Mike Tyson Admits Laziness in Crucial Training Update for Floyd Mayweather Fight

Mike Tyson isn’t going all in this time

At the height of his career, ‘Iron Mike’ Tyson combined brutal trash talk with devastating knockouts, stringing together a 37-fight unbeaten run before his shocking loss to Buster Douglas in 1990. Many still consider him the scariest fighter in history, but at 59, that ferocity has clearly mellowed. In a recent interview on the Katie Miller Pod, Tyson showed a more reflective side, even when discussing his current training habits.

When asked about his motivation in the gym, Tyson admitted he doesn’t rely on the same pep talks others might use. “I beat myself up. You don’t want to hear that, please. I can’t say that,” he told her, refusing to reveal exactly what he says to himself. Pressed further on whether he curses at himself, Tyson replied, “curse is bad stuff. It’s really bad stuff.”

Tyson explained that while he trains more than the average person, he still struggles with discipline. “I have a tendency to be a little lazy. So that’s why I beat myself up,” he said. To him, laziness is simply “not doing what I should be doing.” When asked about his current workout routine, Tyson admitted it’s no longer the grueling sessions of his prime.

Instead of heavy training schedules, Mike Tyson now breaks his day into lighter, separate workouts. “I may leave here and do legs because I already did arms this morning. Backs. So I am going to do legs when I leave here,” he said. Though less intense than in his prime, the 59-year-old insisted he still keeps a “pretty much” routine-oriented lifestyle.

Meanwhile, Floyd Mayweather is already in fight mode. On September 6, he posted several Instagram videos showing himself running indoors, confidently telling the camera, “We getting ready!” In another clip, he described himself as a “well-oiled machine,” even pulling a coach alongside him for the run. The contrasting approaches are telling: Tyson is relaxed, while Mayweather looks all business. Yet despite Mayweather’s intensity, doubts remain whether this exhibition will truly capture fans’ interest. Why, you ask?

The days of old-school violence are behind Mike Tyson

On the latest episode of Good Guy / Bad Guy on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Daniel Cormier made his stance clear. “The one thing we promise people when we sign that contract is violence,” he said, stressing that it’s the core reason audiences tune in. For him, the appeal of fighting has always been tied to the raw intensity and chaos it delivers.

Cormier even compared modern combat sports to ancient spectacles like gladiator battles, bullfighting, and the brutal contests of the Roman Coliseum. In his view, fans have always been drawn to “chaos and destruction.” But with exhibitions, he argued, that promise is stripped away. Without the expectation of real danger or decisive outcomes, Cormier questioned what’s left to hold people’s attention.

His concern deepened when considering how exhibitions are packaged. “When it’s an exhibition, when you almost tell us exactly that you are not going to give us that, why, or how do you expect people to tune in?” he asked. He pointed out that these events aren’t sold like traditional pay-per-views but instead streamed on platforms like Netflix, marketed as entertainment rather than genuine competition.

Chael Sonnen echoed his point, saying the very idea of an exhibition undermines what makes a sport a sport. “You have two guys that are trying to win within the time constraints. That’s it,” Sonnen explained. “And if you say exhibition, which means we are not trying to win, I as a viewer get a little bit confused.” Cormier immediately agreed, asking the obvious question: “So why are they fighting?”

For Sonnen, the answer is simple: money. Still, he found the promotion of this fight unusual. Typically, big events are heavily backed by organizations and sanctioning bodies like the WBC, IBF, or IBO. This time, none of those names were present on the poster. “All they have done so far is drop a poster, but all of those words and acronyms were curiously removed,” he noted. Both Sonnen and Cormier believe the lack of violence, structure, and legitimacy leaves fans wondering if this exhibition offers anything beyond hype. So, what are your thoughts on the matchup?