From 1992 to 1995, while in prison for the rape of Desiree Washington, Tyson read a large number of books, including works by Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong. Spike Lee sent Tyson a copy of tennis player Arthur Ashe’s deathbed memoir, Days of Grace. Tyson was moved by the book and respected Ashe’s ability to be nonconfrontational and admired his political views and his success as a black athlete in a white-dominated world. Tyson got prison tattoos of both men on his biceps: A portrait of Mao, captioned with “Mao” in all-caps, on the left; a portrait of Ashe beneath the words “Days of Grace” on the right. Gerald Early views the Mao and Ashe tattoos as together “symboliz both newfound self-control and his revision of black cool”, with Mao representing strength and authority. Clifton Brown in The New York Times describes the Ashe tattoo as “a contradiction” with Tyson’s “fits of rage”. Early and biographer Richard Hoffer cast the two bicep tattoos as an unusual combination of, in Hoffer’s words, “alternate icons”.
Tyson’s face tattoo quickly proved iconic and has become strongly associated with him. Its Māori influence has been controversial, spurring claims of cultural appropriation. In 2011, Whitmill filed a copyright suit against Warner Bros. for using the design on the character Stu Price in The Hangover Part II. Warner Bros. responded with a number of defenses, including that tattoos are not copyrightable; supporting them, scholar David Nimmer argued that it violated the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution—which prohibits slavery—to give Whitmill copyright over part of Tyson’s body. After initial comments by Judge Catherine D. Perry denying an injunction but affirming that tattoos are copyrightable, Whitmill and Warner Bros. settled for undisclosed terms, without disruption to the release of the film.
There was a doctored image recently that went viral showing Paul with a tattoo above his right ear that was similar to Tyson’s famous tattoo on the left side of his face. The photo was fake and made to help promote the fight, but Paul may want a real one now.
Regardless of personal meaning, one thing is for sure. Tyson embodies strength, wisdom, and freedom – as do many of the other inspirations that he has tattooed on his body–and his tattoos represent who he has been, is now, and will be in the future.
Mike Tyson, one of the most famous and controversial boxers of all time, has left an indelible mark on the history of the sport. He began his career in 1985 and soon became the youngest ever world heavyweight champion, defeating Trevor Berbick in 1986 at the age of 20. Tyson was known for his powerful punching, aggressive style and swift knockouts that made him a crowd favorite.
While the outcome of the case was not precedential, Perry’s comments were the first time that a government official commented on the copyrightability of tattoos. They were also significant in drawing a distinction between the tattoo’s design and application. Despite the case settling, it prompted further discussion of the topic and speculation as to how the case might have proceeded if it had gone to trial.
Tyson’s pro career was interrupted by three years in prison after he was sentenced for rape. He returned to the ring but wasn’t the same. He had 14 fights after his release from prison and went 9-5. During that stretch, he endured consecutive losses to Evander Holyfield. He ended his career, losing three out of four fights, falling to Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams, and Kevin McBride.
Announcing the fight he said on X: “My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion of the world, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time. Time to put Iron mike tyson tat to sleep.”
On May 24, 2011, Judge Catherine D. Perry denied Whitmill’s request to enjoin the film’s release, citing a potential $100 million in damages to Warner Bros. and disruption to related businesses. However, she found that Whitmill had “a strong likelihood of success” on his copyright claim and characterized most of Warner Bros.’ arguments as “just silly”, saying:
Rachael A. Carmen et al. in the Review of General Psychology posit that Tyson’s face tattoo may be an example of “body ornamentation as a form of intimidation”. Charlie Connell and Edmund Sullivan in Inked describe it as having become “instantly iconic”, while Vice’s Mitchell Sunderland ranks it as one of the two things Tyson is best known for, alongside biting off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear. Marie Hadley, in A History of Intellectual Property in 50 Objects, writes that the tattoo “has been described as one of the most distinctive tattoos in North America”. Its stature has increased over time, aided by Tyson and the 2009 comedy The Hangover, in which it is prominent on Tyson, who appears as a fictionalized version of himself. The tattoo has become strongly associated with Tyson and has made his persona more distinctive.
