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Although the original sentence read 6 years of imprisonment followed by 4-year probation, Mike Tyson served a 3-year-6-week long prison sentence after being accused of rape.
Furthermore, the 6-year sentence that was announced was also cut short from 10 years.
Mike Tyson spent three years of his boxing prime at the Indianapolis Youth Center, which now goes by the name of Plainfield Correctional Facility. The whole affair around his imprisonment began when the then 18-year-old beauty pageant contestant, Desiree Washington, alleged that the boxer had raped her in July 1991.
Desiree Washington shared that she had accompanied Mike Tyson back to his room after a rehearsal of the beauty pageant contest. It was in the room that Mike Tyson committed the crime.
Mike Tyson maintained that any act performed in the room was consensual. However, the boxer was convicted by the courts and sentenced to imprisonment on March 26, 1992.
After spending three years in prison, Mike Tyson was granted freedom on account of good behavior.
How did Mike Tyson's imprisonment affect his boxing career?
Mike Tyson became the youngest boxer to lift a professional heavyweight title in history after he beat Trevor Berbick in November, 1986 to become the WBC Heavyweight champion.
Tyson subsequently also won the WBA, IBF and The Ring Heavyweight titles, transforming from 'Kid Dynamite' to the 'Baddest Man on the Planet'.
His undefeated streak of ruling over the heavyweight division came to an end in February 1990. Mike Tyson faced Buster Douglas in defense of his WBA, WBC and IBF titles on February 11 1990. Handing him his first professional loss, Buster Douglas knocked Mike Tyson out in round 10 of their bout.
After the end of his reign over the heavyweight division, Mike Tyson wasted no time in making a comeback. He fought again in June 1990 and December 1990, picking up round-1 KO victories over Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart.
He fought Donovan Ruddock twice in 1991, winning on both occasions. These victories set Mike Tyson up for a second potential title reign.
Meanwhile, Evander Holyfield took over the heavyweight division from Buster Douglas by beating him via a round-10 KO.
A fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship was scheduled between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield to take place in November 1991. 'Iron' Mike Tyson ended up pulling out of the bout citing a rib cartilage injury suffered while training.
His second fight with Donovan Ruddock thus became Mike Tyson's last fight before imprisonment. Tyson had been inching towards regaining the heavyweight throne after the setback against Douglas.
Thus, landing on the wrong side of the law cost Mike Tyson 3 years of both his freedom and professional well-being.
