What is it like to step in the ring with Mike Tyson? This Fresno boxer can tell you
Stepping into the boxing ring against a pro fighter can be a bit intimidating, especially when you’re looking across at former undisputed world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s the young or older Tyson. Ultimately, it’s still the same man who posted a 50-6 career record with 44 knockouts while wreaking havoc in the ring up until his retirement in 2005.
Just ask Fresno boxer Jett Blackwell, an aspiring pro who was one of three men chosen as Tyson’s sparring partners at Tyson Ranch in California City, leading up to Saturday’s pay-per-view exhibition boxing bout against Roy Jones Jr. at about 8 p.m. PST at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
“I was shocked when I went in the first round,” Blackwell said. “He was like moving with me at first. He came in with throwing hard punches at the get-go, then after awhile I got comfortable. Every time I hit him, I can see it in his face that he’s going to get me. I think that’s what motivated him.
“The first time I sparred with him, I just thought it was going to be a normal day of sparring. My blood was rushing at times, but the nervous feeling went away and it was fun.”
The 19-year-old trained with Tyson from Aug. 15 to Nov. 20.
When he was selected for the sparring sessions, his parents, Jeff and Veronica, were against it, Blackwell said. The parents were worried for their son, fearing Tyson could hurt him after watching some of the ex-champ’s past fights.
Blackwell dismissed that and was excited for the opportunity.
“I couldn’t go to sleep,” he said. “I went to sleep at 5:45 a.m., and slept for 30 minutes to an hour. I was watching his videos of him on Instagram. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’m going to do in the ring and what punches to throw. It was the name Mike Tyson and what he’s done.”
Even Frank Aleman of Fresno’s Aleman Boxing club — Blackwell’s home gym — was a little nervous at first.
“You get intimidated by the size and by his face because he is the legend,” said Aleman, who would take Blackwell to Southern California on Mondays and pick him up on Fridays. “Once I saw him spar with Jett, I had no problem. There were moments when (Tyson is) giving that look. ... I don’t know if Jett noticed it. You can see (Tyson) land one good one with a left good hook. Jett took it and kept on going.”
Halle Berry, other celebrities turn out
There were other distractions, with notable celebrities on hand to watch.
Actress Halle Berry was there, along with her celebrity trainer Peter Lee Thomas.
Others who stopped by included Dennis Rodman, Metta World Peace and pro boxers Zab Judah and Andre Berto.
Blackwell said he had the chance to interact a bit with Rodman. But his focus, of course, was on Tyson, with whom he said he “ate food a couple times together.”
Tyson is expected to keep in touch, Blackwell said, and may want to spar with him again because the fight with Jones Jr. just might not be the swan song for the man whose nicknames include “Iron Mike.” “Kid Dynamite” and “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”
Blackwell’s pro boxing goals, ouch moment
Blackwell feels sparring with Tyson could help him when his pro career begins — whenever that might be.
The coronavirus pandemic halted those plans for now. Blackwell got tested several times for COVID-19 while he was training in California City.
He sparred with Tyson at least three rounds each day, but those rounds seem to fly by at a hectic pace for him. He was able to take a valuable lesson back to Fresno: Never let your guard down, even after practice is over.
“It’s cool to be chosen to be one of the sparring partners for a legendary heavyweight and one of the most legendary fighters of all time,” Blackwell said. “I went to shake his hands and instead of hitting my knuckles, he hit my chest. Like a friendly, hard tap — and it made my body move.”
This story was originally published November 28, 2020 at 2:10 PM.
