Mike Tyson appeared on FOX Sports’ Club Shay Shay Podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe.
Mike Tyson on…
STATE OF BOXING
…on inconsistency of big fights (champs taking on top contenders) in the sport, with guys fighting once a year to 16 months, and if Tyson’s surprised about it:
“That’s really bad for boxing, because boxing is entertainment and the name of the game. You want the fans to say ‘when am I gonna see that guy fight again?’ Until you have it like that, you’re not gonna make the big purse dates.”
… on fighters today being more concerned with unblemished record vs. going up against best contenders:
“I’m not ever going to say anything disrespectful about fighters, but some people need to have enough pride to say, ‘Listen, I want to go in on being the best fighter in the world – who wants to fight me?’”
…Tyson’s mentality versus current boxers, who are taking the time between fights (or ‘ducking fights’):
“I’ll fight you in six weeks. After one fight, six weeks later, I’ll fight ya again. … That’s why YouTubers are taking over. Because they are exciting, more exciting – they can’t fight, but they are more exciting. Fighters are not fighting competitive fighters. They are fighting guys they are walking over.”
…On boxers’ hesitancy to fight the best, because they might lose:
“(If you lose) Then you become better – you become a better champ, you become a better fighter. Life is about loss. As time goes on, we lose everything – we lose our hair, our teeth, and eventually we lose our life. Life is all about life.”
…on fighters wanting big pay day, but not fight big pay-day fighters:
“These guys are not making that much money, because they aren’t fighting those guys. …They aren’t making that much money, so they’re not fighting the right guys.”
…on who Tyson wants to see fight:
“I want to see Earl Spence go up to 154 and fight “Charlo brother (Jermall Charlo), too. These guys got to want to be immortal, I wanted to be immortal. I wanted the world to know my name until the end of time.”
YOUTUBE FIGHTS & THE PAUL BROTHERS
…on what Tyson thinks about the Paul Brothers:
“I think they’re a big shot in the arm for boxing. No boxer’s ever brought that many people to the network, like Logan and Jake did. I think they’re good for boxing. They’re bringing money to boxing”
…on Jake Paul stepping up to fight tougher opponents, and the mindset of those opponents going into fights:
“These guys are very emotional, they want to fight ’em so bad, they forget that he’s a trained fighter,” Tyson said. “He’s gonna make them believe that they can really beat this guy because he’s white with blonde hair and blue eyes. ‘I’m gonna kill him.’ And then they go in the ring and something different happens.”
CANELO ALVAREZ
…best Pound-for-Pound fighter?
“You have to go with Canelo. But there’s still so many young and upcoming lightweights, but Canelo is almost on his way out. You’ve got the other guy – Benavidez, he’s a great fighter coming up. There are so many great fighters out there, man. That’s one thing they have, is great fighters out there.”
…if anyone out there right now that can beat Canelo?
“It’s some new guys out there. The young man, David Benavidez, I call him the Monster. He’s tough. I’d love to see Canelo fight him.”
…Does Tyson think the fight will happen?
“God willing, man. If it doesn’t happen, it will be a shame to boxing.”
DEONTAY WILDER
…how would Tyson advise Wilder on beating Tyson Fury:
“Go in with your jab – he (Wilder) has to go all-out for 12 rounds with him (Fury). Can’t give him no room to punch, has to go all-out for 12 rounds with him. He can’t give him no time by moving around, can’t allow him to think. He allows Tyson Fury to think a lot. He gives him a lot of time.”
…on Wilder getting back in the ring:
“I think Deontay Wilder should fight some other guys, too. He’ll do good, man – I just don’t want him to get discouraged. He should be very happy and be ready to fight somebody else right away.”
ADVICE FOR NEXT GENERATION & HIS FUTURE IN THE RING
…#1 Skill a Boxer needs to be successful:
“The desire to win. That’s all you need – the desire, the will to win.”
…Is there another celebrity boxing match that Tyson would like to partake in?
“It’s a possibility. People keep asking me, but it’s a possibility”