Mike Tyson - Research Paper Example

He lived in the Bedford-Stuveyesant district of Brooklyn but his family experienced tremendous hardship in this area which eventuated a move to the Brownsville region. Tyson was a poor student and struggled in his daily life. This was only compounded by the death of his mother when Tyson was sixteen years old. This event had a tremendous impact on Tysons personal and professional life and it eventually led to his involvement in boxing. He would later say, “"I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: She only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didnt pay for.

I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but its crushing emotionally and personally" (Heller, pg. 79). During this period Tyson became involved with boxing trainer Cus DAmato who would work with Tyson and hone his boxing skills in the amateur ranks. This relationship would come to be a strong bond that would result in DAmato becoming Tysons eventual legal guardian. Its also been argued that later in life the loss of DAmato would have a tremendous adverse impact on Tysons direction and professional career.

After the death of Tysons mother he became increasingly involved with juvenile delinquency and fighting. Its been noted by a number of researchers that Tysons first fight was with another individual who had killed one of his prized birds (OConnor). This juxtaposition of Tysons ferocious side with an almost childlike and sensitive innocence have become a recurrent narrative throughout Tysons life. Tyson also experienced a great amount of conflict that is related to the rather unique, high-pitched voice, as children would oftentimes tease him resulting in furthered shows of aggression.

Eventually Tyson was sent to the Tryon School for Boys juvenile detention center, where he was discovered by a former boxer that would