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‘It’s a Whole Different Level of Athletics’: Despite Winning Mr. Olympia 8 Times, Ronnie Coleman Wanted Nothing to Do With This Beast

Published 09/16/2022, 11:15 AM EDT

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8-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman is considered to be a legend in the sport of bodybuilding. He holds the title of having the most number of Mr. Olympia’s head of other legends, like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jay Cutler.

However, even ‘The King’ was skeptical of his chances in the ring against former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. In an interview on his YouTube channel, Coleman was asked if he would ever challenge the likes of Hulk Hogan or Tyson in the ring. He stated that he could do very well against Hogan in the ring and put up a good fight.

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In actuality, I probably could have jumped in the ring with Hulk Hogan. I think I can probably give him a run for his money,” said Coleman.

However, he then went on to describe his chances against Tyson, claiming that he would not fare well against him. He added that his boxing skills weren’t close to Iron Mike, who was on a different level. “As far as Mike Tyson with my ability to box, I don’t think I can hope really willing to challenge him. So that’s a whole different level of athletics.” he added.

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Coleman knows his limits as an athlete and made a wise comparison between him and Tyson. Although the former bodybuilding legend might have the power and physique to compete with Iron Mike, he certainly does not possess the skill.

Why was Mike Tyson so feared?

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Tyson was also a master of mental warfare, along with being one of the most skilled boxers. He used his intimidating persona to strike fear in his opponents before the fight even began. This, combined with his brutal knockout power, made him the most feared boxer of his time. Moreover, he used intimidation tactics taught by his mentor Cus D’Amanto on how to make his opponents fear him.

via Getty

Fighters would be subjected to mental warfare after seeing Tyson’s build and muscularity. This was usually followed by an ice-cold stare-down where iron Mike looked straight into his opponent’s eyes till they looked away. Calling boxers scared doesn’t quite cover the fear Tyson ensued, as his opponents were fearful for their well-being.

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Written by:

Sahil Sood

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Sahil Sood is a Boxing writer at EssentiallySports. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication, and holds a keen interest in the 'sweet science'. His journey towards following boxing began when he first saw the highlights of Mike Tyson as a teenager, and then closely followed the rise of Floyd Mayweather.
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Edited by:

Ajinkya Aswale