Mike Alive, Well, Says His Camp

News of boxer Mike Tyson’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the February 2016 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the Former heavyweight champion of the world is alive and well.

Rumors of the boxer’s alleged demise gained traction on Thursday after a ‘R.I.P. Mike Tyson’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the American boxer’s passing:

“At about 11 a.m. ET on Thursday (February 04, 2016), our beloved boxer Mike Tyson passed away. Mike Tyson was born on June 30, 1966 in New York. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”

Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 49-year-old boxer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.

Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major American network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of a boxer of Mike Tyson's stature would be major news across networks.

A recent poll conducted for the Celebrity Post shows that a large majority (79%) of respondents think those Mike Tyson death rumors are not funny anymore.

On Friday (February 05) the boxer's reps officially confirmed that Mike Tyson is not dead. “He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He's still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet,” they said.

Some fans have expressed anger at the fake report saying it was reckless, distressing and hurtful to fans of the much loved boxer. Others say this shows his extreme popularity across the globe.