Mike Tyson can thrill boxing world again aged 54 if he is as dedicated to comeback as Tyson Fury, says Ben Davison
MIKE TYSON can thrill the world again with a spectacular comeback – if he is as dedicated as Tyson Fury.
The Gypsy King ballooned up to 28st while battling depression and a doping ban between 2016-2018, following his magnificent win over Wladimir Klitschko.
Tyson descended into wild indulgence and addiction following the death of mentor Cus D’Amato in 1985 and still managed to become undisputed champ until Buster Douglas punished his excesses in 1990.
After 15 years in retirement, following two almost-tragic defeats to Danny Williams and Brian McBride, Tyson returns this Saturday in an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr.
And celebrated English trainer Ben Davison, who guided Fury back from the brink to his iconic 2018 draw with Deontay Wilder, hopes the Baddest Man on the Planet has been a good boy.
The BT Sport pundit said: “Mike Tyson will be as good as his dedication has allowed him to train.
“The misconception when I was training Tyson Fury for his comeback was that I had to keep motivating him or stopping him from doing or eating things he wasn’t supposed to do.
“But he was completely self-motivated, Tyson Fury wanted to do everything for himself so he was very easy to train.
“Even when Tyson was 28st he was doing boxing training and sparring and if Mike has done the same then, now he is at his ideal fighting weight it will feel a lot easier, like it did for Tyson Fury.”
Davidson idolised both American legends as a young boy breaking into the sport and fondly remembers a heated boxing debate with four-weight legend Jones Jr.
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A meeting with Iron Mike remains high on his boxing bucket list, once the 54-year-old powerhouse returns to the ring where he struck fear around the world.
And Davison expects all the aggression and power to ooze out of the icons once the bell rings.
Davison said: “I am as unsure as anyone else on what to expect.
“I hope they go out, have fun, take turns in having success and play a bit of a game together but that’s never going to happen, they are going to have a real fight.
“These fellas got to where they got because of that spirit where they are prepared to leave everything in the ring.
“To be willing to die in the ring, give it there all, leave it all in the ring, is built in them, it is part of their DNA.”
Tyson v Jones Jr. will be live on BT Sport Box Office from 1am and can be watched on BT TV, Virgin TV, Sky, online via the web or the BT Sport Box Office App.
To order both fights visit btsport.com/boxing.
