Author: quyen1

Legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach has argued that Manny Pacquiao hits much harder than feared power puncher Mike Tyson.

Roach, 59, has played an instrumental role in the 41-year-old Filipino boxing superstar’s path to success.

And Pacquiao’s long-time trainer explained that his fighter has three all-important attributes for a power puncher: “power, speed and explosion.”

When he was asked if Pacquiao was a harder puncher than boxing legend Tyson, Roach told FightHype: “My whole body went like numb. The power, the speed and explosion is much greater than just dense power.

“Manny is one of the few people who has both.”

Pacquiao, who is widely revered as one of the best boxers of all time, has won 39 of his 71 professional fights by way of knockout.

‘Iron’ Mike, in contrast, holds an incredible 44-knockout victory record from his 58-fight career.

The ‘Sports Science’ team conducted a 2015 study on Pacquiao to understand the power that the Filipino sensation wields.

The ‘Pacman’ landed power punches on a bag and capture technology analysed how hard he was hitting it.

According to the study, Pacquiao’s punches landed in just 0.12 seconds and that was faster than a blink of a human eye.

Shane Mosley fought Pacquiao in 2011 and suggested that the Filipino possessed solid “punching power.”

He told FightHype in 2011: “Pacquiao has some pretty good punching power.

“He has some different hitting power. He’s not physically strong, but he hits pretty good, like he has a good snap or something.

“He’s not heavy-handed… It’s the weirdest thing.”

The 48-year-old American went on to explain that Pacquiao is such a dangerous boxer due to his shots being explosive and rocking his opponents.

“You feel the impact of his punches and when you feel it in your glove, the impact is not hard,” he said.

“You’re not like, ‘Oh my God, he’s hitting hard. This is a hard punch.’ Only when he lands on your face is when you feel like you’re getting dizzy.

“Either it’s some kind of Chinese breaking bricks kind of thing, the one-inch punch, or whatever, something like that, or it’s something else.

“It’s something different. It’s like the weirdest thing.”

MIKE TYSON’s first trainer has sensationally claimed the boxing legend only had “five” real fights.

Iron Mike took part in 58 professional bouts before hanging up his gloves in 2005 after a shock loss to journeyman Kevin McBride.

Tyson’s scintillating, ferocious run to becoming the youngest-ever heavyweight champion is still to this day one of the greatest in the history of boxing.

The New Yorker, 57, ended his career with six defeats – the final of which came at the hands of McBride.

And his former trainer Teddy Atlas believes those losses – which were inflicted on him by Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis and Danny Williams – came in the only TRUE fights of his Hall-of-fame career.

During an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Atlas said: “Tyson’s talent was so great.

“His physical ability was so overwhelming, his talent was so superior that the other stuff never got tested.

“He was blowing guys out, it never got tested if there was anything in the warehouse.

“To me, a fight is not a fight until there is any resistance, something to overcome.

“Otherwise, it’s just an athletic venture, just an exhibition.

“Five times, whatever the real record is, five times there was resistance.

“Five times it became a real fight, five times there was something to overcome, and he failed all five times.

“He was only in five fights in his life, and he’s 0 in 5.”

Tyson was shell of his old-self when he lost to Brit Williams – who is still competing – and McBride and admitted the final fight of his career was nothing more than a payday.

He made a sensational return to the ring in November 2020 for an exhibition bout with fellow boxing great Roy Jones Jr.

And he shocked fight fans around the world by rolling back the years and turning in a stellar display against the former four-weight world champion.

Tyson has hinted at taking part in more exhibitions but hasn’t made any overtures to get back in the ring.

Mike Tyson admitted that he was disappointed he never managed to face boxing legend George Foreman in a mega-showdown.

‘Iron’ Mike, 53, was feared for his devastating punching power and fans often wondered what would have happened if he crossed paths with ‘Big George.’

 

 

And Tyson is the first to admit that he wanted the clash to happen so he could settle the ‘biggest puncher debate’ once and for all.

“I would have liked to fight George Foreman,” the boxing legend told Ring Magazine.

“There have been many fans who wondered who was the bigger puncher.

“I would have liked to put an end to the discussion — one way or the other.”

