An abandoned Ohio mansion that was once the opulent home of heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is being turned into a house of worship after a church splashed out $750,000 for the property. Pastor Nick Dejacimo of The Living Word Sanctuary has revealed that he and his congregation are delighted to have secured the 58-acre property as their new home. He is especially pleased to have purchased the derelict mansion - still dripping with gold and marble - at the knockdown price of $750,000, compared to the $1.3 million pricetag when Tyson sold it in 1999. Scroll down for more . Intimidating: The iron gates at the entrance to the derelict mansion in Southington, Ohio, still bear the name of the former heavyweight champ . Stagnant: The vast indoor swimming pool complex, the same size as many family homes, has also fallen into disrepair. It will now be filled in and become an area for sanctuary . 'The skylights, arches, and windows in the pool area, it literally looks like a church,' said Pastor Nick of his new home . Opulent: Tyson's jacuzzi hot tub features a mirrored ceiling, lashings of black marble and gold plated taps . 'The skylights, arches, and windows in the pool area, it literally looks like a church,' Pastor Nick told TMZ. Before worship can begin, the church is carrying out some rennovations and repairs including turning the former boxing glove-shaped swimming pool into an area for sanctuary. They also plan to renovate part of the land into a workout facility with a jogging path. The church, which only has a congregation of 140, saved nine years worth of tithing donations to pay for their new home. The property was once home to the self-declared 'baddest man on the planet' and the scene of many a wild party, but Pastor Nick says Tyson is welcome to come and join the new owners for worship any time he likes. Tyson lived in the 33,000 sq. ft. home in Southington, Ohio, during the late 1980s and 1990s until his dramatic fall from grace following a conviction for rape and financial problems. Tyson is pictured in 1988 after knocking out British champion Frank Bruno, left, and at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, right . Sanctuary: The boxer lived in the property in the late 80s and early 90s until his dramatic fall from grace when he was jailed for rape . The property features five bedrooms, several living spaces, seven and a half bathrooms, a full kitchen, a mini-kitchen/washroom, two attached garages, one external garage, full size pool and Jacuzzi, tiger cages and a basketball court . No expense spared: Another view of the boxer's marble and gold jacuzzi room now falling into disrepair and daubed with graffiti . Featuring gold-plated furnishings, a mirrored ceiling jacuzzi and a swimming pool twice the size of the average family home, Tyson, now 48, used the property as a base while training for fights at Don King's facility 20 miles away in nearby Orwell. And while the iron gates inscribed with his name may now be shut, one photographer Johnny Joo, 24, was allowed inside to explore the property. It features five bedrooms, several living spaces, seven and a half bathrooms, a full kitchen, a mini-kitchen/washroom, two attached garages, one external garage, full size pool and Jacuzzi, tiger cages and a basketball court. Tyson decked out the mansion with crystal chandeliers, a pool larger than most homes, tiger print carpet and everything else necessary to make it his private party pad. But now the property lies eerily quiet with just the shell of what was once home to the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles at age 20. Photographer Mr Joo, from Cleveland, Ohio, said: 'My journeys have taken me to some strange places but nothing quite like the abandoned home of a former professional boxer. Sauna room: More marble, glass and gold adorn the former heavyweight champion's steam room . The property features five bedrooms, several living spaces, seven and a half bathrooms, a full kitchen, a mini-kitchen/washroom, two attached garages, one external garage, full size pool and Jacuzzi, tiger cages and a basketball court . All mod cons: The bar in the swimming pool room complete with beer taps and industrial buffet-style food warmers . Playroom: The massive entertainment room features bespoke cabinets for the huge television and sound system speakers the champion boxer had installed . Tyson, now 48, occupied the spacious home in Southington, Ohio, USA, during the late 1980s and 90s while training for fights at Don King's facility 20 miles away in nearby Orwell . 'It felt cold, rather empty and eerie - not so much a creepy eerie but a more interesting one. 'I knew Mike Tyson had once just hung out here and now I stood staring down everything that had been left behind. 'I loved the bathroom simply because of the view and the mirrored ceiling above the Jacuzzi tub. 'But the pool was probably my favourite just because of how incredibly large it was and thinking how vibrant it was at one point in time. 'The room was bigger than three of my houses, it was pretty incredible to look at while standing at one end. Everything was so full of life and now simply collects dust. 'As I wandered the halls and rooms I imagined the wild parties which must have taken place within these walls. 'I looked across a living room once full of life but now empty of parties, tigers and celebrities.' The boxer was taken into custody in 1991 on allegations of rape and in 1992 a jury found him guilty with the ruling committing him to a six year prison sentence with four years of parole. Another view of the massive entertainment room where the champion boxer entertained friends and hangers-on during his glory days . Gold-plated fittings line the top of the landing at the vast home which is due to be renovated this year after being bought up in December . One of several grand staircases at the Ohio mansion, once home to the champion boxer once dubbed 'the baddest man on the planet' Fittings: The heavy wooden front door opens up to an expanse of black marble but the once stunning home has fallen into disrepair . Tyson decked out the mansion with crystal chandeliers, a pool larger than most homes, tiger print carpet and everything else necessary to make it his private party pad . In 1995 Tyson was granted parole and released from prison, returning to rural Southington in hope of escaping the media which ended up following him. Because of his increasingly desperate financial situation he put the mansion up for sale and sold it in 1999 for $1.3m. It has since had multiple owners - including one who was the subject of an FBI investigation when he tried to sell it. The Living Word Sanctuary bought the property in December 2014 and will transform it throughout the rest of 2015, allowing Johnny to explore before the work takes place. He added: 'I've seen a few restorations throughout my work but nothing so contrasting as this. 'But it's definitely one of the more well-preserved structures I have been in through years of exploring and photographing abandoned places. 'It makes a perfect candidate for the church to move into and build their sanctuary. Structurally the home is wonderful and I can't wait to see the restoration completed over time. 'The group would like for Mike to attend the first gathering inside the churches sanctuary. 'I hope to help by sharing this story far and wide, maybe bringing his attention to this matter. It could be quite an experience for him walking through his former home, seeing it brought to a completely different light.' Another grand staircase leads down to the mansion's man hall with an open fire space at the bottom . Impressive: The towering high ceiling in one of the mansion's seven-and-a-half bedrooms . The property has  had multiple owners - including one who was the subject of an FBI investigation when he tried to sell it - and is now set to be converted into a church . The mansion's descent into disrepair could be said to mirror the former heavyweight champion boxer's own fall from grace . The current owners bought the property in December 2014 and will transform it throughout the rest of 2015 .
Pastor Nick Dejacimo of The Living Word Sanctuary has bought Tyson's former home of almost half what the boxing champion got when he sold it in 1999 . The church plans to turn the opulent property into a house of worship and will fill in Tyson's boxing glove-shaped swimming pool and replace it with an area for sanctuary . 'The skylights, arches, and windows in the pool area, it literally looks like a church,' said Pastor Nick . Property was once the scene of many a wild party, but Pastor Nick says Tyson is welcome to come and join the congregation for worship any time he likes .