Getty Mike Tyson and wife Lakiha Spicer in 2015.
Lakiha “Kiki” Spicer has been married to boxing icon Mike Tyson since 2009. She is his third wife and they have two children together.
ABC is chronicling Tyson’s life story in a two-part documentary series called Mike Tyson: The Knockout. The first portion premiered on May 25 at 8 p.m. and part two aired at the same time on Tuesday, June 1. The documentary is also available on demand and on Hulu.
Here’s what you need to know about Tyson’s wife:
1. Spicer Was 18 When She First Met Tyson After a Boxing Match
Getty Former boxer and inductee Mike Tyson and his wife Lakiha “Kiki” Tyson attend the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame inaugural induction gala on August 10, 2013 in Las Vegas.
Spicer and Tyson first met several years before they began their romantic relationship. She was 18 when she attended one of Tyson’s boxing matches with her father, Shamsud-din Ali, according to the New York Post.
Promoter Don King introduced Spicer to Tyson but, the Post reported, King apparently warned Tyson against getting involved with Spicer. “Stay away from her. Don’t go talking to that girl. Leave these people alone. These are not the people to mess with.”
But by the time Spicer was 23, she and Tyson had started dating casually. Online records on Instant Checkmate list Spicer’s birth year as 1976. Based on that timeline, Tyson was still married to second wife Monica Turner when he and Spicer started spending time together. (Tyson and Turner’s divorce was finalized in 2003, per the Washington Post).
The New York Post described Tyson and Spicer’s relationship as on-and-off for a long time. Spicer told the newspaper, “I could never really get him out of my system. 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.”
2. Spicer Was Convicted of Fraud in 2008 After Prosecutors Said She Pocketed Thousands of Dollars for a No-Show Teaching ‘Job’
Getty Lakiha “Kiki” Tyson and her husband Mike Tyson arrive at the grand opening of Mike Tyson’s one-man show “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth – Live on Stage” on April 14, 2012 in Las Vegas.
Spicer has had her own issues with the law. She was one of six people charged in a money-laundering scheme in Pennsylvania in 2004.
According to the Department of Education, Spicer’s mother, Faridah Ali, worked as the Assistant Director of Education for the Sister Clara Muhammad School in Philadelphia. The school received federal funding to offer adult education courses and job training. Spicer and her brother, Azheem Spicer, were paid teacher salaries. But prosecutors said they never taught any classes.
Eastern District of PennsylvaniaLakiha Spicer served 6 months in federal prison in 2008 after she was convicted of fraud.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Spicer pocketed about $71,000 as part of the scheme. She was charged with two counts of conspiracy, four counts of mail fraud, one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of false statements. According to the Department of Education press release, Spicer could have faced a maximum sentence of 105 years behind bars.
But she served far less time than that. On April 1, 2008, Spicer was sentenced to six months in federal prison and ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution, according to federal court records. She filed an appeal but ultimately served the prison sentence.
3. Spicer Was Pregnant With Daughter Milan While She Was In Prison; Milan Is Now 12 & Plays Tennis
Getty Former Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson, wife Lakiha Spicer and daughter Milan pose for a portrait session on November 7, 2009 in Maldon, England.
Spicer discovered she was pregnant with Tyson’s child about one week before her federal prison sentence was scheduled to begin, according to The New York Post. She gave birth to their daughter, Milan Tyson, after getting out of prison. According to Milan’s Instagram account, she was born on December 25, 2008.
The pre-teen is now a devoted tennis player. And she has received training from one of the most well-known coaches in the sport. According to Tennis World USA, Milan has trained with Patrick Mouratoglou, who coached Venus and Serena Williams.
In February 2021, the Des Moines Register reported about Mike Tyson being in Iowa to watch his daughter compete at a United States Tennis Association tournament
4. Tyson & Spicer Got Married in Las Vegas 2 Weeks After His Young Daughter’s Tragic Death
Clark County ClerkMike Tyson and Lakiha Spicer got married in Las Vegas in June 2009.
Spicer and Tyson were not initially allowed to live together after she completed her prison sentence. The New York Post reported they had to maintain separate homes in Las Vegas because of their respective convictions. (Tyson was convicted for rape in 1992).
But after a few months, Spicer and Tyson got married in Las Vegas. Records from the Clark County Clerk’s office in Nevada list the marriage date as June 6, 2009. It took place at the La Bella Wedding Chapel.
The couple went ahead with the ceremony less than two weeks after Tyson’s daughter Exodus died in a tragic accident. According to People, the 4-year-old was strangled when she became stuck in a cord hanging from a treadmill.
Exodus’ mother was Tyson’s former girlfriend, Sol Xochitl. According to the Daily Mail, Exodus’ older brother found her. Sol administered CPR but the little girl never woke up and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
5. Spicer & Tyson Are Raising Their 2 Children in a $2.5M Home Near Las Vegas
Spicer and Tyson welcomed a son on January 25, 2011. Morocco Elijah Tyson was born in Henderson, Nevada, People reported. He was the couple’s second child but Tyson’s eighth in total.
Instant CheckmateMike Tyson and Lakiha Spicer are raising their kids in Henderson, Nevada.
A search of property records for Clark County, Nevada, shows Spicer and Tyson are raising their children in Henderson. The city is located just a few miles away from Las Vegas. The couple owns a 6-bedroom home that they purchased for $2.5 million in 2016, according to property records.
READ NEXT: Is Fashion Designer Marc Jacobs Married?