Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach had trained heavyweight great Mike Tyson at the tail-end of his career.
When Tyson was getting himself ready to fight Clifford Etienne in early 2003, Roach remember that he was very injury prone.
Tyson retired from the sport in 2005, after getting stopped by heavyweight journeyman Kevin McBride.
Tyson is now back in training, at 53-years-old, to return to the ring.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion is preparing to take part in a few exhibition bouts to raise money for charity.
Roach explains that he had fun training Tyson, but it wasn’t easy – because at that point in his career Tyson had already lost his motivation and had little desire.
Tyson admitted, after losing to McBride, that he lost the fire to fight and only accepted that contest to earn some money to pay off outstanding debts.
“Mike’s a great guy and I did train him for a couple of fights before the end of his career but his heart wasn’t really wasn’t in it at that time,” Roach told Chris Mannix on DAZN.
“If he didn’t knock you out in a couple of rounds he’d get a torn meniscus in his knee or an injury somewhere here or there. But the thing is Mike is a great puncher, he trains very hard.
“Being with Mike for two fights it was a lot of fun, I enjoyed it. Catching him on the mitts was very difficult and a lot of fun. Getting whacked by Mike Tyson with the right hook isn’t my favourite spot but I lived through it!”