Mike Tyson and weight training?

[Eddy]

I've been told that Mike Tyson never did weight training because it slowed him down. Is it true?

[Bricks]

Well back in early 1987 when michael gerard tyson was over on a promotional tour of the uk he did a greatest heavyweights feature with the much missed harry carpenter. During the show, tyson was shown videos of frank bruno lifting heavy weights and asked if he used weights......tyson said no not at all as cus didnt like it but showed admiration for bruno......... At the same time as all that on the one hand bobby stewart said tyson was already 200lbs when he met him......on the other there were some wholly unsubstantiated rumours floating around of both tyson using steroids ( remember his bald hair patches? Which incidentally i also got whilst on steroids)......the thing i find more interesting were the again totally unsubstantiated rumours of homosexuality between tyson, d'amato and jim jacobs which peter heller investigated but dismissed as there was no proof. And quite rightly tyson was no poofter and neither was cus or jimmy.........american boxing has always attracted gutter journalists.......tyson, jacobs and rooney did used to kiss each other on the mouth after a fight though during 86-87

[Eddy]

LOL Don't know about Tyson being "an iron" lol. Never heard that rumor mate. Think he'd be the last person you'd expect to be that way inclined.

[johnswan1]

LOL never heard that one before either. Tyson, Jacobs and Cus secret lovers? Highly unlikely!

[ApolloCreed]

[Bricks]

im looking at the magazine right now. It concerns the author peter heller who was something of a celebrity low brow author in america at the time. He was writing the book "fire and fear" about tyson and decided to look into these rumours........like any good muck raking national enquirer level hack would...........eventually he decided not to write about this topic in his book as none of the so called rumour mongers would substantiate anything for the book......anyway in the ko magazine it concerns a fight that broke out when mike marley the new york times columnist and a guy who at this time was secretly on dong kings payroll found out heller was looking to expose kings property mike tyson as a homosexual......marley slapped heller in the face and heller was held back by security....heller was quoted in the magazine as calling the slap "effeminate"....anyway lets be clear im not saying any of them were gay altho some did find the kissing between jacobs and tyson very odd on reflection im sure it was paternal....d'amato and jacobs were definetly not gay.

[Bricks]

LOL Don't know about Tyson being "an iron" lol. Never heard that rumor mate. Think he'd be the last person you'd expect to be that way inclined.

lol even with the lisping "fag"( to quote mitch green)voice he had early on?
Even when he threatened to make razor ruddock his girlfriend and "kiss those big lips"? Even when in the aftermath of the lewis press conference he shouted at a white reporter " look at u scared of the real man. Ill ffuck you till you love me you faggot. Youre not man enough to ffuck with me"?

[Scrap]

It was a curiuos set up.

[Hagler2002]

Camp as tits IMO.

[mickey1975]

im looking at the magazine right now. It concerns the author peter heller who was something of a celebrity low brow author in america at the time. He was writing the book "fire and fear" about tyson and decided to look into these rumours........like any good muck raking national enquirer level hack would...........eventually he decided not to write about this topic in his book as none of the so called rumour mongers would substantiate anything for the book......anyway in the ko magazine it concerns a fight that broke out when mike marley the new york times columnist and a guy who at this time was secretly on dong kings payroll found out heller was looking to expose kings property mike tyson as a homosexual......marley slapped heller in the face and heller was held back by security....heller was quoted in the magazine as calling the slap "effeminate"....anyway lets be clear im not saying any of them were gay altho some did find the kissing between jacobs and tyson very odd on reflection im sure it was paternal....d'amato and jacobs were definetly not gay.

Jose Torres wrote "Fire and Fear".

[neil hibbert]

im sure ive heard him say cus didnt like him lifting weights so he never bothered

[orbtastic]

He didn't do weights until he was in prison

[Spiker]

He didn't do weights until he was in prison

Well it didnt work.
Remember how small he was on release

[orbtastic]

He didn't do weights until he was in prison

Well it didnt work.
Remember how small he was on release

Why didn't it work?

You do realise that not everyone tries to bench 250kgs.

You can do many reps of smaller weights and exercise your muscles rather than doing much less reps of bigger weights and become muscle bound and "big".

He was interviewed around the time he fought Bruno the first time and said he did calisthenics & regular boxing training (based around largely aerobic exercise and muscle memory i.e. running, skipping, bag work, shadow boxing etc etc). He thought weights laughable and mocked people like Bruno saying they were too stiff and robotic etc.

He then said that whilst in prison he couldn't physically do the majority of things that he used to i.e. roadwork, boxing...so resorted to doing free weights and said he was surprised that it didn't make him as stiff/tight as he was led to believe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35Jyu5dZHA8

I can't remember the exact quote but I remember it being talked about. I'll see if I can dig up the article.

[Bricks]

im looking at the magazine right now. It concerns the author peter heller who was something of a celebrity low brow author in america at the time. He was writing the book "fire and fear" about tyson and decided to look into these rumours........like any good muck raking national enquirer level hack would...........eventually he decided not to write about this topic in his book as none of the so called rumour mongers would substantiate anything for the book......anyway in the ko magazine it concerns a fight that broke out when mike marley the new york times columnist and a guy who at this time was secretly on dong kings payroll found out heller was looking to expose kings property mike tyson as a homosexual......marley slapped heller in the face and heller was held back by security....heller was quoted in the magazine as calling the slap "effeminate"....anyway lets be clear im not saying any of them were gay altho some did find the kissing between jacobs and tyson very odd on reflection im sure it was paternal....d'amato and jacobs were definetly not gay.

