Mike Tyson’s punching power on display in a recent video inspired awe. His running form, well, not so much.
Last week, Tyson, 57, posted a video of himself sprinting on social media, sparking mixed reactions ahead of his July 20 bout with Jake Paul, 27, less than three months from now.
Comedian Blackron wrote on Instagram, “Mike runs like his shoes are made of concrete.”
Gabe_drennan commented, “He’s running around like a toddler.”
“He’s almost 60!!” wrote Abdullah_aa90. “Most people can’t run at 28.”
Then there was Brad Rowe. He is a former bodybuilder who helped Tyson train for his 2020 exhibition fight with Roy Jones Jr. After watching the video of Tyson sprinting, Lowe recalled what he witnessed when working with the former heavyweight world champion.
“Mike is a unicorn,” Lowe told USA TODAY Sports. “He’s stiff and uncoordinated in many aspects of his training. And when he gets in the ring, he transforms into a ballerina. It’s inexplicable.”
Why does Mike Tyson look stiff?
When Tyson began training for the Jones fight, Lowe said he encouraged “Iron Mike” to get used to running drills.
“The first day, he was like, ‘No, (expletive) you.’ I’m sprinting,” Lowe recalled. “So I was like, ‘Okay.’ Let’s pray that it doesn’t happen.”
Lowe said he feared Tyson would tear his hamstring.
“When we go to this tennis court, he jogs around the corners and sprints down the straight, and I was like, I don’t want him to do that,” Rowe said. said. “Especially with older players, athletes who aren’t used to explosive moments.”
Abel Sanchez, who coached Gennady Golovkin and three boxers who won world titles before Sanchez retired, also expressed concern that Tyson could get injured before his fight with Paul.
Sanchez said sprint work is an important part of a training program, primarily to prepare boxers for the increased heart rate caused by a flurry of punches. But he said the video shows Tyson is inflexible.
“And within a few weeks, he’s going to be very flexible or even more flexible and not look as awkward as he did in that sprint,” Sanchez said.
Tyson’s refusal to engage in sprint work during Jones’ training appeared to confirm Sanchez’s suspicions.
“Today, there are not enough teachers demanding that they implement a specific training plan,” Sanchez said. “And there are a lot of people who are just doing it because the fighters want them to do it. But it’s very dangerous.”
Veteran trainer talks about confidence
Virgil Hunter, who has coached several world champion boxers, said after watching the video he felt Tyson “knew exactly what he needed.”
“You can tell he’s not tied down to running form,” Hunter added. “He has a strong grasp on the effectiveness of the run.”
Hunter said he thinks the video is a sign that Tyson is returning to his training roots, training under the gritty Cus D’Amato in a rough-and-tumble New York gym. Ta.
Aaron Snowwell, who coached Tyson for about five years starting in the mid-1980s, said the impact of sprint work is clear.
“Form and technique give you speed that gives you power,” he said. “And it all starts with the movement of the legs. The legs and upper body are working simultaneously. It creates form and technique that yields speed that yields power.”
But the video also suggests that Tyson is determined as he prepares to fight a man 30 years younger than himself.
“One thing about Mike Tyson: When he wants something done, he’s going to work incredibly (hard) day and night,” he said. “He will give you everything he has got.”
