Some tā moko artists differed, seeing it not as appropriative of moko but rather a hybrid of several tattoo styles; Rangi Kipa saw no Māori elements at all. The perspective of those like Te Awekotuku highlights the conflict between Māori conception of moko—which reflect a person’s genealogy—as collective property and the Anglo-American view of copyright as belonging to a single person. While Warner Bros. initially said they would investigate whether the tattoo was a derivative of any Māori works, there was no further discussion of the matter prior to the case settling.
Meaning: On February 12, 2020, The Game got the tattoo of Kobe Bryant’s signature with his original jersey number 8, inked above his left eyebrow. Kobe Bryant was an American professional basketball player, who along with his daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, got killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on January 26, 2020. On February 12, 2020, The Game shared the pictures of this tattoo on his Instagram account with the caption,
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison. He was released on parole after three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ears, one bite notoriously being strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
While the tattoo itself might appear intimidating to some, its purpose goes beyond mere aesthetics. Tyson’s face tattoo holds a profound personal philosophy that encompasses his beliefs, values, and the wisdom he acquired over the years.
Meaning: The boxer went under the needle in the year 2003 by the tattoo artist, Victor Whitmill. The tribal tattoo is inked on the left side of Tyson’s face. This unique design stirred some commotions like lawsuit and trials when ‘The Hangover’ movie doctor’s character ‘Stu Price’ depicted a temporary tribal tattoo with the same design as Tyson’s tattoo on his face.
Tyson did the cardinal sin of tattooing and got his partner’s portrait inked on his left forearm. If there is one thing you never do it’s tattoo a lover’s name or image on your body. Tyson and Monica Turner met in the mid-90s and married in 1997. They stayed together until 2002, when Turner filed for divorce claiming Tyson had committed adultery throughout their five-year marriage. The divorce was finalized in 2003 and the two went their separate ways.
As well as that Victor Whitmill tribal tattoo on his face and the visage of his ex-wife, Monica Turner – whom he divorced after she admitted cheating on him – Tyson also has a portrait of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, whom he described during an interview as an “incredible” person who “had a lot” but who “sacrificed everything for the benefit of other people,” on his abdomen.
FILE – Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson stands on the field before an NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Las Vegas. Mike Tyson will present three winners a custom championship belt Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at the PFL vs. Bellator: Champs card in Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
Gael García Bernal (played Che in The Motorcycle Diaries): “How would Ernesto feel about having his face all over the world on a T-shirt?” Alberto Granado (travel mate of Che who accompanied him): “Well, knowing him, I think he wouldn’t mind, especially if it was a girl.”
After the 2021 season, Bagent entered the NCAA transfer portal and visited West Virginia and Maryland, but ultimately opted to stay at Shepherd for his final season of eligibility. On December 3, 2022, Bagent broke the record for touchdown passes across all NCAA divisions with 159, in Shepherd’s 48–13 win over IUP during their quarterfinal game. They reached the semifinals of the 145 division boxing II Playoffs but lost to the Colorado Mines Orediggers.
Many people associate Tyson with this particular tattoo. The image is a battle pattern of the New Zealand Maori warriors who wanted to scare their opponents in battle. It consists of two parts, remotely resembling bone daggers, and means strength and aggression.
June 14th would have been Guevara’s 91st birthday, yet many questions remain: Why do people everywhere still invoke this image? Why are they not dissuaded or discouraged by its commercialization? What kinds of capacities and potential does it hold for them?
One of the more widely-known Mike Tyson facts is that, flush with his boxing money in the 1990s, he famously bought several tigers. As he told The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the idea came to him while he was in prison for a rape conviction.