Foreman, 71, previously suggested that the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ would have been a “nightmare in the ring” and he “didn’t want a part of Mike Tyson.”

 

 

“That guy was a nightmare in the ring,” he explained. “If he missed you with his left, then missed you with his right, he’d bite you.

“I didn’t want anything to do with that guy. He was scared and I was glad of that. I didn’t want a part of Mike Tyson.”

The two-time world heavyweight champ also has a theory for why Tyson might not have stepped into the ring with him.

According to ‘Big George,’ ‘Iron’ Mike might never have faced him due to legendary trainer Cus D’Amato warning him about Foreman’s power.

 

 

“There were a couple of times, serious negotiations were going on with the Mike Tyson fight,” he explained.

“Mike Tyson just didn’t want to fight me. Not to say he couldn’t have beaten me. I mean, this guy could punch.

“The bigger they are, the harder they’d fall as far as Mike Tyson was concerned.

“I guess that I have a feeling, his first original trainer and manager, Cus D’Amato, must have told him about George Foreman’s punching power as though I would never come back.”

A fan recently asked ‘Big George’ who would have emerged victoriously out of a best-of-three series between him and Tyson.

Anthony Joshua lacks enthusiasm when it comes to the prospect of facing the legendary Mike Tyson.

Since Mike Tyson announced his comeback, the number of fighters willing to step into the ring with the “Iron Mike” has been increasing day by day. However, there are still boxers who are not eager to face the legendary figure of the past. Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is one of them.

“With all due respect, I wouldn’t do that (fight Mike Tyson). Even if I fought him and won, I think I’d be the only one celebrating. Everyone would ridicule me. He is a legend, the greatest heavyweight of the modern era. There are only two champions that the whole world knows, that’s Ali and Mike Tyson. They are the most famous boxers,” Joshua shared with The Sun.

Anthony Joshua firmly declined to fight Mike Tyson but is highly interested in stepping into the ring with another Tyson, Tyson Fury. If he could defeat his fellow countryman, Joshua would be the first in history to hold all four major heavyweight titles.

“I want to fight the current champion, Tyson Fury. Previously it was Deontay Wilder, and now it’s Tyson Fury. He has done a lot for the global boxing community. However, I have nothing more to say about him until the day we officially meet,” added Joshua.

However, it is unclear when Joshua and Fury will be able to face each other. In the meantime, Fury will prioritize his rematch with Deontay Wilder, but this fight has been postponed due to Covid-19. Joshua himself has to deal with the obstacle named Kubrat Pulev first.

As for Mike Tyson, the 53-year-old legend has yet to finalize his opponent for his upcoming comeback fight. In a recent interview, he mentioned being in negotiations and will soon make a decision.

With fight fans regularly debating if Deontay Wilder is a harder puncher than Mike Tyson, George Foreman has said he believes Tyson was far ahead of the Bronze Bomber.

With Wilder’s amazing knockout record inside the ring (currently 41 stoppages in 44 fights), many pundits have argued that the 34-year-old is the biggest puncher boxing has ever seen.

However, heavyweight legend Foreman believes that Wilder is still behind a few legends, including Iron Mike.

When asked about Wilder’s power, Foreman had this to say about the Bronze Bomber:

“He’s good but he hasn’t approached Joe Lewis, Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson. No, he hasn’t approached that kind of recognition yet. No way.”

Foreman went on to say that Wilder needs a big win against a top boxer to cement himself among the elite.

“For me, he has to have a performance like Mike Tyson did over Trevor Berbick. Boy, when I saw that, I was down visiting Vegas, and I thought, ‘This guy is a nightmare!’.”

Following on from Wilder’s crushing defeat to Tyson Fury in their WBC world title rematch in Las Vegas in February, Foreman used his experience from his own historic loss to Muhammad Ali and counselled Wilder in the aftermath.

“I had a nice conversation with Wilder, nice conversation with him,” he said. “We talked because I was in a position where I lost unexpectedly with the title in Africa. Only I know what he’s going through.

“He’s gonna have to live with [the Fury loss] but I can show him how to live with that and come back better. We talked a lot on those lines.”

Wilder is poised to take on Fury for a third time in October after triggering a rematch clause and Big George, who has offered to train Wilder for the third showdown, believes he can win the bout easily.

