Mike Tyson’s striking tribal face tattoo has become one of his defining features. However, his former trainer, Jeff Fenech, has revealed the tattoo’s surprising backstory.
Mike Tyson’s decision to get it was not merely about aesthetics—it was rooted in his reluctance to fight late in his career.
Tyson’s fight against Clifford Etienne
Tyson was scheduled to fight Clifford Etienne in February 2003, just eight months after his loss to Lennox Lewis.
The fight had been properly planned, and Tyson seemed on track to step back into the ring.
But in a shocking move just days before the bout, Tyson got the tattoo inked on his face in Las Vegas.
Initially, Tyson pulled out of the fight. This decision left his trainer, Jeff Fenech, heartbroken.
Fenech’s emotional reaction after Tyson gets a tattoo
Fenech, who had spent eight weeks preparing Tyson for the fight, was stunned when he learned Tyson skipped training to get the tattoo. He shared with Fox Sports:
“My first impression was, I’ve never had a tattoo in my life, but I thought, ‘We’re fighting in a week, and when you get a tattoo, it scabs up. It wouldn’t be healthy to fight.’”
Fenech added, “We sat down and spoke, and he didn’t really want to fight. He wasn’t prepared, and that was one of the reasons he got the tattoo.”
‘After a good hour talk I was in tears when I left the house that night. I went and stayed in a hotel because I was pretty despondent.
Fenech described the emotional toll it took on him.
“After a good hour talk, I was in tears when I left the house that night. I stayed in a hotel because I was pretty despondent. I was away from home for eight weeks in Vegas, and I got on the first flight back to my family.”
Despite the tattoo and initial hesitation, Tyson eventually went ahead with the fight. Freddie Roach stepped in as his trainer. In Memphis, Tennessee, Tyson knocked out Etienne in just 49 seconds of the first round.
Fenech reflected on the bittersweet victory: “I was happy for Mike that he won, but I was also upset. I trained him for eight weeks, and I wasn’t a part of that win.”
He added: ‘A week later he fought and knocked out Clifford in one round and I was upset. I was happy for Mike that he won, but I was also upset that I had trained him for eight weeks and I wasn’t a part of that win.’
Tyson’s final professional victory
The win over Etienne turned out to be Tyson’s last professional victory.
He later faced losses in his final two fights against Danny Williams and Kevin McBride, marking the end of his illustrious boxing career.
Mike Tyson’s tribal tattoo symbolizes more than just a bold design choice.
It represents a moment of internal conflict during the twilight of his career.
For Jeff Fenech, the tattoo serves as a reminder of both the triumphs and trials of his time with Tyson, adding another layer to the boxer’s complex legacy.