Exclusive; Mike Tyson’s camp share concerning update as legitimacy of training questioned
Controversy surrounds Mike Tyson’s preparation for his impending bout against Jake Paul, as skepticism around the authenticity of training footage grows and concerns regarding his well-being persist.
Several videos of his intensive training have been posted on social media by the boxing icon Mike Tyson, indicating that he is taking his battle against Jake Paul very seriously.
However, there are some who doubt the authenticity of the video. The eagerly awaited match is scheduled to occur on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and will be available for viewing via Netflix. Numerous fans have expressed their displeasure with Tyson participating due to his health issues, as evidenced by him requiring a walking cane and using a wheelchair just last year when he was still only 57 years old (he’ll turn 58 less than one month before this event).
To allay concerns, Tyson shared daily footage that offered a glimpse of his preparation process. The video snippets showcase ‘Iron Mike’ in impeccable form as he vigorously lands punches to the trainer’s hands and midriff with ferocious intensity.
Tyson’s workouts were quickly criticized by multiple fighters. Last week, former UFC star Chael Sonnen advised Tyson to splash water on his face and T-shirt before hitting the mitts for five seconds if he wants to convince the audience that it is a real training session in the future.
Former world champion boxer Paulie Malignaggi questioned the authenticity of the footage, suggesting it may be outdated. Speaking to Lord Ping, he expressed uncertainty about Tyson’s current motivation and cast doubt on the freshness of the videos by sharing that people who recently saw Tyson mentioned him not being active. The likelihood remains unclear whether these video reels are recent or artificially created for publicity purposes only.
To be honest, I’m not sure if the video of him hitting pads is recent. Within the past few months, I saw him and he was very relaxed; there were no discussions about anything physical at that time.
The health of Tyson is a cause for concern, according to Doctor Stephen Hughes who believes that the boxer’s long-running alcoholism could lead to an increased likelihood of brain damage. Although there may only be minor consequences initially and he may recover without issue at times; in certain circumstances, the effects could be severe or even catastrophic as outlined by Hughes in his article written for The Conversation.
Rafael Cordeiro, the coach of Tyson, dismissed the doctor’s warning without any delay. In an interview with The MMA Hour he confidently stated that “We don’t need to worry about it. We’re talking about a world champion who has won two times.” He further added that as someone who has fought against some of the top fighters in the world and didn’t fight 20 bouts within just two years – Tyson is experienced enough to handle challenges on his own. For him stepping into rings isn’t something new; thus this upcoming match holds little difference for him.
Every day, he puts in hard work to enter the ring with a single goal- knock Jake out from start to finish. Mike Tyson’s fighting style is innate; he doesn’t need anyone teaching him how to fight. He’ll demonstrate this come July. Watching his training sessions, you can see an intense determination burning within him – and that level of effort will never waver or falter.”
