Some combat stories are so intense and savage that they resemble folklore. A young Mike Tyson running through dark alleys at 4 a.m., punching ghosts as the rest of the world sleeps. And former undisputed middleweight god-king Marvin Hagler vanishing from society, dashing through snowy dunes wearing combat boots and screaming “War!” into the emptiness. You hear these things and wonder if it truly happened that way! Or are these just fantastic tales told by fighters to help them enhance their legend? According to Joe Rogan, at least for these two warriors, the truth is more hardcore than myth.

On episode #2316 of the Joe Rogan Experience, the UFC commentator spoke with his longtime friend and hunting buddy Cameron Hanes about the legendary habits of some of boxing’s most feared guys. They were discussing the usual exaggerations that circulate in fight gyms—routines that sound superhuman. “You would hear exaggerations—you always hear exaggerations—that come out of fight gyms,” Rogan said. But when Hanes brought up Mike Tyson’s infamous 4 a.m. workout, Rogan did not hesitate. “Yes, well, Tyson did train like that,” he confirmed.

There was no myth about that segment. Tyson’s pre-dawn runs and bodyweight marathons were all too real. But then the UFC commentator took it to the next level. He switched the focus to Marvin Hagler, the man who trained like a soldier isolated from civilization. “He used to run—he used to train on the sand dunes in the Cape of Cape Cod in the middle of the winter, and he would just be running, screaming ‘War!’—just throwing punches. He would run in combat boots, dude—he was an animal. Just Spartan.”

That single word—Spartan—hit like a left hook. Hagler was not training to impress anyone. He trained to destroy your body and soul. According to Joe Rogan, isolation was as harsh as the physical labor. “He would tell his wife and family, ‘I’m gone—I don’t exist—I’m gone for two months,’ and he would just vanish.” He holed up in the Provincetown Inn, with no phones, no contact, and no distractions. Just warlike preparation!

Every day was the same: runs through freezing sand, 100 rounds of sparring every week, and never-ending drills—his life was tailored for violence. And this was not for the camera. It was for the edge—the mental and physical edge he required to pass anyone in front of him. So yes, gyms exaggerate. Fighters talk. Legends get stretched. But occasionally you meet folks like Mike Tyson and Marvin Hagler, and you realize the truth is more raw than any fiction you’ve heard.

They weren’t just fighters. They were self-made war machines, punishing their minds and bodies every day to ensure that when the lights came on and the bell rang, they’d already won the battle before it even started. In fact, Joe Rogan even believes that Tyson, with his training regime, would have defeated the fighter that even Muhammad Ali called ‘The Toughest.’

Joe Rogan roots for Mike Tyson against one of the greatest challenges

When Joe Rogan spoke about Tyson, his tone was one of conviction rather than admiration. After revealing the brutal realities of Tyson’s training routine, the UFC commentator didn’t hesitate to elevate him to the ranks of boxing legends. And to support his case, he brought up one of the most famous what-ifs in boxing history: what would have happened if a prime Mike Tyson had met the iron-willed Rocky Marciano? The answer, in Joe Rogan’s opinion, was simple: Tyson would have steamrolled him.

Rogan and Cameron Hanes came across the topic while discussing ridiculous training routines. So, of course, Marciano’s name came up. The man was a workhorse from another period. Ten miles in the morning, five at night, swimming across lakes, and sparring for dozens of rounds like a machine with no off switch. Joe Rogan undoubtedly acknowledged the grit. He gave it a lot of respect. But appreciation does not distort reality.

And the truth the JRE host depicted was stark: Mike Tyson would have ripped through the undefeated 49-0 Marciano like a freight train through a bunch of sheep. That is not disrespectful; it is physics, power, and a different era of savagery. Because, as tough as Marciano was, the game had changed by the time Tyson arrived. Fighters were bigger, quicker, and meaner. Marciano may have fought opponents heavier than him, but the UFC commentator made it clear that fighting “bigger” is not the same as fighting Tyson.

Even though Tyson and Marciano were the same height, Tyson’s 220-pound body was packed with explosive muscle and raw aggression. Joe Rogan did not dismiss Marciano’s legacy; rather, he distinguished greatness from nightmare. Marciano was a legend. Tyson was a separate species altogether. But what do you think? Do you agree with his opinion? Let us know in the comments.