Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on June 30, 1966, Michael Gerard Tyson has experienced more in his 35 years than most people experience in a lifetime.

	VITAL STATS
	Former Undisputed Heavyweight Champion Born: June 30, 1966 Brooklyn, NY Height: 5-11 1/2 WINS: 49 LOSSES: 3 DRAWS: 0 NC: 2 KOs: 43

At an early age, Bobby Stewart, a local social worker and boxing fan, discovered Tysonís raw boxing ability. Stewart's guidance paved a direct path to the late, beloved trainer of champions, Constantine ìCusî D'Amato.

Bringing Tyson to the Catskill Mountains in New York, D'Amato nurtured Tyson in and out of the ring. Eventually, D'Amato became Tysonís legal guardian and inspirational leader. During the early stages of Tysonís amateur and pro career, D'Amato was the driving force, teaching the young Tyson all the nuances about the sport which he loved and to which he devoted his life.

Tyson compiled an impressive 24-3 record as an amateur. Two controversial losses to Henry Tillman spoiled Tyson's chance to represent the United States in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Tillman went on to win the gold medal in the heavyweight division.

After the disappointment of not being able to represent his country in the 1984 Olympics, Tyson turned his sights on the professional ranks. On March 6, 1985, Tyson made his pro debut with a first-round knockout of Hector Mercedes. From that point on, Tysonís goal was to capture the heavyweight championship. Finishing his first year with a record of 15-0, all by knockout, Tyson's place at the top seemed closer with each victory.

Less than two years later, and, after racking up 27 consecutive wins, Tyson signed to fight Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title. On Nov. 22, 1986, after less than six minutes in the ring, Tyson, at the age of 20, cemented his place in history as the youngest man ever crowned heavyweight champion.

Not content with stopping at one title, Tysonís mission was to unify the heavyweight division and provide the world with its first undisputed heavyweight champion since Muhammad Ali a decade before.

Tyson accomplished the second leg of his mission on March 7, 1987, with a 12-round decision victory over James "Bonecrusher" Smith to add the World Boxing Association (WBA) belt to his growing collection.

Finally, less than five months later, his dream was complete. On Aug. 1, 1987, Tyson became the undisputed world heavyweight champion by outpointing Tony Tucker to claim the International Boxing Federation (IBF) belt, thus unifying the titles.

Going on to make six successful defenses of his unified titles, Tyson defeated everyone in his path including former champion Larry Holmes and then-undefeated former champion Michael Spinks. For his 91-second destruction of Spinks, Tyson earned more than $20 million, which, at the time, was the largest sum ever paid to an athlete. Tyson went on to post wins over mandatory challenger Frank Bruno, followed by a 93-second rout of Carl ìThe Truthî Williams. During this time, Tyson became one of the most recognizable athletes in the world and the most dominant figure in boxing.

A pro for five years, Tyson entered 1990 with a record of 37-0 with 33 wins by knockout, rolling over most of his opponents with relative ease. His first fight of the new decade was in Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 11, 1990, against James ìBusterî Douglas, a 42-1 underdog. On this night, the undefeated champion learned that not even the greatest of champions go through their entire careers without suffering a setback. Tyson lost his first professional fight in what many consider to be the biggest upset in sports history.

Tyson rebounded from the devastating loss in Tokyo with two first-round knockouts to close out 1990. Tillman, Tyson's amateur nemesis, was one victim and Alex Stewart became Tyson's 35th career knockout victim.

Attempting to regain his titles, Tyson's first fight in 1991 came against the hard-hitting Canadian, Donovan ìRazorî Ruddock. Many believed Tyson should not have fought the dangerous challenger, but Tyson was never one to back down from a fight.

On March 18, Tyson and Ruddock finally squared off, after a prior bout between them was canceled. Tyson won the first five rounds, scoring knockdowns in the second and third. Ruddock, showing great determination, stunned the former champion in the sixth round. When the seventh round bell sounded, Tyson mounted a punishing attack, rattling Ruddock with four consecutive power shots. With his back to Ruddock, referee Richard Steele stepped in and stopped the contest with 38 seconds left in the round.

Tyson and Ruddock met in a rematch on June 28, 1991. Ending speculation over what would have happened had their first fight not been stopped, Tyson knocked Ruddock to the canvas twice and broke his jaw en route to a unanimous 12-round decision.

After four straight wins following his stunning loss to Douglas, Tyson was back in position to challenge for the title. Talks heated up with then-champion Evander Holyfield and he signed to fight him on Nov. 8, 1991, in Las Vegas. Shortly before the fight was to take place, Tyson had to pull out with a rib injury.

After more than a four-year absence, Tyson announced his return to the ring in 1995 with two exclusive deals, one to fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and the other with Showtime Networks Inc.

Tyson's long-awaited comeback finally took place on Aug. 19, 1995, at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. Tyson had been inactive for more than four years - three of those years were spent never touching a glove, hitting a bag or even entering a ring. Showing no ill effects from his layoff, it took Tyson only seven seconds to send his opponent, Peter McNeeley, to the canvas. The fight was stopped less than one minute later, after McNeeleyís manager stopped the fight.

Tyson then was signed to fight undefeated Buster Mathis, Jr. on Nov. 4, only 10 weeks after his first fight in four years. However, on Oct. 31, four days prior to the fight, Tyson had to withdraw because of a broken right thumb sustained while training.

