Mike Tyson has had a wild life both in and out of the boxing ring. Married three times, he’s fathered seven children with three different women, including one child that died tragically at age four. The eldest of his kids, Mikey Lorna Tyson, is now a happy and successful 31-year-old, though she struggled in her early life. Here, we take a deep dive into the life of Mike Tyson’s daughter.
Mike Tyson Considers Himself A Family Man
Born in Brooklyn, NY, on June 30th, 1966, Mike Tyson is regarded as one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time. Having claimed his first belt at the tender age of 20, he holds the record for being the youngest boxer to win a heavyweight title. Nicknamed “Iron Mike” and “Kid Dynamite,” Tyson was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990, and continued to be a mighty force in professional boxing until his retirement in 2005. Even that hasn’t stopped him completely—the 54-year-old tough guy still manages to participate in exhibition fights from time to time, most recently against Roy Jones Jr. in late 2020.
As far as his role as a father goes, Tyson hasn’t always been an ideal dad. “I’m really working to recreate my relationship…rebuild my relationship with my children,” he told MTV in 2009, as reported by ABC news. “When I was Iron Mike Tyson, I neglected my children, I neglected the people I was in love with at one time. I’m getting the brunt of it right now, in this stage in my life. I’m starting to feel the pain and effects from it. I would like to rekindle that relationship.”
Apparently, Tyson did just that and now enjoys close relationships with all his kids, including Mikey Lorna, his first-born. And many people are interested in learning about her life.
Mikey Lorna Tyson Wasn’t Always Close With Her Dad
Mikey Lorna Tyson was born in 1991 to Kimberly Scarborough, Mike Tyson’s then-girlfriend. The couple never married, and Tyson didn’t even admit to being Mikey’s biological father until he was slapped with a paternity suit eight months after his daughter was born.
In fact, according to a 1995 article in the New York Daily News, Tyson initially tried to convince Scarborough not to have the baby. “I actually went to the abortion clinic when Mike told me to get rid of her,” Tyson’s ex said. “Now we both shudder to think of what we almost did that day.”
Despite giving his name to his daughter (yes, her legal name is “Michael”), Tyson was absent for a good portion of Mikey’s young life. From 1992 until 1995, the former heavyweight champ was in prison serving a rape sentence. Nevertheless, Scarborough said that Tyson made a concerted effort to be involved in his daughter’s life. “Mike calls the school to ask how she’s doing every week,” Scarborough said in 1995. “He wants to know if she’s saying her prayers and doing enough homework. He wanted her to attend this school because it is very strict.”
Mikey Lorna Tyson Has Struggled With Weight Most Of Her Life
According to her mom, Mikey already weighed 50 pounds at the very young age of four. This worried Mike Tyson quite a bit, as he had an obese sister who died of a heart attack when she was just 14 years old. “[Mikey’s] very big, and that concerns Mike,” Scarborough said back in 1995. “He makes sure I take her to doctors. He doesn’t want Mickey following in his sister’s tracks.”
Even Mikey began to worry about her weight once she entered her teenage years. “My father’s side, a lot of them, so I heard, are obese, like his sisters, his mother,” she said in 2007. “I believe if he wasn’t a heavyweight champion, if he wasn’t constantly working out or watching what he ate, he would be obese.”
Fortunately, the 31-year-old did follow in her father’s footsteps. She keeps herself healthy by eating balanced meals and working out regularly. All you have to do is check out her Instagram feed to see her dedication to fitness. “Someone asked me why do I constantly post workout videos?” she wrote in one post. “Because I’m proud of my accomplishments and I inspire myself!”
It seems like Mikey’s hard work over the years has paid off. In 2016, she graced the cover of Queen Size Magazine, showing the world just how fierce and fabulous she is. But other than that cover appearance (and posts to social media), Mike Tyson’s daughter prefers to stay out of the spotlight.