Are boxer Mike Tyson and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson related?
Legendary boxer Mike Tyson and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson are not related. While the two share their last names, they have no family ties.
Both Mike Tyson and Neil deGrasse Tyson are legends in their own rights. However, they make their living doing work that is vastly different.
However, one might understand why people often confuse them as being related. Firstly, their last name is common and there are not many celebrated Tysons which one might think of.
Secondly, both Mike and Neil deGrasse are New York boys. While Neil was born in New York City, NY, Mike is a Brooklyn-born boxer.
The age difference between the two is also not too much. Neil is 62 years old and eight years senior to Mike.
Mike Tyson was recently in the news for making a comeback to the boxing ring after a gap of 15 years. The former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion faced Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition bout with special rules on November 28th, 2020. The two legends fought to a draw.
deGrasse Tyson, on the other hand, has recently been awarded the Youtube Gold Play Button creator award. He continues working on his books, advancing his research on the various phenomenons of the universe, and appearing on multiple podcasts.
While Mike Tyson’s interest in science and the universe is unknown, deGrasse Tyson has stated that he is a fan of combat sports and loves watching MMA fights.
On one of his appearances on Joe Rogan’s podcast, he also stated that he would love to interact with Mike Tyson sometime in the future.
What’s in store for Mike Tyson’s future?
After the success of his bout against Jones Jr., Mike Tyson stated that he plans on continuing to fight in exhibition bouts.
His long time nemesis Evander Holyfield is one of many who have shown interest in fighting Mike Tyson.
Roy Jones Jr. too expressed an interest in a rematch. Youtuber Jake Paul is another name associated with Mike Tyson’s next boxing outing. Incidentally, Jake’s brother Logan is scheduled to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in February of 2021.
Jake Paul also served as the co-main eventer for Mike Tyson’s return bout. He took on former NBA star Nate Robinson and won the fight via a vicious KO in the second round.
Irrespective of who his next opponent is, Mike Tyson will surely attract eyeballs and continue making record PPV sales.