Mike Tyson is an infamous name known for his fierce presence in the boxing world and his controversial life outside the ring. The former heavyweight champion’s career is marked by highs and lows, including personal struggles, legendary victories, and a long list of headlines that seem to follow him wherever he goes. With a career that spans decades, Tyson has been a part of pop culture as much as he is of sports history. Now, after nearly two decades, the boxing legend has donned his gloves once again for an epic fight against Jake Paul.
Beyond the gloves and fame, Tyson’s personal life has had its fair share of twists and tragedies. The Baddest Man on the Planet who has been married three times, and has eight children from different relationships. Though his children largely stay out of the spotlight, they’ve played a crucial role in shaping a feared fighter into a more emotional person. But one of his children, his daughter Exodus, holds a special place in Tyson’s heart. The story behind his chest tattoo is a deeply emotional reminder of Exodus in his life.
True Story Behind Mike Tyson’s Chest Tattoo
Born into poverty, Mike Tyson has faced adversity from an early age. Though the boxer has reached the heights of success, his life hasn’t been easy. From substance abuse to legal troubles to personal setbacks, Tyson has faced several hardships. Still, the passing of his daughter, Exodus Sierra Tyson was one of the most heartbreaking moments of his life.
While many fans link Tyson’s tattoo to his rough-and-tumble persona, the true story behind it is far more emotional. At the age of 42, Tyson faced a personal tragedy when Exodus tragically died in 2009. The circumstances of her passing were both shocking and devastating.
When asked about the lowest moment of his life in a podcast by Rick Ross, he shared,
“My nadir was when I lost my daughter, my four-year-old daughter. Yeah, I can’t go…I was f***ed up, I was f***ed up. It made me a better person though.”
Tyson was further asked how he recovered from his tragic loss to which he admitted that he never recovered, but he lives with it.
How Did Mike Tyson’s Daughter Exodus Die?
The heartbreaking death of Exodus still haunts Mike Tyson to this day. Born to his then-girlfriend Sol Xochitl, Exodus was only 4 years old when she tragically passed away on May 26, 2009. The incident occurred at the family’s home in Phoenix, Arizona.
The incident occurred when Exodus was playing at the family home and was found by her older brother with a cable wrapped around her neck. According to ABC News, Sgt. Andy Hill,
“Somehow, she was playing on this treadmill, and there’s a cord that hangs under the console; it’s kind of a loop. Either she slipped or put her head in the loop, but it acted like a noose, and she was obviously unable to get herself off of it.”
When her 7-year-old brother found her and told their mother who was in another room, she took Exodus off the cord and called 911 while trying to revive her. Unfortunately, Tyson was in Las Vegas at the time and rushed back to Phoenix when he heard the news. While Exodus was on life support at Phoenix Hospital, she sadly didn’t make it.
In a throwback interview, Tyson was asked what his first thought was after learning about the news. He said,
“This is my best thinking at the time, get my gun, automatic just like it and you just go crazy. But when I went to the hospital, the people that were there, they are up there because their kid is dead too, or about to die. So who the hell am I, they give a dying too. I don’t know, I don’t know what happened that day.”
Following the devastating loss, Tyson saw himself grappling with drug abuse. In an interview with Real Sports, Tyson admitted that he did cocaine for a week because he had to get high.
Mike Tyson’s Seven Children
While Exodus’s tragic death remains a painful chapter in Mike Tyson’s life, he has other children who continue to shape his world. The iconic heavyweight champ’s oldest child, Mikey Lorna Tyson, was born in 1991 and is making waves as a plus-size model. She once talked about what it was like growing up with a famous fighter as her father when she was featured in the cover story of Queen Size magazine,
“He’s the only father I’ve ever known, so I have no other base of comparison. My life has been extremely blessed because of my father, and I just want to acknowledge him as the great dad he has always been.”
Tyson welcomed Amir Tyson in 1997 who runs his own streetwear brand called, Debonair Attire. He also works as a sportscaster and covered his dad’s fight against Jake Paul.
Then there’s Ramsey, who identifies as non-binary and is a Tisch School of the Arts graduate with impressive credits, including work on the hit movie Joker. Tyson’s fourth son, Miguel Leon Tyson, born in 2002, has a passion for photography and occasionally trains in boxing with his dad.
His two youngest kids, Milan and Morocco, are from his marriage to Lakiha Spicer. While Milan is on her way to becoming a tennis star, training with Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou and playing opposite Novak Djokovic, Tyson gushed about with FightCamp stating,
“Of course, she hits the ball like a savage. I’m just happy that she’s doing something that she likes … I’m just happy. I’m proud of her. She wants to turn pro … That’s what she wants, that’s her dream.”
Meanwhile, Morocco is dabbling in tennis and golf, and attending school in Florida.
Reflecting on his life as a father, Tyson told Sports Illustrated,
“I’m very ultra, ultra-protective. That’s the only thing that’s changed about me. With my wife, my kids, won’t sign an autograph. I’m very frightened. I just know what’s happening, what’s going on out here. It’s crazy. I’m very protective in that sense.”
Despite a rough past, he’s embraced fatherhood as his greatest legacy, proving that there’s much more to him than his powerhouse boxing career.
Mike Tyson To Honor His Late Daughter Exodus During Jake Paul Fight
As Mike Tyson gears up for his big showdown against social media star Jake Paul, he’s making sure the moment carries deep personal meaning. As he prepares for the highly-anticipated match which is just hours away, Tyson plans to pay tribute to his late daughter, Exodus, in a heartfelt way.
For his first match since 2020, the 58-year-old champ will step into the ring wearing sleek black trunks featuring her name positioned above an American flag on the left leg. The design also showcases Tyson’s company logo across the waistband and BYLT branding on the right thigh.
According to BYLT Basics, the trunks were crafted not just for performance but to honor Tyson’s legacy and personal story. BYLT’s head of product, Joe Trachta told USA Today,
“We are really excited to collaborate with Mike on this design to pay homage to his story, which spanned multiple decades now. We can’t wait to see Iron Mike back in action.’’
Tyson has already been sporting the custom gear during his workouts, hinting at the possibility he’ll don them during the fight. While Tyson’s agent, Andrew Ruf, hasn’t confirmed whether the legendary boxer will wear the trunks in the ring, fans are eager to see if this sentimental design makes its debut under the bright lights of Texas’ AT&T Stadium.