“Not only beat him, [Wilder] can do it easily,” the 71-year-old added. “Give him another chance. He’ll show you.”

Mike Tyson has broken down how he’d aggressively attack Tyson Fury if they came together in a ‘dream fight’ with both at the peak of their powers.

The heavyweights both spoke to Ring magazine about how a bout would play out – and Iron Mike gave incredible insight on how to chop down a boxer almost a foot taller than him.

“Against someone of Tyson Fury’s size, you’ve got to be aggressive, move your head and be elusive,” said the 53-year-old, “because if you stand still against a man that size, you’re an easy target.

“You need to attack, use angles and stay away from his punching distance. You need to be close, but you can’t stay at a distance that allows the bigger fighter to get off.” Tyson adds that Fury’s adaptability is his key asset between the ropes.

Despite being a fearsome destroyer in his youth, Mike Tyson was also a keen student of the sport. His words to The Ring’s Tom Gray show that he retains intriguing technical insight – but he also claims that skill will only take you so far.

“A lot of people don’t understand that size and style isn’t the most important thing in the ring; it’s the morale of a fighter that leads to victory,” he adds. “His determination, his will to win, his desire is what makes him a champion.

“But at my best, I thought I was the greatest fighter from Achilles, through the Art of War, since the beginning of God, since the beginning of time – I was invincible.

“And if there are other fighters out there that don’t think that way, then they have a problem.”

There is no problem between Tyson and his namesake Fury, however, and the mutual respect is obvious throughout the dual interview.

When Fury is asked how a dream match-up between the pair would go down, he explains: “I don’t like to pit myself against boxing heroes in a virtual reality fight, because I find it disrespectful.

“But my answer is that I’ll beat any man born from his mother. I just wouldn’t say that directly about any of the heroes from the past. But, deep down, I don’t believe that any fighter from the past can beat me.

“I think I’m the greatest fighter that’s ever lived – from any generation.”

However the 31-year-old showers praise on the original Tyson’s quickness and underrated boxing skill.

“A lot of people think it was the power, but it was the speed that did the damage,” says Fury. “He had precision, great mobility, accuracy, and it was all in rhythm. His defence was underestimated too, because he had great footwork and head movement.”

Iron Mike is even more complimentary, comparing the 6ft 9in Fury to the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of modern times.

“He’s very agile for a guy his size, and more than that, he’s smooth,” says Tyson. “He’s like an awkward version of Floyd Mayweather in the ring, but regardless of the awkwardness, he’s very effective.”

The warmth shared between the two often troubled boxers is clear. Tyson was seen celebrating ringside when Fury stopped Deontay Wilder in the February rematch between the pair.

Tyson finishes with some sage advice for the Brit, explaining how heavyweight champions simply can’t be wired like a normal, average Joe.

“With Tyson [Fury], if he didn’t go through everything he’s been through, he wouldn’t be the person that he is today,” says the American.

“The mental health issues? That’s why he’s the greatest, because he’s sick, and that’s being real. People want him to be normal. Yeah, be normal and go on the f**kin’ welfare line.

“Tyson doesn’t know what normal is. Tell him to stay the f**k away from normal; he wasn’t meant to be normal.”

We’re not sure that’s exactly in line with modern medical thinking but – hell – we’re not going to argue with either Tyson, or indeed Tyson, on this one. Check out The Ring’s full in-depth interviews with two men who definitely don’t fulfil the brief of normal.

Boxing fans and Joe Rogan aren’t convinced with Lennox Lewis’ claim that he fought Mike Tyson when the American was in his ‘prime.’

Everyone loves to talk about ‘Prime Tyson’ and fantasy book who from the modern era might have been able to take on the former world heavyweight champion at his best.

One man who did take on Tyson during his career was Lennox Lewis, with the two meeting in 2002, just one fight before Lewis called it quits and four fights before Tyson’s career finished but the Brit claimed he fought a ‘prime’ Tyson, something fans didn’t agree with.

Joe Rogan had the 1988 Olympic champion on his Joe Rogan podcast and asked “Do you ever wish that you fought [Tyson] in his prime?”

