would never get college scholarships, this didnt put him off.  Because he never wanted to be deprived of his boxing lessons from Stewart.

Suddenly, Tyson had direction.  He realised that he was in love with something, and he had a reason to live and look after himself.  He became obsessed with the sport of boxing.  He would read on great fighters of the past, practice techniques, and train hard.  Staff at Tryon talk about how it was possible to hear grunts and groans coming from Tysons room at 3, 4 oclock in the morning-It was mike working on his defensive moves.

Bobby Stewart was noticing Mikes acheivements in the boxing ring.  In a later interview, Stewart described how he got hit by a Tyson jab that made him want to take a knee.  This was a professional heavyweight talking of a 13 year olds jab!

Something had to be done.  Stewart knew a legendary manger and trainer from Catskill in New York.  The name-Cus D'Amato.  D'Amato had worked with fighters such as Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres, both tremendous fighters.  Patterson being the youngest ever heavyweight champion to date-Mike would later change that. 

Mike Tyson and Bobby Stewart drove up to Catskill one Spring weekend in 1980.  Tyson and Stewart got in the ring to give Cus a show and try to let the trainer have an insight into what Stewart was talking about, and why he was being drawn to the attention of a 14 year old kid.

For 3 minutes Tyson hammered Stewart with Jabs, hooks, straight rights, uppercuts.  A professional heavyweight fighter was having troube detaining a 14 year old kid!

At the end of the round, Mike stayed in the ring working on his technique on his own, as he had done in his room at Tryon so many times before.  Stewart walked over to Cus D'Amato.  ''Well Cus, what do you think?'' asked Stewart.  ''What do I think?'' came the response from the legendary trainer.  ''I think that's the next heavyweight champ of the world!''

  THE REST, AS THEY SAY, IS HISTORY