Mike Tyson’s knockouts have captivated me since I was young. I’ve watched countless matches of Iron Mike in action. But beyond his fierce reputation in the ring, there’s a side of his life that remained a mystery to me: his family. In fact, I had no idea he had a sister until recently!
So, let me tell you about Mike’s relationship with his sister, Denise Tyson.
Denise Tyson’s Biography
Denise Tyson? Why does that name sound familiar? It’s probably because she’s Mike Tyson’s older sister, so you must’ve heard her name tossed here and there.
If you’ve followed the legendary boxer for long enough, you know he and his siblings didn’t have the happiest childhoods. Denise’s father walked out on his family when she was only a child, and her mother had to raise them all by herself.
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As tragic as that was, it prompted the siblings to stick together and build a deep connection with each other.
In Fire and Fear, Jose Torres covered Tyson’s childhood, citing the boxer saying: “ You know something? I never read a book or played school when I was a child. I didn’t relate to that. I remember being close to my sister, Denise.”
Despite being the close sister of one of the most famous boxers in history, Denise chose a quiet life away from the cameras, flashlights, and red carpets. Unfortunately, the boxer’s sister left us one sad story for the ages.
Denise Tyson’s Passing
The year was 1990, and Tyson had just suffered a terrible blow, losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Buster Douglas. But that wasn’t the only loss he suffered at that time.
A few weeks after his match, Tyson received the news of his sister passing away from a heart attack at the age of 24. Her husband found her unconscious body in their home at 8:40 in the morning.
The fact that a 24-year-old had a heart attack is unsettling. Apparently, though, Denise was already struggling with several medical conditions, including diabetes and asthma.
She also weighed around 300-400 pounds, which probably contributed to the severity of the cardiac arrest. By the time she was taken to the hospital, the doctors couldn’t do anything, and Denise was declared dead on arrival.
Obviously, Tyson didn’t take the news well and struggled for a long time to process her death.
Image source: Google
Wrapping Up
The public might not know much about Denise Tyson, but we can already tell what kind of a person she was from the way her brother talks about her.
Denise had every chance to exploit her brother’s wealth and fame for personal benefit, but she chose an ordinary life where she could support him from behind the curtains.
Featured image source: Google
