In his glory days, Mike Tyson was a problematic figure. His wins inside the ring were overshadowed by his antics outside, which led him through heaps of trouble. With almost 38-arrests by the time he turned 13, Tyson was on a very wrong path. In 1990, the youngest world heavyweight champion received a six-year prison sentence for raping an 18-year-old girl named Desiree Washington.

During the imprisonment, Tyson knew that he had to clean up his act. His inner voice told him, “God won’t bless me if I am dirty,” and that he had to mend his ways. That is when the Brooklyn native decided to adopt Islam and change his religion, just like his idol, Muhammad Ali. The conversion was to seek peace in his chaotic life and to get redemption for the past mistakes he had committed.

Was Mike Tyson raised Catholic? Religion in his early life

“Iron” Mike Tyson was born in Brooklyn, New York in a catholic family. His biological father, Purcell Tyson, abandoned the family even before he was born. The 58-year-old previously stated, “I didn’t really know my father much at all,” and he came to know his name because of his birth certificate.

Tyson grew up in a household without money, lived an unfavorable life, and started minor house robberies by the time he turned ten or eleven. His mother, Lorna May Smith, knew about the robberies, but couldn’t do anything. After all, the pair did not share a close relationship. Smith passed away when Tyson was only sixteen years old.

As a child, Tyson attended a Catholic church with his family and had a religious upbringing. Her mother’s roots were in Charlottesville, Virginia, a state known for its catholic schools and churches. Spending his early life in a religious household helped him to have a spiritual connection with religion.

However, with so much chaos in his life, religion took a backseat as Tyson started getting more and more involved in crimes. When things got too out of control, Tyson started looking for peace and redemption, and that is when he adopted Islam.

When did Mike Tyson convert to Islam?

The process of conversion to Islam was very long, as he started thinking about it before he even went behind bars in 1992. But during this imprisonment, he realized his mistakes and converted to Islam. The three years he spent in jail was a time of self-introspection for the 50-6 boxer. He dived deep into his conscience and wanted to seek redemption for every unacceptable thing he had done.

That is when he was introduced to Islam by his fellow inmates. The faith resonated with him and he saw a path of light as he started learning the Quran. Tyson has often talked about how Islam has provided him with peace in a chaotic life and how it has changed his point of view regarding life. The importance of discipline that this religion taught him and how he strived to be a better man since then.

While Mike Tyson still follows Islam, by his admission, he has accepted that he is “a lazy Muslim.” He respects the religion and faith and tries to follow all the religious practices. However, due to his busy personal life and his desire to spend more time with his family, it is not always possible.

During an episode of Full Send Podcast, even though he is a Muslim, he respects various religions. “I’m a Muslim, but I respect all religions… I pray a lot, and when I die, I want to die as a Muslim,” said Tyson. 

Mike Tyson had fully accepted Islam as he even changed his name while he was in prison to completely embrace Islam.

Did Mike Tyson change his name?

According to the New York Post, during his conversion to Islam, Tyson changed his name to Malik Abdul Aziz. Changing your name while converting is a very common practice in many religions, and Tyson followed it to the brink.

The meaning of the name signified the new thinking and beliefs of the former heavyweight. ‘Malik’ means “king” while “Abdul Aziz” means “servant of the almighty” or “dearest of the almighty.”

Despite many reports confirming the same, Tyson’s associates maintained the fact that the latter has not changed his name, and all of these are fake stories. However, Tyson himself acknowledged the name change to put all the rumors to rest. Even though he has changed his name, he continues to use his Christian name.

In his memoir, “Undisputed Truth”, Tyson stated, “I’m very grateful to be a Muslim. Allah doesn’t need me, I need Allah.” He claimed that he is not humble, but Islam helps him with that. While stating the impact of Islam, he stated  “Taking care of the family. I don’t go out. Eight o’clock I’m in the house. I was in the house at 10 the other evening because my friend had a surprise party. That was late for me,” as his new life routine and he is very happy with that.