Mike Tyson helping Francis Ngannou plot Tyson Fury ambush

LAS VEGAS – In a black-walled gym tucked away in a quiet corner of Las Vegas, Mike Tyson looks on approvingly as the unmistakable sound of violent, powerful punches fills the air.

Thirty-seven years after rewriting boxing’s record books by becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in history at the age of 20, the American is plotting another ambush.

He has been hired to help train mixed martial arts star Francis Ngannou ahead of the Cameroonian’s money-spinning heavyweight boxing showdown with Britain’s Tyson Fury taking place in Saudi Arabia on Oct 28.

In the eyes of bookmakers at least, the odds are stacked against Ngannou, who will climb into the ring against the undefeated Fury – 33 victories, including 24 knockouts – having never boxed professionally.

Yet as the 1.93m Ngannou unleashes an array of punches on his heavily padded trainer, Dewey Cooper, the mood is anything but pessimistic.

Occasionally, Tyson, standing to one side, will intervene to correct a movement or suggest a subtle tweak. Ngannou, a long-time fan of the boxing icon, relishes each suggestion.

“He comes from time to time to lend a hand, to give his expertise,” he said.

“I had specifically asked for him to train me four years ago, long before this fight was announced, when I first met him. He has something inspiring, something motivating. If I could ever have just a tiny piece of what he has, boxing would be very easy for me.”

Ngannou, 37, has taken a long and unconventional road to his boxing debut.

He first took up boxing in his 20s in his native Cameroon, later moving to Paris hoping to forge a professional career.

But he would ultimately end up in the rough and tumble world of mixed martial arts, eventually becoming the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s heavyweight champion and one of the circuit’s biggest stars, winning 17 of his 20 fights – including 12 by knockout.

Whether his skills in the octagon will translate to the boxing ring remains to be seen. Tyson, however, says he has been impressed by what he has seen.

“We’re in a good position over here. He’s very dedicated, he put forth the effort and I think people will be pretty much more surprised than they anticipated,” he said.

“This is the biggest fight in boxing right now. In fact, there’s no doubt about it. It’ll be the biggest upset in the history of entertainment. I think I bring him the confidence that this could be accomplished.”

Should Fury feel nervous?

“I don’t know if he’s nervous or not, but he should be,” Tyson added. AFP