The heavyweight champion and his wife married in 2009
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Mike Tyson and wife Lakiha “Kiki” Tyson attend the 3rd annual “Celebration Of Serenity” Gala at Porter Valley Country Club on October 16, 2022 in Northridge, California
Mike Tyson often credits his wife, Lakiha “Kiki” Spicer, with helping to turn his life around.
Tyson cemented his legacy as one of the greatest heavyweight boxing champions of all time, earning the moniker “Iron Mike.” However, a rape conviction, allegations of abuse and struggles with drug addiction have plagued the controversial boxer’s career.
When Tyson and Spicer married in June 2009, the athlete was in the middle of a three-year-long probation after he was arrested and pled guilty to a single felony count of cocaine possession and misdemeanor DUI.
While Spicer dealt with her own legal troubles — she served six months in federal prison on fraud charges, according to New York Post — she and Tyson tried to navigate their relationship. He eventually proposed to Spicer, who has positively influenced him since.
“I’m very happy me and my wife got together,” he told the outlet. “Because I don’t know how I would have survived out there.”
Today, she continues to be by Tyson’s side as he prepares to fight Jake Paul on Nov. 15, which will be live-streamed on Netflix.
So who is Mike Tyson’s wife? Here’s everything to know about Lakiha Spicer and her relationship with the boxing star.
They met at a boxing match
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Lakiha “Kiki” Tyson and Mike Tyson attend the Los Angeles premiere of “Mike Tyson – Undisputed Truth” on March 8, 2013 in Hollywood, California
In 2012, Spicer described her relationship with Tyson to the New York Post as “like a moth to a flame.”
They met when an 18-year-old Spicer attended a boxing match with her father and eventually started dating five years later, per the newspaper.
“I could never really get him out of my system,” she told the outlet. “I would try and then we would get back with each other. He’s the only person I was ever able to fall back in love with several times.”
She’s a mother of two
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(L-R) Milan Tyson, Mike Tyson, Miguel Tyson, Morocco Tyson and Lakiha “Kiki” Tyson attend Nickelodeon’s 2018 Kids’ Choice Awards on March 24, 2018 in Inglewood, California
Tyson and Spicer welcomed their first child together, daughter Milan, on Dec. 15, 2008. The couple expanded their family with the arrival of their son, Morocco, on Jan. 25, 2011.
“He is such a sweet and calm baby. Mike and Kiki are overwhelmed with joy to welcome their son to the Tyson family,” Tyson’s rep told PEOPLE about their second child’s birth.
Milan has already started showing the same athletic chops as her dad, albeit in another sport. The teenager is an avid tennis player who counts Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic among her favorite players. While it’s a different world for Tyson, he enjoys traveling with Spicer to watch their daughter in action.
“Me and my wife both never in a hundred years anticipated we’d be tennis parents and traveling around the state,” Tyson said in an interview with USA Today in 2016. “It’s amazing. I’m just happy to be here.”
He continued, “She showed the aptitude for tennis, and I’m just supporting her. I’m really lost, but this is exciting.”
According to The Intelligencer, Milan is now training with an elite coach in France. Meanwhile, Morocco enjoys running track and playing golf in Florida.
She and Tyson married in 2009
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Mike Tyson and Lakiha “Kiki” Tyson at the “Scary Movie V” Los Angeles premiere on April 11, 2013 in Hollywood, California
Tyson and Spicer wed on June 6, 2009, according to The New York Times.
The pair reportedly married at the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton, where they exchanged vows in a private ceremony.
Tyson and Spucer later reportedly renewed their vows in June 2011 at an event guests originally believed was a joint birthday party for the duo.
“My wife & I are getting ready to host friends & family tonight,” Tyson posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) hours before the surprise renewal. “Many we haven’t seen in years. It’s going to be a great night.”
Spicer was convicted in a fraud case
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Lakiha “Kiki” and Mike Tyson attend the opening night of the US Open on August 28, 2023 in New York City
In the early 2000s, Spicer and her family were accused of participating in a scam involving publicly funded college classes that didn’t exist.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, federal prosecutors discovered Spicer’s stepfather, Shamsud-din Ali, and mother, Faridah Ali, took money for personal use that was meant to pay for college classes to be taught. The outlet reported that Spicer and her brother, Azheem Spicer, were paid by their parents to teach the fake courses.
After Spicer, Faridah and Azheem were convicted in October 2004, prosecutors appealed their sentences of house arrest and probation. A few years later, Azheem was resentenced to four years of probation, among other requirements, in November 2007.
Meanwhile, Spicer was resentenced to six months in prison and Faridah was resentenced to prison for up to a year. (The Intelligencer reported that Spicer was pregnant with her first child with Tyson when she went to prison.)
In addition, Shamsud-din was convicted in a federal racketeering trial and was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, which he began to serve in 2007.
She co-wrote a play about Tyson’s life
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Mike Tyson and wife Lakiha “Kiki” Tyson arrive at the Los Angeles opening night of “Mike Tyson – Undisputed Truth” on March 8, 2013 in Hollywood, California
Tyson brought his life to the stage in a one-man play titled Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth in 2012. Spicer and screenwriter Randy Johnson co-wrote the script, according to The Guardian. When Tyson performed, Spicer directed him through an earpiece, per The Intelligencer.
The Brooklyn-born Tyson’s story eventually made its way to Broadway, this time directed by Academy Award-winner Spike Lee. He was later involved in the HBO special as well.
She thinks Tyson’s face tattoo is “sexy”
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Lakiha “Kiki” Tyson and Mike Tyson attend Hennessy V.S.O.P. Presents Canelo vs. Bivol WBA World Light Heavyweight Championship: Legacy is Earned at T-Mobile Arena on May 7, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada
While Tyson has long credited Spicer with helping him overcome challenges in his life, she has also supported a polarizing decision in the boxer’s life: his face tattoo.
The tribal design is said to be inspired by the Māori culture and is etched along the left side of his face.
Spicer considers the prominent tattoo a savvy move by her husband. “It’s sexy,” she shared on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel in 2013.
Spicer explained that the unique art made him stand out. “I think it was an ingenious marketing move because now it doesn’t make a difference where he is in the world,” she said. “No one will ever say, ‘I think that’s Mike Tyson’ [or] ‘that guy looks like him.’ No. That’s Mike Tyson. It was smart.”
Today, Tyson and Spicer have collaborated on several businesses, including an apparel line and a boxing glove brand, among other ventures, per The Intelligencer.
She doesn’t think Tyson needs to fight Paul
Speaking to Sport Bible ahead of his fight with Paul, Tyson shared insight into his decision to stream the event on Netflix at no extra cost to subscribers. In the process, the athlete revealed Spicer’s perspective on the matter.
“This fight is not going to change my life financially. If I did it for free, it’s not going to change my life,” he told the outlet. “My wife is constantly telling me, you do not need to do this fight. This is what I want to do, this is me. I’m seeking my glory.”
Spicer shared her thoughts with The Intelligencer, revealing that Tyson’s training for the boxing match has been consuming. According to the publication, she’s looking forward to bringing the focus back onto their family when it’s done.
“After that, we can be more of a unit,” she said.