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Boxing

18th Nov 2020

Mike Tyson looks in the shape of his life ahead of comeback fight against Roy Jones Jr

In a series of pictures posted on Instagram, Mike Tyson looks in great physical condition - perhaps the fittest he's been for decades

Alex Roberts

The 54-year-old returns to the ring on Saturday, November 28th

Mike Tyson is in the shape of his life ahead of a comeback fight against Roy Jones Jr.

In a series of pictures posted on Instagram, Tyson looks in great physical condition – perhaps the fittest he’s been for decades.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHqlgW5hGXl/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHgAC6PFsQN/

It’s been a while since Tyson last set foot in the boxing ring.

One of the greatest heavyweights to ever live, the 54-year-old officially retired from boxing in 2005 after an illustrious and decorated career.

Although he stepped back into the ring for a few post-retirement exhibition bouts against Corey ‘T-Rex’ Sanders, this upcoming fight against Roy Jones Jr sees Mike Tyson in his best physical condition in years.

A lot of that is the work of a brand-new strength and conditioning programme Tyson has adopted.

Speaking to podcast host Joe Rogan about his training plan, Tyson said:

“I’m doing little / light weights with lots of reps and explosive movements.

“Getting in shape isn’t easy, it’s continuous stuff. It’s consistency.”

Tyson previously lost a lot of weight on the vegan diet, but says he is no longer plant-based. He now views food for its purpose in nourishing the body, not something eaten for enjoyment.

He said: “I realised things that are good for other people like the kale and the vegetables and the blueberries, I think for me it’s really poisonous.

“That stuff’s not good for my blood type and my health conditions.”

Tyson said he struggled with veganism and would often not eat enough, sometimes going two or three days without eating anything. He says his wife would call him “the miserable vegan”.

Tyson also made headlines recently when he admitted to using a fake penis in order to pass a drug test.

Speaking to the UFC’s Jeff Novitsky, Tyson said he used a Whizzinator to get around drug tests before he fought Lou Saverese in Glasgow in 2000. The Whizzinator is essentially a prosthetic penis that can carry fluid.

Tyson said he filled it with his child’s urine.

“I put my baby’s urine in it,” he said.

“One time I was using my wife’s [urine] and my wife was like, ‘Baby, you better not hope that it comes back pregnant or something.’ And I said, ‘Nah, so we ain’t gonna use you any more, we’re gonna use the kid’.

“Because I got scared that the p*** might come back as pregnant.”