“We Can Die in Training” Mike Tyson Gets Real About the Hazards of Sparring

Sparring is an effective and essential component of combat sports training. It replicates a real fight; the boxer develops practical application of his skills and becomes best prepared for his bout. Usually, the norm of sparring is to not hurt an individual and prevent injuries. However, it is common for fighters to have intense sparring sessions which can lead to catastrophic outcomes.

Mike Tyson, known as the baddest man to ever live, was a powerhouse in sparring as well. In the recent episode of his podcast, “Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson,” the 2-time former Heavyweight champion revealed how hazardous sparring can get. Not to mention, to substantiate his claim, he gave personal anecdotes of his time.

Mike Tyson and his frightening sparring stories

Tyson was a feared individual and he carried that aura around him in his sparing sessions. In the recent most episode of his podcast, “Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson,” Dr. Abhinav Gautam appeared on the show as a guest. Gautam is a physician, inventor, and entrepreneur amongst other things. During the episode, he asked Tyson about his sparring sessions and wondered if they were replicas of his fights.

Tyson responded by asserting that sparring and training for a professional fight is strenuous. At times, he was responsible for breaking someone’s jaw and knocking them out to the extent that they had to spend time in hospital. He stated, “We can die in training. Listen one guy i was boxing and his jaw[depicts jaw coming out]”

He added, “Some times guy, get knocked out cold and go to hospital for a days it’s just scary you never know.” Safe to say that Tyson was a fierce competitor in spars as well. However, there were times when Tyson was the nail and not the hammer.

One of Mike Tyson’s sparring partner beat him up for 3 months

Tyson, in his podcast, revealed that a sparring partner named Waymore Reese used to dominate him in sparring for 3 months until he landed one clean and knocked him out. That being said, Tyson did not consider his one punch to abate the humiliation of being beaten multiple times. In the podcast, he stated, “I know this guy, Waymore Reese. He was from Atlantic City, he would beat me every day, he would beat me like Muhammad Ali playing the Bengals on my bongos. He beat my a*s. One day, I hit him and knocked him cold.”

Read more: “I Got Rocked” – Mike Tyson Recalls His First Sparring Session in 15 Years