Who Are the Five People Tattooed on Mike Tyson? One Is Tied to a Family Tragedy That Left Him 'Sweating Unnaturally' on Camera

He has spent decades covered in ink, but some of the faces on his body carry stories that stretch far beyond the tattoo chair. Here is a closer look at five people represented in his collection and what connected them to the boxing legend.

Mike Tyson has one of the most recognizable appearances in sports. The former world heavyweight champion's imposing build, facial tattoo, and extensive collection of body art have become familiar parts of his image, both inside and outside the ring.

Yet among the designs covering his body are several portraits, and the people depicted come from remarkably different worlds. Together, the five portraits reveal the range of figures and personal experiences that Tyson chose to permanently carry with him.

Che Guevara

One of the most prominent portraits in Tyson's collection depicts Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara. The large tattoo sits across the boxer's abdomen and shows Guevara wearing his familiar beret, with his face rendered in dark ink.

The tattoo is tied to a period in Tyson's life when he was serving a prison sentence from 1992 to 1995 and reading extensively. During those years, he immersed himself in books about political figures and revolutionary leaders, coming to idolize them.

Mao Zedong

Another political figure appears elsewhere on Tyson's body: Mao Zedong. The portrait of the Chinese leader can be seen on the retired fighter's upper arm in photographs from his boxing years.

Tyson reportedly read Mao's works while behind bars and later spoke about the impact those books had on him. But the boxing legend's interest in the Chinese leader did not end after he returned to public life.

In April 2006, Tyson traveled to Beijing and visited the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall in Tiananmen Square, where Mao's embalmed remains are kept.

Arthur Ashe

Tyson's connection to tennis appears in the form of a tattoo honoring Arthur Ashe, the three-time Grand Slam champion whose influence extended far beyond the court.

The portrait on the retired boxer's arm is accompanied by the words "Days of Grace," a reference to Ashe's memoir of the same name. Tyson reportedly encountered the book while serving his prison sentence, a period during which he read extensively.

Ashe's story reportedly resonated with the 60-year-old. He was said to have admired both Ashe's success as a Black athlete in a largely white sport and the measured, non-confrontational manner for which the tennis star became known.

Ashe also devoted himself to activism after his playing career. His causes included opposition to apartheid in South Africa and advocacy for Haitian refugees. His place in tennis history was later memorialized at the US Open, where its main stadium bears his name.

Monica Turner

Tyson also has a tattoo connected to his former wife, Monica Turner, a pediatrician whose relationship with the boxer stretched across a turbulent period in his life. The two met in 1990 at a New Jersey party hosted by actor and comedian Eddie Murphy.

Turner had recently begun attending Georgetown University, while Tyson was already established in boxing. Their relationship continued privately, including during his incarceration.

During his imprisonment, Turner reportedly traveled to see him regularly, sometimes making the trip every two weeks. Their relationship continued after his release, and the couple married in April 1997 at their Bethesda home.

They went on to have two children together: Rayna Tyson, born on February 14, 1996, and Amir Tyson, born on August 6, 1997. However, the marriage later encountered difficulties that resulted in their divorce being finalized in 2003

Exodus Tyson

One of the most personal faces tattooed on Tyson's body is associated with his daughter, Exodus Tyson, whose life ended in a devastating accident when she was only four years old. The little girl died in May 2009 after an accident involving a treadmill at her Phoenix, Arizona, home.

Her seven-year-old brother discovered her with her neck caught in a cord hanging beneath the machine's console. Tyson, who was in Las Vegas when the accident happened, traveled to Phoenix after learning what had happened.

Sadly, his daughter was pronounced dead at the hospital, with police characterizing what happened as a "tragic accident." In photographs of the retired boxer years later, a large portrait of a young girl can be seen high on his chest, above the Guevara tattoo.

Years later, footage of the 60-year-old discussing his daughter's death during an interview drew emotional reactions online. "You can see it in his eyes he turned into another person," one person commented. Another typed, "I was never seen Mike like that low that's lowest 😢[sic]."

Others described an equally visceral response to hearing him speak. One person shared, "Instantly cry 😢 when I hear him speak with that heart breaking [sic] sound from his soul 💔 🙏 so sorry he had to go through that tragic loss."

Another netizen focused on Tyson's physical appearance during the conversation, commenting, "He is sweating unnaturally, maybe he still used something to put his Feelings down...😢 Sad to watch an Man's heart breaking...Grief is real, the Pain never fades really 😢 [sic]."

A fifth person compared the interview with the violence audiences had once watched Tyson confront professionally, writing, "This is scarier than ANY of his fights. This is a man who is broken, a man that lost everything and a man that was only allowed to know violence and destruction."

That reaction underscored just how deeply the loss continued to resonate. Tyson's tattoos may reflect politics, admiration, relationships, and different chapters of his life, but the portrait of his daughter stands apart — a permanent tribute to the little girl he lost at just four years old.