“In an essence, I did fight him in his prime. You know? I was also in my prime,” Lewis answered.

Rogan countered saying, “You were definitely in your prime, but I feel like his enthusiasm had waned by then.”

Fans on Twitter weren’t buying Lewis’ summary of the situation though with one taking to social media to say, “Lennox Lewis DID NOT face Tyson in his prime, despite what he says.”

Another added, “If Lewis had fought Tyson in his prime, he would have become a golfer,” with someone else saying, “Tyson between 1986-1989 would have beat any heavyweight in the history of the sport.”

Someone else opined “Lennox Is the only comedian on the panel saying he fought Tyson in his prime LOL!!!” and a final fan also added to the belief Lewis would have lost to ‘Prime Tyson,’ saying, “Mike in he’s prime would have give Lennox a very short boxing career.”

Lewis won the fight when he knocked out ‘Iron Mike’ in the eighth round to keep his WBC, IBF, IBO, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles but the pair may have fought earlier.

There were rumours they might before Tyson went to jail in 1992 and on his return to action they looked set to face each other if Lewis, then WBC champ, could beat Oliver McCall.

His first professional loss ended hopes of the fight and he did eventually beat McCall in 1997.

Finally the pair might have met if Lewis could become undisputed champion by beating Evander Holyfield in 1999, who had twice beaten ‘Iron Mike’ in 96 and 97, but the controversial draw meant the two had to have a rematch.

Lewis’ final fight of his career came in June 2003, a year after stopping the former ‘Baddest Man on the Planet,’ when he defeated Vitali Klitschko.

Tyson went on till June 2011, beating Clifford Etienne and then losing to Danny Williams and Kevin McBride, definitely not prime performances.

In a stunning turn of events, boxing legend Mike Tyson has sent shockwaves through the sports world by revealing his plans for a comeback in 2024. The former heavyweight champion, known for his ferocious fighting style and undeniable charisma, has set the stage for what promises to be a captivating return to the ring.

Tyson, now 57 years old, last competed professionally in 2005. However, his passion for the sport and the allure of the boxing arena have driven him to make an unprecedented comeback announcement. The news has left fans and experts alike buzzing with excitement and curiosity about what the veteran boxer has in store for his opponents.

What makes Tyson’s return even more intriguing is the jaw-dropping challenge he has thrown down for potential adversaries. The boxing icon has announced a whopping 20 million USD prize for anyone daring enough to step into the ring with him. This unprecedented financial incentive has sparked widespread speculation about who might be willing to take on the formidable challenge and potentially make history against one of the sport’s living legends.

Tyson’s decision to return to professional boxing comes at a time when the sport is witnessing a resurgence in popularity, with several high-profile matches captivating global audiences. The prospect of seeing Tyson back in action adds another layer of excitement to the already dynamic landscape of boxing.

The former champion has been training rigorously in preparation for his comeback, showcasing glimpses of his signature power and agility in training videos circulating on social media. Fans and fellow athletes are eager to witness whether Tyson can recapture the magic that made him one of the most feared and respected boxers of his era.

The 20 million USD challenge not only adds a financial incentive for potential opponents but also raises the stakes for Tyson’s comeback, putting him in the spotlight for what could be one of the most lucrative and talked-about fights in recent memory.

As the boxing world eagerly anticipates Tyson’s return, the speculation about potential opponents is rife. Will a rising star accept the challenge to make a name for themselves, or will an established contender vie for the opportunity to add Tyson’s name to their list of defeated opponents?

Regardless of who ultimately steps up to the plate, one thing is certain: Mike Tyson’s thrilling comeback has injected a newfound energy into the world of boxing. As the countdown to 2024 begins, fans around the globe are eagerly awaiting the return of this living legend, eager to witness whether Tyson can once again leave an indelible mark on the sport that he helped define.

EDDIE HEARN has confirmed Anthony Joshua’s next fight will be against UFC legend Francis Ngannou – the man who rocked Tyson Fury.

After reports emerged on social media late on Friday night, the Matchroom boxing chief took to X to announce that they were true.

Hearn added that the exact date for the mega-money clash will unveiled at a press conference in London on January 15.

Although the bout is expected to take place on March 9.

