Mike Tyson's Ex-Sparring Partner Weighs In On Former Heavyweight Champ Ahead Of Exhibition Match

Boxing star John Bray, who used to spar with Mike Tyson, believes “Iron Mike” would be as successful as he was during his prime against any of the current heavyweight champions.

Accounts from Tyson’s peers and colleagues revealed he was vicious even during sparring sessions. The former heavyweight champ didn’t take sparring matches lightly and often knocked out his opponents in the process.

This was confirmed by Bray, who used to spar with Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield. The former National AAU Heavyweight Championship winner recently recalled how a prime Tyson would end up dropping almost all the opponents he faced during training.

“Sparring with Mike Tyson was not sparring, you’re fighting Mike Tyson, and you’re tryin’ to survive man,” Bray said in an interview with EsNews. “He dropped all his sparring partners (but) he never dropped me, I can say this.”

Amid the pandemic, Tyson, at 54, decided to make an epic return. He has started training again and is now scheduled for an exhibition match against fellow boxing legend Roy Jones Jr.

But prior to Tyson’s comeback, boxing fans had wondered how he would fare against the current top-tiers of the heavyweight division. Based on Bray's assessment, nothing much has changed as Tyson could still win against opponents much younger than him.

“He would be as successful as he was in his prime,” the former national amateur boxing champion predicted.

During his boxing days, Bray didn’t manage to flourish in the pros. He officially retired in 1998 with a pro record of 15-3-2.

However, the 50-year-old insisted that had there been an opportunity at the time, he and Tyson would have definitely settled it inside the ring.

“But two men, me and him [Tyson], one-on-one, it’s a fight! He knows it’s a fight,” he pointed out.

Tyson vs. Jones is scheduled to take place on Nov. 28 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Ahead of the fight, Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole confirmed that contrary to what most boxing fans are expecting, the two legendary fighters will be “wearing bigger gloves to protect each other and won’t be trying to knock each other out.”

However, the bout is still being promoted and even put on pay-per-view like a professional fight and will be officially sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission.