Former Chute Boxe head coach and Kings MMA founder Rafael Cordeiro has been Mike Tyson's pad for four years. He doesn't need to be told that the foam and leather between him and oblivion isn't enough.
“After I saw him for the first time, my shoulder felt weird,” Cordeiro said Monday. MMA hour. “I couldn't pick up the mitts in the gym with my sons for at least six or seven months. My right shoulder was in pretty bad shape, so I stopped for a while to do some shoulder care and physical therapy.”
Cordeiro expects Tyson to seek medical attention after July 20, when he takes on Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. That's just the price of a training camp that began as soon as talk of a return fight arose and led to a booking with one of the most polarizing figures in martial arts.
As Tyson closes the distance, swinging his head from side to side before unleashing a series of deadly punches, Cordeiro can almost see his life flashing before his eyes. On June 30th, Tyson will turn 58 years old.
According to Cordeiro, all numbers are not created equal.
“It's different to hold the mitts for Mike,” he said. “No. His reaction is…one second from far to near. Sometimes I say 1-2-3 and he's already inside. If I don't back off, oh, Lord, that is impossible. I must go back.”
Tyson's latest pad session video has racked up millions of views on social media and was produced just last week. Cordeiro said the former heavyweight champion's team is working together to get in top condition for the July 20 bout, and they expected an even better performance than the exhibition match between Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. four years ago. He said he was looking forward to it.
There were many concerns about the wisdom of pairing a 58-year-old fighter with a fighter 31 years his junior, YouTuber or not. Cordeiro dismissed the stories as surface-level concerns that discredited Tyson's experience.
“I believe people don't need to worry,” he said. “We're talking about a guy who was a two-time champion. This guy didn't fight 20 fights in two years. He knows how to fight. He's one of the best players in the world. When he steps into the ring, he knows what to do. That's nothing new for Mike, and this match is no different.
“He goes out there hard every day and does his best to knock out Jake. This is just his style. Nobody needs to teach Mike Tyson how to fight, and he's still the same He'll prove that in July. …Mike will step into the ring as the old Mike Tyson and try to knock Jake out from start to finish.”
Cordeiro is still unsure whether Tyson's second fight in 19 years will go down in the permanent boxing record books, the length of the rounds and other details that could make a big difference for both fighters. do not have. All he knows is that Tyson takes Paul very seriously.
“He's already in shape,” Cordeiro said of Tyson. “We've already started the rounds in training, so it's great to see how he hits the mitts. He's a monster. …The only thing I can guarantee is that Mike will touch Jake. . It would be impossible for Mike not to touch Jake. Let's see how Jake reacts after that.”
Cordeiro and Tyson said they respect Paul and would not use his YouTube past to undermine his current work in boxing. That said, the longtime coach, who has worked with many fighters over the years, said Tyson reminds him of a time when the former champion was feared by the world. Ta.
Fans can see it in the video – Cordeiro can feel it directly when Tyson's glove makes contact with his pad.
“First round KO,” Cordeiro said of his prediction for the fight. “This is Mike Tyson. This is how he fights.”
