Francis Ngannou has admitted that he was left stunned by Mike Tyson when he worked with the boxing legend last year.
Mike Tyson is currently training for his upcoming fight with Jake Paul on 15 November but last year stepped into the role of coach for Francis Ngannou ahead of his fight with Tyson Fury.
This will be Tyson’s first professional fight since 2005, in which he lost to Kevin McBride, and his first time in the ring since 2020, when he faced Roy Jones Jr.
Although Ngannou lost on the night he gave the ‘Gypsy King’ a serious run for his money and Tyson certainly left his mark on the former UFC star.
- Who is Mike Tyson? Get to know the former heavyweight king who owned three tigers and is fighting Jake Paul
Francis Ngannou praised Mike Tyson’s boxing skills
Even at the age of 58, Tyson has still regularly impressed in recent training videos.
Known as one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time, ‘Iron Mike’ is still largely the favorite for the bout against Paul and while Ngannou admitted that he isn’t quite at the level he was during his glory days, his former coach is still incredibly gifted.
“He’s definitely not as he was when he was young, but when he moves around and shows you something, I’m like, ‘What the hell is this’,” Ngannou said.
“His footwork is still there.
“He can still move from your left to your right in the blink of an eye.”
Tyson insists he will be ready for November fight
There’s been plenty of concerns surrounding Tyson’s health going into the November bout.
The fight had to be rescheduled from its original 15 July date after the 58-year-old suffered an ulcer flare-up whilst there are legitimate worries that he could be seriously injured against Paul.
Paul made light of this at their recent press conference, stating: “I was ready before, you needed a little break. Your tummy hurt still?”
Tyson admitted that he had felt unwell in the build-up but is more than prepared for their head-to-head.
“I had a small adversity,” he claimed.
“I got sick, but I’m better. I feel good.”