Mike Tyson is set to honor his late daughter, Exodus Sierra Tyson, in a meaningful way during his upcoming fight with Jake Paul this Friday.
The legendary boxer will be wearing his signature black trunks with an added touch-—Exodus’s name stitched in white on the front corner. The trunks were custom-made by BYLT Basics, a clothing brand that Tyson has teamed up with for the fight.
Exodus tragically died in a 2009 accident at just four years old, when a treadmill cord became wrapped around her neck. Police described the incident as a “tragic accident,” and the loss has had a lasting impact on Tyson as a father.
Now a father to six children ranging from 13 to 34, Tyson recently opened up about how fatherhood has reshaped his life.
In an interview with USA TODAY Sports, he admitted that his intense focus on boxing in his early years kept him from fully engaging with his family.
“You know, I was a young kid. I was really basically only based my life on my career. I didn’t think much about my children. I was very self-centered at that time,” he said.
But Tyson said that, over time, he has worked hard to build close relationships with his children, something that came with its own set of challenges. ““As time went on in life, going through adversity, we’ve grown and gained a bond and we’re friends now,’’ he said. “But I had to go through the difficulties.”
Reflecting on the tragic loss of Exodus and the struggles of parenthood, Tyson added, “But I had to go through the difficulties to receive the ease and I’ve very happy to have gone through the difficulties with them.’’
The Tyson vs Paul fight will air on Netflix at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, November 15th.
