Mike Tyson’s worst-ever moments and scandals besides airplane attack
Mike Tysonās career and persošÆna have long been clouded by controversy both inside andš ŗ outside the ring. Now, heās brought that trouble with him thousands of feet in the air.
Footage circulated April 21, 2022 of the 55-year-old former heavyweight champion of the world pummeling a fellow passenger with punches on a Wednesday night flight. Tyson and the passenger, who were on a Fālorida-bound plane from San Francisco, had repeatedly engaged throughout the flight, acź¦cording to TMZ.Ā
The passenger can be seen persistently leaning over and attešmpting to speak to Tyson, appearing to antagonize him. Tyson eventually rose, leaned over his seat and attacked the fellow passenger, throwing multiple punches. A source close to Tyson claimed the passenger was āextremely intoxicated,ā according to the report.
This isnāt the first time the controversiašÆl Tyson has been in the news. Hereās a look at Tysonās worst moments and scandals:
Rape sentence
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington in an Indianapolis hotel room. He received a six-year prison sentence, but was reš¼leased after just three years. He still maintains his innocence.
Marital issues with Robin Givens
Tysonās firš¦st wife, Robin Givens, gave an explosive interview in 1989 detailing his š¤Ŗdomestic assault and admitting she was scared of her husband. Givens, who later divorced Tyson, claimed their three-month marriage was ātorture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine.ā
Bit Evander Holyfieldās ear
Tysonās worst moment in the ring came amid his comeback after his prison sentence. In a rematch with Evander Holyfield, šŗwho had stopped Tyson in their first title bout a year prior, Tyson bit Holyfieldās ear and was subsequently disqualified from the fight, fined, and suspended.
Warning: Graphic content
Death threat to Lennox Lewis
In the buildup to a 2002 fight with Lennox Lewis, Tyson declared his goal was to āfight professionally but to kill him.ā It was not the only death threat issued by Tyson, who said of Donovan Ruddock before their 1991 fight: āIf he dź¦æoesnāt die, it doesnāt count. If heās not dead, it doesnāt count.ā
Battles with drug addiction
In his book, āUndisputeā±d Tšruth,ā Tyson admits to battling with substance abuse and addiction throughout his early years and career, going so far as saying he was a āfull-blown cokehead,ā and cheated his way through drug tests, sometimes even fighting while still under the influence of cocaine.