Mike Tyson the Iron Life Essay Example

Mike Tyson the Iron Life Essay Example Mike Tyson the Iron Life Essay Mike Tyson the Iron Life Essay Chris Torres Mr. Breen History-1945 The Life of â€Å"Iron† Mike Tyson What do you think it takes to be called â€Å"Iron† Mike Tyson? What kind of experiences do you have to go through before you are labeled as the â€Å"Baddest Man on the planet†? What people don’t understand is the life style and background in which Mike Tyson grew up in. The surroundings meaning the streets, the gangs and the era of drugs kicked in and kicked in enough that teens were aware of what was on the streets and how to get it. Every person is different and no matter what the case is if you don’t have the proper parenting and descent area to live in then chances of you engaging in crimes are very high. Mike Tyson got lucky with the talent that he had but if not found and trained the way he was then he would have committed worse acts than the ones committed to this day. He made the best out of his talents but it goes to show you that money, fame and your athletic abilities won’t hide where you came from and the life you once lived not too long ago. Mike Gerard Tyson was born of June 30th, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York from the parents of Jimmy Kirkpatrick and Lorna Tyson. Sadly only after two years together Mikes Father decided it was too much for him to handle and left his mother with little Mike. Mikes mother didn’t have a lot of riches. It was hard for her to come up with money so they moved to a town in Brownsville, New York where unfortunately was known for their high crime rate. Mike was a very shy small kid. He also was the target of bullying from older kids and other distractions around the way. To add insult to injury Mike began developing his own style of street fighting. Building his experience of being a criminal, the mentality is what drives you to continue committing crimes. Once you have felt that feeling even when you get rid of that criminal feeling it will still be in the back of your mind waiting for another chance to take over. Gang banging is a parent’s worst nightmare. Not knowing right from wrong and the lack of discipline was the problem with Mike. Lacking a father figure hurts emotionally and mentally. Mike joined a gang around his neighborhood called the Jolly Stompers. A name with the ability to speak for itself, kids that enjoying committing crime. Committing robberies with the older members and giving mike assignments like cleaning out the cash register when victims are held at gun point. A kid doing this at an age you would be never guess, 11. This was a kid that often ran in contact with the police over his small petty criminal activities and by the age of 13 Mike was arrested an astounding 30 times. Mike Tyson’s horrible behavior gave him a boot out of his public school and into a reform school in upstate New York. Although it was a tough time for Mike something great came out of leaving the school in where he came from. Mike met a counselor by the name of Bob Stewart who had previously been an amateur boxing champion. Mike made a decision which could have been the turning point of his life by asking Bob if he could train him how to use his fist but with every offer comes a sacrifice. Mike would have to stay out of trouble and do better in school. Two things that are expected out of kids that go to school. Mike did so and was determined to learn it all when it comes to the boxing life. There was one other man by the name of Constantine â€Å"Cus† D’Amato who was a legendary boxing manager. DAmato was known for taking personal interest in promising fighters and he immediately recognized Tysons ambition to be a heavyweight contender, telling him, If you want to stay here, and if you want to listen, you could be the world heavyweight champion someday. (Mike Tysons Biography) Tyson agreed to stay. Constantine not only was his manager but also turned into this father figure that he never had. Cus took Mike under his wing and made sure to his best ability that he would succeed and be one of the best ever. It was around the early 80’s when Mike had entered into DAmatos full-time custody finally someone else than his mother cared about the fatherless kid. But 2 years later in 1982 Mike Tyson’s life would take a turn for the worst when his mother pasted away. A feeling no person wants to go through but has to at one point. One of the greatest debuts in boxing history came when the much anticipated Mike Tyson went against the strong and experienced Hector Mercedes. A quick one and done in the 1st round gave him his 1st hit and the image of an experienced champion. With the help of his two trainers and his work ethic in and out of the boxing ring gave Mike possibly felt the best he has ever felt in a while. This gave Tyson the ability to level his opponents quick in the 1st round, and that earned him the nickname Iron Mike. On November 4, 1985, DAmato died of pneumonia. Tyson was heavily hit by the death of the man he considered his blood father. Boxing trainer Kevin Rooney took over DAmatos coaching duties and less than two weeks later, Tyson continued on the path that DAmato had laid out for him. It goes to show you that guidance and support from people you love and love you back helps you move on to the next obstacle in your life regardless if they are there physically or emotionally. Tyson never fully recovered from the loss and many around the world blamed that to the boxers future behavior problems With the record of a true champion but no titles yet came an opportunity to flip that around. 