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Inside the abandoned mansion Mike Tyson was forced to sell

Apr 8, 2015, 02:21 IST

Johnny Joo

Mike Tyson seems to be enjoying something of a comeback these days. With his acting career and popular one-man show that tours the country, the former boxing champ finally seems to be getting some positive press.

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Of course things were not always so good for Iron Mike, who was jailed in 1992 for rape and went to jail again in 1999 on assault charges, after which he was broke and struggling. Because of his financial problems, Tyson was forced to sell his 19,500-square-foot mansion on 58 acres in Southington, Ohio, where he'd lived since the 1980s. It was purchased by a TV marketer for $1.3 million, but the guy never moved into it (he's in jail for money laundering). The house sat vacant for years.

Photographer and urban explorer Johnny Joo tells Business Insider he knew about the estate for years, but it wasn't until 2013 that he attempted to venture inside. At first he stopped by police, but he later obtained permission from the new owners, who purchased the mansion last year.

What Joo (pronounced "yoo") found when he finally got inside the house was striking. Tyson's grand estate lay in disrepair, a shadow of its former '80s glitz and glamour. Still, it was impressive, and Joo shared his images with us. You can see more on his site or on his Facebook page. A new book of his urban-exploring photography is out now.

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