Jose Torres wrote "Fire and Fear".

you're right hellers book came out at the same time and had a different title.

[mickey1975]

im looking at the magazine right now. It concerns the author peter heller who was something of a celebrity low brow author in america at the time. He was writing the book "fire and fear" about tyson and decided to look into these rumours........like any good muck raking national enquirer level hack would...........eventually he decided not to write about this topic in his book as none of the so called rumour mongers would substantiate anything for the book......anyway in the ko magazine it concerns a fight that broke out when mike marley the new york times columnist and a guy who at this time was secretly on dong kings payroll found out heller was looking to expose kings property mike tyson as a homosexual......marley slapped heller in the face and heller was held back by security....heller was quoted in the magazine as calling the slap "effeminate"....anyway lets be clear im not saying any of them were gay altho some did find the kissing between jacobs and tyson very odd on reflection im sure it was paternal....d'amato and jacobs were definetly not gay.

Jose Torres wrote "Fire and Fear".

you're right hellers book came out at the same time and had a different title.

And was crap.The Torres book was very good.

[reggaereggae]

Tyson is understandably under suspicion for steroid use. His physique was extraordinary, esp if he avoided weights. ANd he looked very slim recently and when he left prison.

As for homosexuality; well he clearly likes women...whether it's 'as well'.... I thought there ere rumours of Tyson and Steve Lott?

[Roco]

Hard to understand how Tyson claims not to have used weights when you look at his arms. I thought I saw a youtube video of Tyson bench pressing 300KGs somewhere.

[Matt W]

There is so much ignorance about weight training in boxing.

[orbtastic]

Something slightly Freudian hearing Mike tell us how he performed fellatio on a woman.

[Andypittcov]

I've got a YouTube video saved on my phone of Tyson training and he's squatting and benching some serious effing weights.

[loaded_gloves]

Just to clear up a few things gents-

Mike Tyson did indeed lift weights from 1995 onwards, the post-prison career. It became a big part of his training regime. Weight lifting seems to be a very 90's and now present day innovation for boxers. Whether that has been beneficial to fighters or fights is another matter.

As for homosexuality, it was Jose Torres who initially implied it in his 1980's biog 'Fire & Fear'. Considering how close Torres was to Tyson, and some of the lines that came out of Tyson's own mouth, you can hardly blame Heller for investigating this.

His book on Tyson, 'Bad Intentions', is a great read and I think he treats Tyson fairly. Heller also gave boxing fans 'In This Corner - 42 World Champions Tell Their Story' which is pure gold. Some legendary boxers tell their own story, most of whom are now dead. Men who fought Dempsey, Joe Louis, et al. Brilliant.

[mickey1975]

Just to clear up a few things gents-

Mike Tyson did indeed lift weights from 1995 onwards, the post-prison career. It became a big part of his training regime. Weight lifting seems to be a very 90's and now present day innovation for boxers. Whether that has been beneficial to fighters or fights is another matter.

As for homosexuality, it was Jose Torres who initially implied it in his 1980's biog 'Fire & Fear'. Considering how close Torres was to Tyson, and some of the lines that came out of Tyson's own mouth, you can hardly blame Heller for investigating this.

His book on Tyson, 'Bad Intentions', is a great read and I think he treats Tyson fairly. Heller also gave boxing fans 'In This Corner - 42 World Champions Tell Their Story' which is pure gold. Some legendary boxers tell their own story, most of whom are now dead. Men who fought Dempsey, Joe Louis, et al. Brilliant.

Hi Peter!

[Bricks]

Tyson is understandably under suspicion for steroid use. His physique was extraordinary, esp if he avoided weights. ANd he looked very slim recently and when he left prison.

quote]

Apparently, Tyson was about 180lbs when he was released from prison....

he was around 198-200lbs and lean as a razor. leroy neiman called him a study in "manliness".

mike in 86 very very early 87 used to sleep on steve lotts couch in his apartment. although lott was a slightly precious, highly sensitive guy he wasnt gay and tyson at that time in his life was borderline dual personality, the sensitive teen looking for a big brother figure in lott and jacobs whilst being a brute in the ring and serial fondler of women outside the ring.

tyson really went overboard on weights aftewr he left prison and particularly in the 2000's......to this day men who have never been in the ring think weights enhance speed and help a boxer.......they dont unless its light weights and high reps and done in moderation the way a hopkins does them. certainly heavy leg weights slow down the legs on roadwork and a big chest kills punch speed and flexibility.

weights on the neck are useful and boxers have always concentrated on shoulder weight exercises......but these days "personal trainers and mma gurus" confuse weights for jujitsu/wrestling/grappling where they are a must with them being needed for boxing! kicking sure strong legs help. but boxing its a no no......tyson had incredible hand speed to the end of his career in spite of his heavy and excessive weight training at the end.......

[Deserter]

There is so much ignorance about weight training in boxing.

So, so true