When the bell rang at AT&T Stadium, it wasn’t just Mike Tyson and Jake Paul who were about to take on the fight of the century. Behind them were powerful women, women who have accompanied, elevated, and inspired the world’s most famous boxing stars. They were Lakiha Spicer and Jutta Leerdam.
The powerful women behind the world’s strangest boxing match
The Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight is more than just a sporting event; it’s also a story about love, career, and the colorful lives of the people behind the spotlight. Lakiha Spicer and Jutta Leerdam, each with their own unique style, come together to create a diverse and fascinating portrait of the lives of boxing stars.
Who are they?
The difference between Jutta Leerdam and Lakiha Spicer is undeniable. While Jutta Leerdam- Jake Paul’s girlfriend flaunts his lavish lifestyle in public, Tyson’s other half prefers to stay away from the flashy lights of fame.
There’s a reason Leerdam is attracting attention. The 25-year-old is an incredibly successful athlete. Leerdam is a world champion and a silver medalist at the 2022 Winter Olympics in speed skating. Not only is she talented, Leerdam has an attractive appearance, and the media has called her “the hottest speed skater in the world”. Her Instagram has more than 4 million followers. On it, Leerdam shares her life with Jake Paul, with trips around the world.
Leerdam is the hottest figure skater in the world.
Meanwhile, Lakiha Spicer leads a very different life. The 47-year-old is an entrepreneur, author and business owner who does not use social media and is rarely seen with her husband. Spicer, also known as ‘Kiki’, is rarely seen in public unless she is with her husband because she prefers to keep a low profile.
Meanwhile, Lakiha Spicer chooses a private life.
How did they meet the boxing stars?
Paul sparked rumors of a relationship with skater Leerdam in March 2023 when they were spotted cuddling on a romantic date night in Miami, Florida. Leerdam later confirmed the two were a couple with photos of them cuddling up on social media. Paul and Leerdam have now been together for a year and a half and the YouTuber has been talking about marriage to his beautiful girlfriend. Paul has previously been engaged to social media stars Tana Mongeau and Julia Rose before breaking off their engagements.
Paul and Leerdam have been dating since 2003.
Tyson and Lakiha Spicer have been together for much longer. The boxer and his third wife actually met in 1998, when “Iron Mike” was 28 and she was just 18. Lakiha Spicer is the daughter of Shamsud-din Ali, a prominent Philadelphia religious leader and avid boxing fan.
Tyson met Lakiha Spicer when she was 18 years old and he was married to his second wife.
At the time, Mike Tyson was married to his second wife, Monica Spencer. In 2003, Tyson divorced Monica Spencer and officially got together with Lakiha Spicer. Tyson and Spicer had an on-and-off relationship until they married in 2009. Six months after their marriage, they welcomed their first daughter, Milan, and their second son, Morocco Elijah, was born in 2011.
Their relationship became complicated when Lakiha Spicer was sentenced to six months in prison in 2008 for fraud in a case that also involved her parents, Shamsud-din and Faridah, and her brother Azheem Spicer. While in prison, Lakiha Spicer was pregnant with Milan.
Their impact on Paul and Tyson
Leerdam, who enjoys elite-level competition due to her career, has had a positive impact on Jake Paul. Over the course of their relationship, she has helped him transform from a YouTuber who wants to be a boxer into a real boxer.
When they started dating, Paul had just suffered his first and only professional defeat to Tommy Fury. He was going through a difficult time mentally, not knowing how to handle it. However, Leerdam was there to help him through that crisis. Paul has admitted to the media many times that the skater’s love brought him “out of a dark place”.
Spicer had a similar positive impact on Tyson. When he was released from prison 15 years ago, Tyson was a heavy drug user, using cocaine and alcohol regularly. However, his third wife helped turn his life around and help him kick his addictions. The former world heavyweight champion once said he would have been a “ferocious beast” without her. Tyson credits Spicer with saving his life after going through a dark period early in their 15-year marriage.
“I’m glad my wife and I got together because I don’t know how I would have survived out there,” Tyson once told People magazine.
Net worth
Both Leerdam and Spicer are now in possession of enviable fortunes, not thanks to their wealthy spouses, but because of their own abilities.
The Dutch skater’s exploits on the ice and her social media fame have earned her a fortune. Leerdam is now estimated to be worth $38 million.
Meanwhile, many websites estimate Spicer’s fortune at around $3-5 million thanks to fashion store revenue.
