Surrounding the Eye of Ra are various tribal patterns that symbolize strength, courage, and a connection to Tyson’s African roots. These patterns reflect his warrior spirit and pay homage to his heritage.
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».
If getting a face tattoo isn’t strange enough, Tyson also has an original tattoo of Chinese leader Mao Zedong on his right arm. For those whose history is a little shabby, Mao Zedong was the founder of the People’s Republic of China. He remains a controversial figure, with the majority of Chinese citizens believing him a great leader for ending decades of civil war and reuniting the country as one, while the rest of the world sees him as a dictator whose rule resulted in the deaths of close to 80 million people through his policies.
In conclusion, Mike Tyson’s decision to tattoo his face goes far beyond a mere decorative choice. It represents his journey of self-discovery, resilience, and his dedication to living life on his own terms. Through his inked visage, Tyson invites us to question societal norms and celebrate our own unique paths. The impact of his face tattoo reaches beyond himself, making a lasting mark on popular culture and inspiring others to embrace their own stories, passions, and individuality through the art of tattooing.
The American former boxer Mike Tyson has four tattoos of note. Three—at least two of them prison tattoos —are portraits of men he respects: tennis player Arthur Ashe, Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara, and Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong. The fourth, a face tattoo influenced by the Māori style tā moko, was designed and inked by S. Victor Whitmill in 2003. Tyson associates it with the Māori being warriors and has called it his «warrior tattoo», a name that has also been used in the news media.
Zhang moves him to another corner. Wilder is gunshy. He’s not throwing. Now he sends one and it makes Zhang cover up. But too few. Great lead right hook from Zhang as Wilder stepped out. He keeps getting moved to the corner though and he’s not throwing enough. When Zhang is out-working you, that’s a problem.
Wilder fires back and Zhang staying in the pocket. Rough-housing inside and Wilder is playing a dangerous game. He finally pivots out. But Zhang puts him into the corner again and rips to the body. Wilder cannot get backed up like this. Zhang’s size is too big a weapon in there.
In addition to his athletic career, Ashe is remembered for his social activities. Arthur was a fighter for the rights of African Americans, which most likely caused Tyson to sympathize with him. Ashe also founded the Foundation for the Prevention of AIDS, which he was infected with, calling it «Days of Grace.» It is this inscription that sits above his portrait on Mike’s shoulder.
On Tyson’s right arm is a detailed portrait of Mao Zedong, the Chinese revolutionary leader. Tyson chose this tattoo as a symbol of rebellion and resilience, traits he saw in himself. The tattoo reflects Tyson’s interest see in bing.com socialist and revolutionary ideologies, showcasing his alignment with figures who disrupted the status quo.
He said: «I just thought it was a cool tattoo. I was going to get a bunch of hearts and stuff. That would have been really stupid. I was going to be the man of hearts, baby. I was very close. Victor Perez, the tattoo artist, said, I ain’t doing that. I can’t do that.
Tyson has retold the story several times, with the details slightly changing—he’s also said he wanted to deface his face and have the hearts be «like a pirate patch»—but the nuts and bolts remain the same. Just think, if not for the good judgment of a tattoo artist, we could have ‘The Man of Hearts’ mounting a boxing comeback rather than Mike Tyson.
He went on to add, «So he (friend) said let’s think about putting a tribal mark or something in there. And I said, okay we will do that. So he caked me a couple of days later. He brought up this tribal mark. So I said let’s do it and we did it.» Simple.