As Mike Tyson prepares for his much-anticipated return to the ring against Jake Paul this weekend, the story behind his iconic face tattoo has once again begun to take precedence. Tyson’s famous tribal ink has become a defining part of his look, making waves in both boxing and pop culture.
But that face tattoo is only the most visible of his ink—Tyson has a variety of meaningful tattoos all across his body, each with its own story.
Tyson originally planned on getting a face tattoo featuring “a bunch of hearts” if he beat Lennox Lewis in their 2002 match. Despite losing to Lewis by eighth-round knockout, he still went ahead with his tattoo plans.
But he was persuaded by tattoo artist S. Victor Whitmill, to wait and return in a couple of days with a fresh idea.
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When Tyson came back, Whitmill showed him a bold design inspired by the Māori tā moko, featuring two curved shapes meant to symbolize a “warrior tribe”.
Tyson was instantly captivated, feeling that the design looked both “amazing” and “hot”. He was drawn to its powerful symbolism and unique look and got it etched on him, making it a powerful image for all time to come.
The tattoo is now synonymous with Tyson and was made even more famous in the 2009 movie, ‘The Hangover’. However, as mentioned above it is not the only tattoo Tyson has on him.
Mike Tyson tattoos
Mike Tyson’s tattoos each tell a unique story. Among his more surprising ink is the portrait of Chinese leader Mao Zedong on his right arm, a nod to the heavyweight champ’s visit to Mao’s memorial in 2006. Tyson mentioned feeling “really insignificant” in front of Mao’s remains, perhaps influenced by Mao’s philosophy, “one divides into two”.
Another prominent tattoo on Tyson’s ribcage is of Che Guevara, the famous Cuban revolutionary. While Tyson hasn’t discussed political leanings, his admiration for strong, communist figures like Mao and Che is evident—even as he’s known to support Donald Trump.
Among his other ink, Tyson has a dragon on his right forearm, as a mark of power, and a tribute to Arthur Ashe with the phrase “Days of Grace.” Ashe, a tennis trailblazer, was likely one of Tyson’s early inspirations.
