You need a heavyweight champion in your corner to beat another heavyweight champion. Francis Ngannou couldn’t have a better man than Mike Tyson to help him polish his boxing skills ahead of his boxing debut against Tyson Fury on October 28. While no title is on the line, the event’s magnanimous scale is unparalleled. With less than a week’s time left before the action takes place in Riyadh, there is another talking point. How did ‘Iron Mike’ find himself sandwiched in a crossover fight? What does his involvement add up to?

It took almost six years for the MMA-boxing world to converge again. The first time it happened, Conor McGregor stood across from Floyd Mayweather in the squared circle in 2017. Now it’s Ngannou’s time to engrave his name in history books. Therefore, when a call from the former UFC champion came, Mike Tyson was quick to get on board. You simply don’t miss those.

Mike Tyson and his training tryst with Francis Ngannou

The 57-year-old tormented his opponents in the ring, and his vicious, relentless approach evoked fear in his foes. His punches pierced through adversaries’ guards and left them flatlined. Likewise, Ngannou has made a name for himself as a dreaded knockout artist. It won’t be wrong to say that Tyson sees a reflection of his younger self in ‘The Predator’.

“I’d like to do that. That’d be cool,” Tyson told ESNews in July when asked whether he would coach Ngannou. Soon the visuals started dropping off of their training, and the American boxer lauded Ngannou for his punching power.

Considered an underdog before the addition of Tyson to his camp, Ngannou’s chances have received a significant boost. The Cameroonian-French fighter is gradually molding himself into a professional boxer under the prudent eyes of Tyson.

“I am helping Ngannou. I am learning what he is able to do. He’s able to do so much more than I anticipated… Once he lands a punch on Tyson Fury’s jaw, he is going to knock him out too. Nobody can survive that,” Tyson told the Daily Mail recently. Hence, ‘Kid Dynamite’ has banked his faith in Ngannou’s punching prowess. But why did he shoulder the responsibility to train Ngannou?

The real reason Mike Tyson is training Ngannou

The former heavyweight champion has a straightforward rationale. To be part of an “immortal event”. While Tyson gave the boxing world some iconic fights throughout his career, an MMA-boxing crossover in Riyadh again puts him in the spotlight.

“How many times do you really get to be at an immortal event? How many in your life would you be able to do something with this magnitude? So of course I’d want to say yes to be a part of it,” Tyson admitted in an interview.

Read More: “You Know How Hard It Is to Take Care of It”: Despite Not Buying the $4.4 Million Mansion Himself, Mike Tyson Details Reason He Regrets Living in the 45,000 Square Feet Purchase

Meanwhile, he continues to get bashed by John Fury for abandoning the boxing community. However, Tyson is unfazed and focused on his assignment. To make sure, Ngannou gets his hand raised and slays the undefeated British champion. Whether Ngannou pulls off an upset or not, Tyson would leave Riyadh after witnessing history and adding another accolade to his resume.

How does Mike Tyson’s involvement affect his boxing legacy?

To be fair to Tyson and his ardent fans, his legacy as ‘the Baddest Man on the Planet’ is set in stone. The ferocious fighter has nothing to prove and doesn’t need anyone else to carry the torch. Since his retirement in 2005, the title of ‘the Baddest man on the Planet’ has been thrown to numerous heavyweight champions. But no one comes close to replacing Tyson.

The New York-born and Ngannou both share a story of resistance where they found a refugee in boxing, and it turned around their lives. A chance to help Ngannou is akin to a master helping a young professional polish the art of boxing. In doing so, Tyson is revisiting his younger days and also contributing to Ngannou’s journey.

What do you make of Mike Tyson helping Francis Ngannou train? Is he trying to continue his ‘Baddest man on the Planet’ legacy through Francis Ngannou? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch This Story: 57-Year-Old Mike Tyson Called Out to Fight on Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou Undercard