Mike Tyson is arguably one of the greatest heavyweight boxing champions the world has seen. Between 1985 and 2005, the celebrated boxer dominated the ring with his sublime pugilistic skills that resulted in multiple championship wins. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990 and also created a record of sorts by winning his first 19 professional fights by knockout with 12 of them being in the first round.
Apart from his potent punches, Tyson is also infamously known for his personal life which included troubled relationships, an overly lavish lifestyle, r*pe accusations, and financial instabilities. One prominent example of Tyson’s excessive spending was the flashy gift that he presented his ex-wife Robin Givens.
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Mike Tyson’s Lavish Gift To Ex-Wife Raised Many Eyebrows
It is well known that Mike Tyson did not grow up with money. The result of his struggles to rise up from a humble background was seen in his excessive lifestyle as a celebrity. According to sources, Tyson’s obsession with money led him to spend $4.5 million on cars and motorcycles, $3.4 million on clothes and jewelry, and $7.8 million on personal expenses. This still seemed normal after the athlete made headlines for spending a fortune on two white Bengal tigers and their trainer.
But all of the above paled in comparison to the gift that he bought his ex-wife Robin Givens. According to reports, Tyson, who was still married to Givens at the time, spent a staggering $2.2 million on a 24 carat gold bathtub for his wife as a Christmas gift. As luck would have it, the couple ended up divorcing a year later with Givens claiming that the sportstar was abusive and jealous. Tyson then retained the tub as part of the settlement and subsequently sold it to a British billionaire for half the price of its original cost.
Bankruptcy Made Mike Tyson Face Reality
Life is an endless circle of highs and lows and no one knows that better than Mike Tyson. The former heavyweight boxing champion who once lived an excessive lifestyle with lavish luxuries, had to face the brutal truth when his vices came back to bite him. Tyson wasn’t as smooth with his finances as he was in the ring and his irresponsible spending soon took a toll with the star filing for bankruptcy in 2003 after falling into a debt of $23 million. The difficult time allowed Tyson to get some perspective on life.
“Being without money for three years, I don’t know what I’ll do if I get it again. I’m not even interested in being that person again. I don’t want to be that flashy guy with the flashy houses.”
Today, after damage control, it is estimated that Tyson’s net worth is around $3 million which puts the athlete in a comfortable zone considering the lofty debts he once had to endure.
Source: Washington Post