The fight was rescheduled for Dec. 16, 1995, at the Spectrum (now known as the CoreStates Spectrum) in Philadelphia, Pa. As usual, Tyson came out swinging at Mathis early. At 2:32 of the third round, it was over. Consecutive right hands sent Mathis to the canvas. It was Tyson's 37th knockout and his first since March 1991.

On March 16, 1996, Tyson got his first shot at a world title since losing his belts to Douglas in 1990. Before a sold-out crowd of 15,222 at the MGM Grand Garden, Tyson regained the WBC belt from Frank Bruno. Showing the old form that made him the youngest man ever to capture the heavyweight championship of the world, Tyson used uppercuts, jabs and hooks in combination with his speed and power to dispose of Bruno just 50 seconds into the third round.

In his effort to once again unify the titles, Tyson took on WBA Champion Bruce Seldon, Sept. 7, 1996, at the MGM Grand. Tyson wasted little time in capturing the WBA title, knocking out Seldon 1:49 into the opening round.

As a result of a court-order involving No. 1 WBC contender Lennox Lewis, Tyson was forced to relinquish his WBC belt on Sept. 24, 1996.

On Nov. 9, 1996, Tyson met Holyfield at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in the main event of a fight card billed ìFinally,î as a result of the fight coming off five years and one day after it was originally scheduled. Many observers felt this would be the first test Tyson would face since his comeback in 1995. But, in the end, it was more than Tyson expected, as Holyfield lived up to his ìWarriorî moniker.

Holyfield, a huge underdog going in, was up to the task. Avoiding Tysonís bombs early and doing a great job of counter-punching and even beating Tyson to the punch, Holyfield had done what no one thought possible ñ get to the middle rounds. This fight marked the first time Tyson had gone more than three rounds since 1991. In one of the most exciting fights of the decade, Tysonís winning streak was halted as Holyfield did the unthinkable by scoring an 11th-round knockout. Tyson had suffered the second loss of his career.

In the most anticipated rematch in boxing history, Holyfield and Tyson met once again on June 28, 1997. After fighting Holyfield gallantly for two rounds, Tyson committed two flagrant fouls that forced referee Mills Lane to disqualify him. Tysonís Nevada license was also suspended.

Tyson reapplied for his license in Nevada on Aug. 14, 1998. Following two hearings to determine his fate, Tyson was awarded his boxing license in a 4-1 vote by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Oct. 19, 1998.

Tyson returned to the ring on Jan. 16, 1999 against the much larger Francois Botha. After a slow start during the first four rounds, Tyson went on the attack in round five, unleashing a right hand that sent Botha to the canvas for good.

Tyson's scheduled 10-round fight with former world champion Orlin Norris on Oct. 23, 1999, on SHOWTIME ended in a no contest after the first round. Tyson hit Norris after the bell had sounded - it was ruled an accidental punch by referee Richard Steele - and Norris went down. He injured his right knee upon landing and could not continue.

Tyson's highly-anticipated European debut on Jan. 29, 2000, on SHOWTIME was a smashing success, as he scored a second-round technical knockout over British champion Julius Francis. To the delight of 21,000 fans, who sold out MEN Arena in Manchester, England, in two days, Tyson floored Francis five times.

Tyson knocked down Francis twice in the first round and three times in the second before referee Roy Francis called a halt to the bout at 1:03 of the second. Tyson connected with a hook to drop Francis within a minute of the opening bell. A left hand sent Francis to the canvas again late in the first.

Pressing the advantage in the second, Tyson floored Francis a third time after trapping him along the ropes. Moments later, an uppercut dropped Francis for a fourth time. A right uppercut produced the fifth knock down and ended the bout.

"I was surprised he kept getting up," Tyson said afterward. "I hit him with some good body shots."

In his second consecutive European appearance June 24, 2000, on SHOWTIME, Tyson made short work of Lou Savarese, flooring the former United States Boxing Association heavyweight champion just eight seconds into the fight en route to a first-round technical knockout. Tyson dropped Savarese with a crushing left hook to the head early in the first round. Tyson continued the onslaught with a barrage of unanswered punches before Referee John Coyle stepped in and stopped the contest just :38 into the opening round.

Tyson's return to the United States was an impressive one. On Oct. 20, 2000, he took on Andrew Golota in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Tyson did many things well. He showed excellent head and side-to-side movement. He was ducking punches. He pressed forward aggressively yet always in a controlled manner. Tyson cut Golota over the left eye and floored him with a smashing overhand right late in the first round. Tyson was deprived of the opportunity for a decisive knockout when Golota, citing injuries, quit and refused to come out for the third round.

For his next fight, Tyson once again traveled overseas as he took on Danish heavyweight ìSuperî Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen, Denmark on Oct. 13, 2001. A beefed up Tyson weighed in at a career high 239 pounds following an extensive training regimen to add weight while working with new fitness trainer Gunnar Peterson. Dominating from the start, Tyson began his assault by pounding the larger Nielsen to the body with combinations in the first round. A three-punch combination sent Nielsen to the canvas for only the second time in his boxing career at the close of round three. Tyson continued to pour on the firepower through rounds four, five and six and a bloodied and bruised Nielsen could not answer the bell for round number seven.