Islam: the spiritual rebirth of “Iron Mike”

A week after his spectacular return to the ring against Jake Paul in Arlington, Texas, Mike Tyson, 57, continues to fascinate, less for his sporting performances than for his astonishing personal transformation through Islam.

“I am a Muslim and I am grateful to be one,” says the man who adopted the name Malik Abdul Aziz during his conversion. A spirituality discovered during his incarceration in 1992, which profoundly marked his life journey.

This quest for meaning notably led the former champion to make the pilgrimage to Mecca in 2022. A symbolic journey which illustrates his spiritual commitment, even if some sometimes question the orthodoxy of his practice, in particular because of his tattoos.

“At 8 p.m., I’m home,” explains today the man who was once known for his excesses. A radical transformation for the child from Brooklyn who became the youngest heavyweight world champion at 20, before experiencing a spectacular descent into hell. A change that he largely attributes to his faith and his new family priorities. This more peaceful approach contrasts with his tumultuous past, marked in particular by the “bite fight” incident against Holyfield in 1997. Now reconciled, the two men testify that a second chance is always possible.