Tyson tragedy, former heavyweight champion's daughter dies

Exodus, the youngest of Tyson's six children, was found by her 7 year-old brother, Miguel Tyson, unconscious and tangled in a cord dangling from an exercise treadmill. The child's mother untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention. Exodus was listed in an "extremely critical condition" and was on life support at Phoenix's St. Joseph's Hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries a day later.

"There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Exodus," the family said in a statement. "We ask you now to please respect our need at this very difficult time for privacy to grieve and try to help each other heal."

Former heavyweight champion Tyson was in Las Vegas at the time of the accident and flew Monday to Phoenix, where he was seen entering the hospital.

A controversial and often scorned public figure throughout his career, Tyson has remained largely out of the limelight since his last heavyweight bout in 2005, having spent much of his time tending to his 350 pigeons at his home in Phoenix, Arizona.

Tyson, who grew up poor in the crime ridden projects of Brooklyn, began his tumultuous boxing career within a juvenile correctional centre where he was first spotted by talent scouts and given the chance to enter the ring professionally. His career was plagued by bizarre incidents and legal troubles, including the biting of Evander Hollyfield's ear in their 1997 heavyweight bout, as well as a conviction of rape in 1992 for which he spent three years incarcerated.

Tyson's post-heavyweight career has seen him taking part in entertainment boxing shows in Las Vegas as well as participating in a tour of exhibition bouts in an effort to stave off his numerous debts incurred from a string of bad business deals and corrupt management who had swindled Tyson out of much of his lucrative career earnings.