Mike Tyson’s career and persona have long been clouded by controversy both inside and outside the ring. Now, he’s brought that trouble with him thousands of feet in the air.
Footage circulated Thursday of the 55-year-old former heavyweight champion of the world pummeling a fellow passenger with punches on a Wednesday night flight. Tyson and the passenger, who were on a Florida-bound plane from San Francisco, had repeatedly engaged throughout the flight, according to TMZ.
The passenger can be seen persistently leaning over and attempting to speak to Tyson, appearing to antagonize him. Tyson eventually rose, leaned over his seat and attacked the fellow passenger, throwing multiple punches. A source close to Tyson claimed the passenger was “extremely intoxicated,” according to the report.
This isn’t the first time the controversial Tyson has been in the news. Here’s a look at Tyson’s worst moments and scandals:
Rape sentence
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington in an Indianapolis hotel room. He received a six-year prison sentence, but was released after just three years. He still maintains his innocence.
Mike Tyson leaves the Marion County Courthouse in 1994. AFP/Getty ImagesMarital issues with Robin Givens
Tyson’s first wife, Robin Givens, gave an explosive interview in 1989 detailing his domestic assault and admitting she was scared of her husband. Givens, who later divorced Tyson, claimed their three-month marriage was “torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine.”
Mike Tyson and Robin Givens (left). AFP/Getty ImagesBit Evander Holyfield’s ear
Tyson’s worst moment in the ring came amid his comeback after his prison sentence. In a rematch with Evander Holyfield, who had stopped Tyson in their first title bout a year prior, Tyson bit Holyfield’s ear and was subsequently disqualified from the fight, fined, and suspended.
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Death threat to Lennox Lewis
In the buildup to a 2002 fight with Lennox Lewis, Tyson declared his goal was to “fight professionally but to kill him.” It was not the only death threat issued by Tyson, who said of Donovan Ruddock before their 1991 fight: “If he doesn’t die, it doesn’t count. If he’s not dead, it doesn’t count.”
Battles with drug addiction
In his book, “Undisputed Truth,” Tyson admits to battling with substance abuse and addiction throughout his early years and career, going so far as saying he was a “full-blown cokehead,” and cheated his way through drug tests, sometimes even fighting while still under the influence of cocaine.
