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Mike Tyson's parents were Purcell Tyson and Lorna Smith.
'Iron Mike' is one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, but he was never supposed to have that success. As Tyson has recalled several times, his upbringing was brutal. Born in Brooklyn, he was one of three siblings.
The future champion was born in June 1966 and was raised by his mother, Lorna. It's worth noting that while Purcell Tyson was listed on the boxer's birth certificate, very little information is known about the man. From what's been revealed, the man was a cab driver, but not much more is known.
However, Mike Tyson's dad wasn't really in his life. As a result, he was raised by one Jimmy Kirkpatrick. The man was reportedly a pimp and helped raise the boxer's older siblings. However, when Tyson was born, Kirkpatrick reportedly left the family shortly after.
As a result, the young man was left without much guidance and began breaking the law. After getting into several fights and being arrested 38 times by the age of 13, he was sent to the Tryon School for Boys in New York. There, he was noticed by former boxer Bobby Stewart, who discovered his talent.
Soon, Stewart decided he wasn't the right trainer for the boy and introduced him to Cus D'Amoto. That pairing worked perfectly, and the coach led Tyson to glory.
Mike Tyson opens up on the death of his mother
Mike Tyson's parental situation was never great, to put it lightly.
While he barely knew his father, 'Iron Mike' was closer to his mother. In 1982, Lorna Smith passed away due to a battle with cancer. Naturally, the death weighed in on the young man, who was years away from making his boxing debut.
However, the death of Mike Tyson's mom was actually a blessing in disguise. That's according to the boxer himself. In an interview with Club Shay Shay last year, the former champion reflected on the passing of his mother.
There, he admitted that it forced him to grow up and also directly led to fighting. In the interview, Tyson stated:
"You know, one of the best things that ever happened to me is that my mother died. Because my mother would have 'babied' me. There's no way I would ever got into a street fight. No way I would ever learn to stand up for myself."
Check out his comments in the video below.
