For many people, Mike Tyson is one of the most fearsome and ferocious fighters there has ever been.
Particularly at the start of his career and despite being in his teens, Tyson was a hellacious puncher who often stormed his opponents early on and stopped them inside the first round. It took him 19 fights to be taken beyond the 6th round and, by 1986, just a year into his career, he picked up his first world title aged just 20.
He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990 and this run earned him the nickname of ‘the Baddest Man on the Planet’.
Despite retiring almost 20 years ago back in 2005, he is now back turning ahead of a bout with Jake Paul, a man less than half his age, in November.
The fight has divided opinion with some worried for the health of Tyson given his age and lack of activity in recent years, and others fearing for Paul given that he is vastly inexperienced against fighters of the levels that Tyson once attained.
Speaking to Jazzy’s World at the event’s latest press conference, Tyson revealed that he was always inspired by the ferocity of multi-weight Panamanian former world title holder Roberto Duran.
“He was mean, ferocious and he was very popular. Him being a bad guy people still loved him and I wanted to be the bad guy that people loved.”
He went on to say that like Duran, he always becomes someone else when he steps inside the ring.
“He’s a comedian but he’s a beautiful guy. He’s like me, we’re two totally different guys in the ring and out of the ring.”
Duran was known as ‘Manos de Piedra’ – or ‘Hands of Stone’ – ad is regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, winning world titles in four weight divisions over a career that spanned five decades. He famously defeated Sugar Ray Leonard in their 1980 Brawl in Montreal.
