Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
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11 Stunning Photos From the Abandoned Mike Tyson Mansion That’s Being Turned Into a Church
March 31, 2015
"I could only imagine the wild parties that must have taken place within these walls."
Tigers, drugs, marble floors and liquor: the man hit as hard in his private life and he did in the ring.
Legendary boxer Mike Tyson's Southington, Ohio, mansion was a place of extravagant opulence in the 1980s, but as Tyson wrestled with drugs and alcohol — eventually filing for bankruptcy despite earning some $400 million — his mansion slipped into disrepair and out of his hands.
Now, years later, one photographer has captured stunning images of the Ozymandian manor.
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
Earlier this month, photographer Johnny Joo published the pictures he took when he was allowed onto the property this year.
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
"In his early years of fame and riches, Tyson decided to purchase a mansion on land in Southington, Ohio, where he lived during the 1980s," Joo wrote. "To many, this would seem like quite a random placement to build a multimillion-dollar mansion, but it put him not far from one of his trainers. The mansion was decked out with crystal chandeliers, a pool larger than most homes, tiger print carpet and everything else necessary to make it the epitome of a 70s/80s party pad."
Joo reflected on the strangeness of the abandoned palace.
"On a cold winter day, current owners granted me permission to access the property to photograph its current condition of decay and neglect," Joo wrote. "I was able to speak with them, learning that the house was soon to become a lively church and how they planned to carry out this restoration. As I wandered the halls and rooms of this large vacant space, I could only imagine the wild parties that must have taken place within these walls. There I stood, looking across a living room that was once full of life, but now remains empty of parties, tigers or celebrities. It was odd to think that I was staring down a place the famous Mike Tyson once called home."
Explore the 25,000-foot mansion — which was donated to Living Word Sanctuary earlier this year and will be converted into a church facility — in the photos below:
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
Image via Johnny Joo/architecturalafterlife
See even more photos of the Tyson mansion at architecturalafterlife.com.
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Follow Zach Noble (@thezachnoble) on Twitter
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