22-0 with 21 knockouts gave him a title shot against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council heavyweight championship. Tyson knocked out Berbick in the 2nd round making him the new WBC heavyweight champion. Also making him the youngest heavyweight champion of all time, Mike Tyson also gained to more belts and quickly gaining the respect of many. With fame did come some negative distractions to Tyson’s career. Tyson’s life from childhood delinquency to boxing champ put him in the center of the spotlight were most people don’t know how to handle the pressure. Mike became partying harder than ever and hanging with Hollywood stars that he didn’t belong with. Slowly after life as a superstar kicked in everything started to go sour for mike in the worst way. June 1988 both his wife and his manager wanted out of Mikes life as well wanted in on Mike’s money. Mike behavior got worse and worse after getting into street brawls and nearly killing himself by committing suicide trying to crash into the late D’Amato’s home. His family life was getting to the point of no return after his marriage being called â€Å"Pure Hell† by his wife Givens. You would think that one would learn their lesson but mike came back to criminal acts to later be sued by two women after being grabbed and insulted by Tyson. February 11, 1990 a date never to remember if you are a fan of Iron Mike Tyson. His first lose also his first time ever being knocked out by an underdog boxer named Buster Douglas. This fight changed the boxing world and stirred up so much noise about the loss but Mike still had other issues he had to deal with as well. More trouble came after Mike had also lost another fight not in the ring but in the court the day of November 1, 1990 several months after his 1st lose in his career. Mike Tyson was found guilty for both his incidents in his bathroom incident in 88’ and then soon in 91’ when e was accused of raping a Miss Black American contestant. Mike Tyson was ordered to jail for 6 years due to the law of Indiana it also had to be effective as soon as possible. The death of his father didn’t really faze Mike Tyson nor did he really care to take a leave from prison to take part at the funeral. It shows how much hate and disappointment Mike has from that event al one. He is a man of his own and everything he learned was from his own mind due to the fact that his whole life was a mission to find who he really is. He never really gave himself the chance to change because of all the events that occurred during the process of his life expanding. After six years of marriage, second wife Monica Turner filed for divorce  in 2003, on grounds of adultery. That same year, he also filed for bankruptcy after his exorbitant spending, multiple trials, and bad investments caught up with him. Tysons hard-partying ways caught up with him again in late 2006. Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, after almost crashing into a police cruiser. Mike was suspected of driving while intoxicated. Soon after that assumption police pulled Tyson over and searched his car. During the search police discovered cocaine throughout the vehicle. On September 24, 2007, Mike Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of narcotics and driving under the influence. So much of Mike Tyson’s life has been taken away due to the fame and fortune but also from all the bad decisions he made as well. You can’t always get what you want and I feel as if he didn’t act the way he did during every incident he would be fine to this day. Tysons life seemed to mellow over the next few years, and the boxer began seeking sobriety by attending (AANA) Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. But in 2009, Tyson was dealt another blow when his four-year-old daughter, Exodus, accidentally strangled herself on a treadmill cord in her mothers Phoenix home. The tragedy  was yet another dark period in Tysons troubled life I want to leave you with a quote said by Mike Tyson that is real and from the heart. Something said due to experience and growth with life aging away from him so quick. The quote goes (Bad Intentions, The Mike Tyson Story) My whole life has been a waste Ive been a failure. I just want to escape. Im really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down.