Watch: Canelo Alvarez Trains His Neck Similar to Young Mike Tyson

A YouTube video of Canelo Alvarez working hard to strengthen his neck muscles seems to be gaining some traction. Has it anything to do with the announcement of the Cinco de Mayo title defense? The caption of the video might allude to this notion. To many die-hard fans, it might take them down memory lane when a young Mike Tyson used to roll on his head, just like wrestlers to sculpt a super-solid impact-resistant neck.

Early this week, on March 12, news came that Canelo Alvarez reportedly has a fight in hand. He will tentatively face fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia on May 4 in Las Vegas. The latter, a former light middleweight champion, defeated John Ryder on January 27 to retain his WBC silver super middleweight title. The much-vaunted fight follows months of speculation, rumors, and talks over Canelo Alvarez’s prospective opponent.

The Art of Channeling Mike Tyson: Canelo Alvarez Necks-it-Out

The message on FightHype uploaded footage read, “Canelo TORTURES Neck with GRUELLING Exercise to WALK THROUGH Jaime Munguia’s BEST KO SHOT.” With a Mexican number playing in the background, the first shot begins with the undisputed super middleweight champion forming a bridge. Alvarez’s stomach faces the ground. While his head rests on a bosu ball, his feet remain planted on the ground.

The Mexican icon then moves his head front and back, which helps condition his neck muscles. The next sequence features him throwing combinations on a reflex bag. No doubt the exercise, combined with other drills, makes Canelo Alvarez one of the most difficult boxers to hit. More so, once it teams up with his strong chin, the super middleweight champion becomes almost unbeatable.

To many fans, the clips might take them on a nostalgic drive back to when ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson used to undergo grueling training sessions while preparing for a fight. Special emphasis was laid on building neck muscles.

Why Mike Tyson Worked on Neck Muscles

One of the most notable aspects of Mike Tyson’s formidable physical presence was the impressive thickness of his bulging neck muscles. So what prompted his particular focus on it? The major reason why Tyson took up the challenge to acquire the wrestler’s neck was to mitigate the impact of a head punch. If an opponent managed to make a connect with his head, thanks to his neck muscles, the head would bounce back.

Thereby, it contributed to better protection against concussive impact. Additionally, even in a case where he received a heavy punch in the face, a muscular neck helped him recover much faster. It would have been difficult and perhaps dangerous had he neglected his neck. Alongside his overall strength, footwork, and technique, Tyson’s strong neck served as a force multiplier. Despite his fearsome reputation as an attacker, the technique helped the former world champion build a strong defense.

In a strict sense, the May 4 fight will be Canelo Alvarez’s fourth title defense. He became the undisputed champion in 2021. After scoring a unanimous victory over John Ryder in May last year, he wound up Jermell Charlo emphatically when they met on September 30.

Thereafter began days and weeks of theories and forecasts over the new year’s first fight. All the fans wanted to see Alvarez take on David Benavidez. Despite the latter’s status as the WBC mandatory challenger, discussions about a fight never came to fruition. Given the sheer weight difference, a fight with Terence Crawford appeared far-fetched to many. Hence, the options shrank to Edgar Berlanga and Jaime Munguia. It remains to be seen whether Canelo Alvarez will take on Berlanga for the year’s second fight.

Read More: Canelo Alvarez’s Manager Denies Being Offered $55 Million To Fight David Benavidez

Do you otherwise think Jaime Munguia can do the unthinkable and inflict the third career defeat on Canelo Alvarez? Let us know in the comments below!

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