Most people know Mike Tyson, or Iron Mike, as a former heavyweight champion boxer for many years. But did you also know that Tyson has also been involved with cryptocurrency for a variety of years?
Mike Tyson may be well known for his ability in the boxing ring, but he has also been active in the cryptocurrency industry. Between his recent announcement supporting NFTs and blockchain technologies and being a fan of Solana over Ethereum.
To understand Mike Tyson’s motivations to get involved with the world of crypto, you first have to know where he got his start. Keep reading to learn more about Mike Tyson’s career and personal life that put him in the spotlight for many years.
Who is Mike Tyson?
Michael Gerard Tyson was born on June 30, 1966, to Jimmy Kirkpatrick and Lorna Tyson in Brooklyn, New York. He had a somewhat troubled childhood that started with the exit of his father when he was just 2 years old.
It was through his tumultuous childhood where he participated in gang-related activities and was arrested about 40 times before his career in boxing began. This is because, at the age of 13, he was sent to the Tryon School for Boys, where he was introduced to the sport by his counselor.
Over the years, Mike Tyson has made a name for himself in the world of boxing, Hollywood, and in the spotlight of his personal life. While he was at the top of his game in his career, he made many mistakes, such as physical abuse, rape convictions, and much more.
Tyson’s Career as a Heavyweight Boxer
Mike Tyson stormed onto the scene as a boxer at the tender age of 18 and took the world by storm with his abilities. Under the supervision of his guardian, Cus D’Amato, Mike began his boxing career by entering amateur boxing tournaments.
From there, Mike Tyson’s fights began to cause quite a stir, from his first-round knockout of Hector Mercedes to winning championship after championship. Although his mentor and trainer passed away from pneumonia, Tyson did not let it keep him from doing what he loved.
Through the years, Tyson remained in the spotlight whether he won or lost against his opponent, whether due to his boxing prowess or other personal activities. One of his most famous matches was against Evander Holyfield, where Tyson bit off a chunk of his ear.
After he retires from boxing in 2005, Tyson had many opportunities to return to the ring for various exhibition matches. One of the most famous matches is former YouTuber Logan Paul vs. Mike Tyson.
Mike Tyson’s Personal Life
As far as his personal life, Mike Tyson has had quite the history and has been in the spotlight for various things. While some of the spotlights had to do with his boxing career, unfortunately, there has been much in the way of controversy as well.
When it comes to his relationships, it is widely known that Mike Tyson has been married three times. His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens, which lasted only a year after she accused him of physical abuse.
In 1997, Tyson married Monica Turner, who he met years earlier at a party, who he later had two of his children with. Their marriage ended when Turner filed for divorce in 2002 due to reports of infidelity and overspending.
Currently, his wife is Lakiha Spicer, who he married in 2009 after the death of Mike Tyson’s daughter, Exodus. Tyson and Spicer were reportedly in a relationship for many years before they tied the knot.
In addition to having been married three times, it is well known that Tyson had many previous relationships with other women. Through these relationships and marriages, Tyson has fathered 7 children.
Here is a list of Mike Tyson’s children and their mothers:
- Mikey Lorna Tyson (Kimberly Scarborough)
- Amir J. Tyson (Monica Turner)
- Rayna Tyson (Monica Turner)
- Miguel Leon Tyson (Sol Xochitl)
- Exodus Tyson (Sol Xochitl)
- Milan Tyson (Lakiha Spicer Tyson)
- Morocco Elijah Tyson (Lakiha Spicer Tyson)
Mike Tyson and Cryptocurrency
Although Tyson is most known for his heavyweight boxing career, he has delved into many other areas throughout his career. Cryptocurrency is one of his most recent investments, along with NFTs and other blockchain technologies.
One move Tyson has recently made has to do with his support of Solana over other types of crypto. His decision to give his support for this crypto was due mostly to its user-friendly platform for those who enjoy working with microtransactions.
As a part of his support for Solana, he has also invested in NFTs from the Catalina Whale Mixer that has several features that are very Mike Tyson-like. From a facial tattoo that is much like Tyson’s as well as other features, it is no surprise that Mike Tyson purchased it.
In addition to his purchases and support through Solana, he has also voiced his desire to find a partnership with a project that had meaning. He found such an opportunity with TheDreamChain and their $DREAM coin.
Mike Tyson Bitcoin ATM
If you think Mike Tyson stopped with his investments in cryptocurrency, you would be dead wrong. The heavyweight boxing champion has also partnered with Bitcoin Direct to have Bitcoin ATMs that are branded with his name.
The purpose of the ATMs that are branded with Tyson’s name is that people will quickly recognize his name and choose to use the machine because of it. In addition, these ATMs are a way for people to easily purchase Bitcoin using their mobile devices.
The first of these 100 ATMS that are scheduled to be put in cities around the world was introduced in Las Vegas. The project was created to not only get recognition through a celebrity but also to try to entice many people to begin their investments in Bitcoin through them.
The bottom line is that Mike Tyson has made a huge name for himself throughout his career, from his fame of being a heavyweight boxing champion to being a champion for cryptocurrency. It will be interesting to see where Mike Tyson will go next with his interest and investments in the world of cryptocurrency.
This article was brought to you by the BitRocket Crypto Crash Game on MintDice. Originally posted to the MintDice Cryptocurrency Blog.