About Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!

Several factors lead to two versions of this game. Mike Tyson sued Nintendo for making his character beatable. The contract with Mike Tyson to use his name and likeness was for three years. It expired and was not renewed. The game was still profitable, so Nintendo opted to keep selling it as a rebranded product.

It is commonly repeated that Mike Tyson's criminal conviction was a deciding factor in the rebranding of this game. I myself am guilty of helping spread this rumor. Turns out Tyson had been arrested 38 times previous before Nintendo chose to seek his endorsement. More importantly, the incident for which Mike Tyson was arrested and the trial and conviction for it, took place in 1991. After the rebranded Punch-Out was published in 1990.