Mike Tyson often credits his wife, Lakiha “Kiki” Spicer, with helping turn his life around.

Tyson cemented his legacy as one of the greatest heavyweight boxing champions of all time, earning the nickname “Iron Mike.” However, a rape conviction, abuse allegations and battle with drug addiction have plagued the controversial boxer’s career.

When Tyson and Spicer married in June 2009, the athlete was in the middle of three years of probation after being arrested and pleading guilty to one felony count: cocaine possession and misdemeanor DUI.

While Spicer dealt with her own legal problems, she said she served six months in federal prison on fraud charges New York Post – she and Tyson tried to sort out their relationship. He eventually proposed to Spicer, who has positively influenced him ever since.

“I’m very happy that me and my wife got together,” he told the outlet. “Because I don’t know how I would have survived there.”

Today, she continues to be by Tyson’s side as he prepares for the fight against Jake Paul on November 15, which will be streamed live on Netflix.

So who is Mike Tyson’s wife? Here’s everything you need to know about Lakiha Spicer and her relationship with the boxing star.

They met during a boxing match

In 2012, Spicer described her relationship with Tyson to the New York Post as ‘like a moth to a flame’.

They met when an 18-year-old Spicer attended a boxing match with her father and eventually started dating five years later, the newspaper said.

“I could never really get him out of my system,” she told the outlet. “I would try and we would get back together. He’s the only person I’ve ever fallen in love with multiple times.”

She is a mother of two children

Tyson and Spicer welcomed their first child together, daughter Milan, on December 15, 2008. The couple expanded their family with the arrival of their son, Morocco, on January 25, 2011.

“He is such a sweet and calm baby. Mike and Kiki are overwhelmed with joy to welcome their son to the Tyson family,” Tyson’s rep told PEOPLE of the birth of their second child.

Milan is already starting to show the same athletic qualities as her father, albeit in a different sport. The teenager is an avid tennis player who counts Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic among her favorite players. Although it’s a different world for Tyson, he enjoys traveling with Spicer to see their daughter in action.

“Me and my wife both never in a hundred years expected that we would be tennis parents and travel around the state,” Tyson said in an interview with USA today in 2016. “It’s amazing. I’m just happy to be here.”

He continued, “She showed an aptitude for tennis, and I just support her. I’m really lost, but this is exciting.”

According to The IntelligenceMilan is now training with an elite coach in France. Meanwhile, Morocco enjoys athletics and golf in Florida.

She and Tyson married in 2009

According to Tyson and Spicer, they married on June 6, 2009 The New York Times.

The couple reportedly got married at the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton, where they exchanged vows in a private ceremony.

Tyson and Spucer reportedly renewed their vows in June 2011 at an event that guests initially thought was a joint birthday party for the duo.

“My wife and I are getting ready to entertain friends and family tonight,” Tyson said posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) hours before the surprise extension. ‘We haven’t seen many of them for years. It will be a great evening.”

Spicer was convicted in a fraud case

In the early 2000s, Spicer and her family were accused of participating in a scam involving government-funded college classes that did not exist.

According to The Philadelphia InquirerFederal prosecutors discovered that Spicer’s stepfather, Shamsud-din Ali, and mother, Faridah Ali, had taken money for personal use that was intended to provide college tuition. The outlet reported that Spicer and her brother, Azheem Spicer, were paid by their parents to teach the fake courses.

After Spicer, Faridah and Azheem were convicted in October 2004, prosecutors appealed their sentences to house arrest and probation. A few years later, Azheem was sentenced again in November 2007 to four years’ probation, among other things.

Meanwhile, Spicer was sentenced to six months in prison and Faridah to one year in prison. (The Intelligence reported that Spicer was pregnant with her first child with Tyson when she went to prison.)

In addition, Shamsud-din was convicted in a federal racketeering trial and sentenced to seven years in prison, which he began serving in 2007.

She co-wrote a play about Tyson’s life

Tyson brought his life to the stage in a one-man title performance Mike Tyson: undisputed truth in 2012. Spicer and screenwriter Randy Johnson co-wrote the script The Guardian. When Tyson performed, Spicer sent him through an earpiece, per The Intelligence.

The story of Brooklyn-born Tyson eventually made its way to Broadway, this time directed by Academy Award winner Spike Lee. Later he was also involved in the HBO special.

She thinks Tyson’s face tattoo is ‘sexy’

While Tyson has long credited Spicer with overcoming challenges in his life, she has also supported a polarizing decision in the boxer’s life: his face tattoo.

The tribal design is said to be inspired by Māori culture and is etched along the left side of his face.

Spicer considers the prominent tattoo a smart move on her husband’s part. “It’s sexy,” she further shared Real sports with Bryant Gumbel in 2013.

Spicer explained that his unique art made him stand out. “I think it was an ingenious marketing move because now it doesn’t matter where he is in the world,” she said. “No one will ever say, ‘I think that’s Mike Tyson’ (or) ‘that guy looks like him.’ No. That’s Mike Tyson. It was smart.”

Today, Tyson and Spicer have collaborated on several companies, including a clothing line and a boxing glove brand, among others. The Intelligence.

She doesn’t think Tyson should fight Paul

Speaking to Sport Bible ahead of his fight with Paul, Tyson shared insight into his decision to stream the event on Netflix at no additional cost to subscribers. During the trial, the athlete revealed Spicer’s views on the issue.

“This fight is not going to change my life financially. If I did it for free, it won’t change my life,” he told the outlet. “My wife keeps telling me you don’t have to do this fight. This is what I want to do, this is me.

Spicer shared her thoughts with The Intelligencewhich showed that Tyson’s training for the boxing match took a lot of time. According to the publication, she’s looking forward to putting the focus back on their family when it’s done.

“After that, we can be more united,” she said.