Meet Zyon 'Baby Tyson' Duprey: Yonkers' Nationally-Ranked Junior Boxing Champion

Every once in a while, Yonkers produces someone who makes the whole city stand up and pay attention. Zyon 'Baby Tyson' Duprey is one of those people — and he's still a teenager. Fresh off becoming the 2026 Golden Gloves National Champion, he won by unanimous decision this past weekend on the sport's brightest amateur stage, the Mike Tyson Invitational in Las Vegas. Trained on South Broadway and shaped by the coaches at Yonkers Knockouts, this young boxer has already climbed to the top of junior boxing in the United States, met Mike Tyson face to face, and earned his own official day in the City of Yonkers.

From South Broadway to the National Stage

Zyon Duprey grew up in Yonkers and found his way to Yonkers Knockouts, a boxing gym on South Broadway co-founded by coach John Morrison. The gym was built as a sanctuary for urban youth — a place that develops life skills, self-respect, and discipline alongside serious boxing technique. Zyon's aggressive, high-pressure fighting style drew immediate comparisons to a certain legendary heavyweight, and the nickname 'Baby Tyson' stuck fast. Coach Morrison has described Zyon's transformation as remarkable, noting that the young fighter now excels academically as well as in the ring.

National Gold and the #1 Ranking

In the summer of 2024, Zyon traveled to Wichita, Kansas for the USA Boxing National Junior Olympics — one of the most competitive amateur boxing tournaments in the country, with a history of producing Olympic medalists. He came home with a gold medal and was named Most Outstanding Male Intermediate Boxer at the entire event. He didn't stop there: later in 2024, Zyon won the USA Boxing National Championship Belt in the 176-pound division in Virginia, defeating 15- and 16-year-old competitors along the way, cementing his status as the #1-ranked junior boxer in America in his weight class.

Mike Tyson Said 'Never Give Up' — Then He Won on Tyson's Stage

Zyon's nickname was always a nod to Iron Mike — but then the two actually met. Mike Tyson looked the young Yonkers fighter in the eye and told him to 'never give up, in or out of the ring.' Zyon then earned a spot in the Mike Tyson Invitational, a Las Vegas showcase Tyson created to revitalize amateur boxing in the United States. Fresh off becoming the 2026 Golden Gloves National Champion, Zyon stepped onto that stage on July 25, 2026 — and won by unanimous decision. As Mayor Mike Spano put it, 'The entire City is proud to be in your corner.'

Yonkers Gave Him His Own Day

On July 30, 2024, Mayor Mike Spano made it official: that day was proclaimed Zyon 'Baby Tyson' Duprey Day in the City of Yonkers. Zyon was honored at Yonkers City Hall in a ceremony that included Coach John Morrison and the entire Yonkers Knockouts family. Mayor Spano's proclamation recognized not just Zyon's championship victories, but his personal growth and the role Yonkers Knockouts played in shaping his character. It was a full-circle moment — the city that raised him celebrating what he had become.

A Possible 2028 Olympics Hopeful — and a Blueprint for Yonkers Youth

The 2028 Olympics are a realistic goal for Zyon given his age, ranking, and trajectory. But beyond the trophies and the titles, his story carries a message that resonates deep in Yonkers: the right gym, the right coach, and the right community can change a young person's entire path. Yonkers Knockouts continues to serve youth across the city, and Zyon Duprey is its most visible proof of what is possible.

Want to follow the next chapter of Zyon's story and catch every great Yonkers moment as it happens? Follow @TheYonkersCollective on Instagram for the city's best hometown-pride content, and visit thenineonefour.com for even more on the people and places that make Yonkers one of a kind.