Hearn wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Tonight we confirm it’s a Done Deal! @anthonyjoshua v @francis_ngannou collide on a huge night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – press conference Jan 15 in London with full details dropping soon.”

The bout is set to be a ten-round boxing match between the two-time former heavyweight champion and ex-UFC title holder, and is another coup for Saudi dealmaker Turki Al-Sheikh.

The news comes after AJ’s £100million two-fight deal with Deontay Wilder went up in smoke last month after the American suffered a shock defeat to former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker.

The first of the duo’s back-to-back fights was set to take place in Saudi Arabia on the March date.

And a spring return to action still appears to be on the cards for the Brit, even though a long-overdue showdown with Wilder isn’t.

Hearn recently hinted that Joshua could replicate the schedule he had in 2023, in which he fought three times in the space of ten months, winning all three.

He defeated Jermain Franklin by unanimous decision back in March before knocking out Robert Helenius in the seventh round in August.

Joshua then stretched his winning-streak to three by forcing Wallin to retire at the end of the fifth round last month in Saudi.

Meanwhile the 37-year-old Ngannou put his MMA career on hold last year to fight WBC champ Fury, 35, in Saudi.

And he almost stunned the boxing world when he incredibly dropped the Gypsy King, only to be controversially denied a stunning victory on points.

Despite the defeat, his stock has risen and now he has secured what promises to be another bumper payday against one of boxing’s finest, after banking £8m for his last outing in the ring with Fury.

Although Hearn does not fancy Ngannou’s chances of an upset this time, as he talked down the Cameroonian’s abilities on talkSPORT on Friday night.

After confirming the bout, Hearn said: “If you watch him on the pads – I don’t want to be disrespectful – but there is absolutely no way in the world that Francis Ngannou could win even a Southern Area title.

“Johnny Fisher is our guy, Southern Area champion. Johnny Fisher vs Ngannou is a total mismatch, Fisher would have him out of there in a round.”

Ngannou posted his own message to fans on social media tonight amid the news, saying: “Making big moves in the new year. 2024 is going to be [fire emoji].”

Joshua is desperate to return to the top of the mountain in the heavyweight division and become a three-time champ.

However, he and the rest of the top contenders are currently waiting to see who emerges triumphant when Fury and Oleksandr Usyk face-off in their unification fight.

That mouthwatering showdown will also take place in Saudi on February 17 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

Usyk, who beat Joshua for the WBA, WBO and IBF straps and then triumphed in the rematch, has a record of 21-0, while undefeated Fury sits at 33-1-0.

Oscar De La Hoya believes that Mike Tyson could KO the heavyweight boxing division’s biggest stars should he train for 12 rounds.

Boxing legend Tyson, 53, went viral last week after a training clip showed off his incredible speed and technique on the pads.

 

 

And De La Hoya made a bold claim that ‘Iron’ Mike could knock out the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder at the age of 53.

“I’m sure that if he trains for 12 rounds, right now he’ll knock out any heavyweight,” ‘Golden Boy’ said (via The Daily Mail and The Sun).

Tyson hasn’t fought in professional boxing since he suffered back-to-back defeats to Danny Williams and Kevin McBride in 2004 and 2005 respectively.

But the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ has confirmed that he will make a sensational return to boxing as part of four-round exhibition fights for charity.

 

 

Tyson said during an Instagram Live: “I’ve been hitting the mitts for the last week. That’s been tough, my body is really jacked up and really sore from hitting the mitts.

“I’ve been working out, I’ve been trying to get in the ring, I think I’m going to box some exhibitions and get in shape.

“I want to go to the gym and get in shape to be able to box three or four-round exhibitions for some charities and stuff.

“Some charity exhibitions, make some money, help some homeless and drug-affected motherf****r like me.”

 

 

Long-time UFC commentator Joe Rogan has shared his excitement after watching the training footage of Tyson.

UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson were also blown away with Tyson’s incredible speed and ferocious display of power.

US President Donald Trump took to Twitter and told the former undisputed heavyweight champ to “keep punching.”

Tyson’s former trainer, Jeff Fenech, said last month that he would expect ‘Iron’ Mike to KO Wilder in the first round if he trained for six weeks.