Boxing fans were stunned when the once-unthinkable was confirmed: legends Mike Tysonand Floyd Mayweatherwill meet in the ring for an exhibition bout in the spring of 2026.
While the announcement by CSI Sports/Fight Sports has ramped up excitement, it’s Tyson‘s recent admission of a softer training approach that’s grabbed headlines, and offers an unexpected glimpse into the mindset of a former heavyweight titan.
Speaking on the Katie Miller Pod, Tyson offered a rare moment of self-reflection, explaining that his biggest opponent these days isn’t across the gym, but within.
“I have a tendency to be a little lazy. So that’s why I beat myself up,” he confessed. To Tyson, the word “lazy” is simple: “not doing what I should be doing.”
This frank admission signals a far more grounded mindset than the relentless “Iron Mike” reputation he built in his prime.
Tyson continued, indicating that unlike his younger self, he no longer leans on fiery motivational speeches.
“I beat myself up. You don’t want to hear that, please. I can’t say that,” he said when asked about how he pushes himself. And at the mention of cursing to motivate himself, Tyson allowed: “curse is bad stuff. It’s really bad stuff.”
Those words underscore a mature tone, perhaps more mindful than menacing.
Training now isn’t the grueling, all-day grind he once lived. Rather than back-to-back sparring marathons, Tyson divides his workouts into manageable blocks.
“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 shared, describing a “pretty much routine-oriented lifestyle” that is steady if scaled-back.
Meanwhile, Mayweather is dialing in the opposite energy. On September 6, he posted Instagram videos that hardly whispered preparation.
Running indoors, clearly in peak condition, he told the camera, “We getting ready!” before calling himself a “well-oiled machine” and even training alongside a coach.
The contrast could not be starker: Tyson takes a measured, almost conversational approach, while Mayweather’s message is all business.
Tyson’s candor puts focus on what really matters
Tyson‘s admission of “laziness” may sound self-deprecating. In reality, it gives us insight into how a sports icon adapts with time, not with arrogance, but with honesty.
That same honesty extends to packing up all the flash and inviting the public to see these two icons simply “being in the ring.”
This exhibition isn’t about career records or titles. For Tyson and Mayweather, both Hall of Famers, it is arguably a stage to remind fans why they captivated audiences, not by dazzling with speed or power alone, but by bringing a very human edge to elite sport.
Read the full article here
