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Mike Tyson’s tribal face tattoo, a striking Maori-inspired design from New Zealand, represents a significant chapter in his life story. He chose this powerful symbol in 2003, just before his bout against Clifford Etienne. Tyson once revealed, "I just thought it was a cool tattoo," expressing a moment of spontaneity that turned into a lasting legacy. Initially considering hearts, he was swayed towards something that mirrored his fierce spirit, ultimately deciding, "This is cool; I like this."

Also, for a long time, the body of Mike painted a portrait of his ex-wife - pediatrician Monica Turner. The world first saw this tattoo on Tyson's left forearm in 1995, when the controversial boxer with a face tattoo got out of prison, where he had been for three years on rape charges.

Mike Tyson’s tattoos are more than just ink; they symbolise his life’s journey through success and adversity. Each design tells a story of resilience and personal growth, reflecting the spirit of one of boxing’s greatest legends. As Tyson gears up for his upcoming bout against Jake Paul, his iconic tattoos remind us of his enduring legacy both inside and outside the ring.

When Mike Tyson made his professional debut as a Heavyweight, he was relatively short. Therefore, his trainer Cus D’Amato invented a specific style for ‘Iron’ Mike. It was the famous peekaboo style which helped Tyson avoid shots, close in on the distance, and land his punches on the opponent. In his latest training videos, Tyson was seen working on the peekaboo style ahead of the fight against Jake Paul on July 20th. Besides dodging punches, the 57-year-old landed a few bombs!

Delivering the results, host Dr. Travis Stork told Aaron that his "urine tested positive for marijuana, extended opiates, hydrocodone as an example, and benzodiazepine," the last of which could be explained by one of the medications the singer had been prescribed to treat his multiple personality disorder, schizophrenia, and acute anxiety.

While Tyson once joked on Twitter about getting the tattoo removed, it’s become a part of his identity. "A lot of stuff happened out of this tattoo, a lot of good stuff," he told Sports Illustrated in 2016. "Other young athletes come to me and said, It’s because of you they call it the Mike Tyson."

On September 24, 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence. He was convicted of these charges in November 2007 and sentenced to 24 hours in jail. After his release, he was ordered to serve three years' probation and complete 360 hours of community service. Prosecutors had requested a year-long jail sentence, but the judge praised Tyson for seeking help with his drug problems. On November 11, 2009, Tyson was arrested after getting into a scuffle at Los Angeles International airport with a photographer. No charges were filed.

"Mike will move from this side to this side without you knowing at exactly which moment," Ngannou later added. "Everything . Knowing Mike, I just believe that Mike will beat him. It’s not betting against him, it’s just what it is. If he would have been in another circumstance, I’d be like, ‘Okay, let’s go, Jake.’ But this I’m like, ‘Bro, let’s be real.’"

In September 2011, Tyson gave an interview in which he made comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin including crude and violent descriptions of interracial sex. These comments were reprinted on The Daily Caller website. Journalist Greta van Susteren criticized Tyson and The Daily Caller over the comments, which she described as "smut" and "violence against women".

In 2003, as TalkSport reminds us, Tyson stepped into the ring with his freshly inscribed ink and knocked out Clifford Etienne in 49 seconds. This would be Tyson's last career victory, a mere week after getting his first tattoo. His trainer, Jeff Fenech, who'd been training Tyson for eight weeks leading up to the fight, called shenanigans. He said that Iron Mike was sabotaging the fight, essentially, because it "wasn't healthy" to have a boxing match where Tyson's face would get punched days after getting a tattoo on it. Fenech also thought Tyson got the tattoo because he didn't want the fight in the first place. A week before the bout, Fenech walked, and Tyson went on to win in the first round. Two years later in 2005, Tyson retired after back-to-back losses.

Post serving the jail sentence, Mike Tyson fought against inferior opponents likes Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. He won both the bouts to lead up to a match against WBC defending champion Frank Bruno in 1996. Tyson knocked out Bruno in the third round to bag the title. His next match was against Bruce Seldon. He won the match in a record 109 seconds, claiming the WBA title as well.

The tattoo drew significant attention before the fight. Tyson took time off of training to get it, which trainer Jeff Fenech would later say was a contributing factor to the fight being rescheduled by a week. Some questioned Tyson's physical and mental fitness to fight. Experts including dermatologist Robert A. Weiss expressed concerns about Tyson boxing while the tattoo healed; Etienne said that he would not go after the tattoo. (Tyson ultimately knocked out Etienne in under a minute. ) The work—which Tyson and others have referred to as his "warrior tattoo"—was also met with criticism from the outset by Māori activists who saw it as cultural appropriation. In 2006, tā moko artist Mark Kopua in a statement to the Waitangi Tribunal called for "a law that would prevent a Mike Tyson or a Robbie Williams or large non-Māori companies from wearing and exploiting the moko".