Portrait of the “Hellish” Woman Who Wrecked Mike Tyson’s Life
A few years following the loss of his mentor, Mike Tyson fell in love with actress Robin Givens. They tied the knot in February 1988, and little did Mike ‘Iron’ know that this union would become the “hell” in his life.
Mike Tyson led a life that was beyond most people’s imagination. The former heavyweight champion amassed a fortune, only to lose it all later on, becoming entangled in criminal accusations, drug abuse, and a sex addiction. However, in recent years, Tyson has endeavored to rise above these challenges and has now found tranquility in his life.
In his autobiography, Mike ‘Iron’ chronicled his life, recounting the brutal knockouts inside the boxing ring and the rollercoaster of events in his personal life. Within these pages lies the tale of a woman who once stood beside him but ultimately played a part in dismantling this legendary figure’s life.
Tyson was at the pinnacle of his boxing career when he crossed paths with Givens in 1987, at a time when his net worth soared to an astounding $50 million. A wedding was hastily arranged when Tyson was merely 22 years old, with the explanation of a “doctor’s advice” to get married.
According to Tyson’s account, the nuptials took place because Givens claimed to be pregnant. Soon after the wedding, Givens and her mother, Ruth Givens, immediately demanded the purchase of a mansion to establish a “stable life.” Naturally, Mike Tyson footed the bill of $5 million for the opulent estate situated in the suburbs of New Jersey.
It wasn’t just $5 million for the house; an additional $10 million was transferred into Givens’ personal bank account before she disclosed that she had suffered a miscarriage. Regretfully, Mike Tyson reflects, “We got married in February, and now it’s June, and she hasn’t gained any weight, and the response I received was that she had a miscarriage.”
Consequently, their short-lived marriage began to crumble. While some sources suggest that Givens received a parting gift of $10 million from her husband, she vehemently denied receiving a single penny.
Givens continuously accused Tyson of physical abuse and mistreatment, making it impossible for her to continue the marriage. Meanwhile, Tyson asserted that the sole motivation for Givens was his financial worth.
Throughout their time together, Givens consistently sought ways to extract money from Tyson. She even joined forces with manager Don King to oust all of Mike ‘Iron’s’ close confidantes, leaving him isolated and susceptible to manipulation.
Following the divorce, Givens became one of the most despised women in America at that time. She remarried a year later, only to experience yet another divorce. In 1993, she adopted a boy, and seven years later, she gave birth to a son with her former boyfriend, tennis player Murphy Jensen.
As for Mike Tyson, this period is regarded as the “crisis of his life” for the man known as the “most terrifying man on the planet,” as he found himself profoundly alone, surrounded by unsavory individuals, gradually losing his sense of self, and witnessing a decline in both wealth and fame.
