‘One of my best friends’: Inside Mike Tyson and Jeff Fenech’s 40-year bond

Mike Tyson’s former trainer and one of his best friends, Jeff Fenech, reveals all about their 40-year friendship and the health scare that had Tyson in doubt for the fight against Jake Paul.

Jeff Fenech has hosed down concerns surrounding Mike Tyson’s fitness after the former heavyweight world champion had a health scare on a flight in the US this week.

Less than two months out from his boxing match with Jake Paul, Tyson needed medical attention after landing in Los Angeles from Miami.

A spokesperson for Tyson revealed the 57-year-old “became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare up 30 minutes before landing.”

But Fenech, who was in Tyson’s corner for his last professional fight in 2005 and remains good mates with ‘Kid Dynamite’, revealed he will be fit and firing on July 20.

“He was just nauseous on the plane and it’s nothing to be concerned about – he’ll be fine,” Fenech told this masthead.

“I rang up one of his best friends, Darryl Francis, who used to do everything for Mike, and Darryl told me everything’s fine.

Tyson is scheduled to fight Jake Paul in July. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s a bit over-exaggerated. He vomited, got a little bit sick, but he’s better now.”

Tyson’s showdown with Paul will be his first professional fight since his 2005 loss to Kevin McBride, when Fenech threw in the towel to save him from taking any more punishment.

Since then, he has had an exhibition bout with fellow boxing icon Roy Jones Jr in 2020, and despite the health scare, Fenech predicts an early stoppage for Tyson.

“If Mike does what he does best, it’ll only go 30 or 40 seconds,” he said. “When he fought Roy Jones, he didn’t try to hurt Roy, and that was very respectful.

“But hopefully he wants to hurt this guy, and if he does, it’ll be over very quick.”

The 57-year-old Tyson had a health scare on a flight this week. Picture: Getty Images

MATES

Fenech’s friendship with Tyson goes back nearly 40 years after meeting at an awards ceremony in America.

“I was the runner-up for best boxer in the world to Sugar Ray Leonard, and Mike walked past me and said, ‘Hey, Jeff Fenech, my favourite fighter’ and gave me a big hug. It was amazing,” Fenech said. “From then on, whenever I went to America or Las Vegas, I’d spend time with him.

“Nine times out of 10 you’d just have to go to the Versace shop at Casesars Palace and the whole place would be closed down for him.

“I caught up with him there on quite a few occasions, and he always rush me in with him.

“Other times, we’d be walking and he’d pull out $500 cash and wouldn’t think twice about giving it away to homeless people.

“Those are the stories that mean the most to me.

“He’s a great man, and of course, he went through some highs and lows – he’s ridden the rollercoaster – but he’s turned it all around and he’s doing amazing things for a lot of people.”

Fenech and Tyson go way back. Picture: Supplied

EYE OF THE TIGER

The Marrickville Mauler and the Baddest Man on the Planet became so close that Fenech would sometimes take his whole family to America to holiday with Tyson.

That became an issue when Fenech’s youngest daughter, Kayla, told her school friends about what she’d been up to.

“A teacher rang up and told us to come down to the school,” Fenech said. “When we got there, they told us that my little daughter had been up on stage telling the school she’d been at Mike Tyson’s house patting and playing with his pet tiger.

“We lived just around the corner from the school, so I asked the lady to give me five minutes, and I went home and got the photos so she could show the school.

“They believed Kayla the next time.”

Fenech and Tyson pose with Tyson's pet tiger in the 1990s. Picture: Supplied

WHAT’S TATT?

By 2003, and just months after his one-sided loss to Lennox Lewis, Fenech was officially Tyson’s trainer as the American prepared to fight Clifford Etienne.

The eight week training camp was going smoothly until Tyson failed to show up to the gym one afternoon.

By that evening, Fenech was getting worried.

“He finally came back to the house and he walked in with that big face tattoo,” Fenech said. “I’d done the whole camp with him, but I ended up going home and Freddy Roach was in his corner for the fight.”

Tyson ended up knocking Etienne out inside one minute, and Roach got the credit.

Tyson (R) with his fresh face tattoo, knocked out Clifford Etienne in one round. Picture: Getty Images

THE END

Two years later, Fenech was again Tyson’s head trainer for his bout against McBride in what would be his last pro bout for nearly 20 years.

When an exhausted Tyson struggled back to his feet after being pushed over in the sixth round, Fenech stopped the fight.

“I wouldn’t change anything,” Fenech said. “I’m happy with the decisions I made and that’s why we’re great friends today.”

Fenech (L) gives Tyson some advice during his fight with McBride. Picture: Getty Images

HEALTH

When Fenech suffered his own life-threatening health scare in March, Tyson was one of the first people to get in touch.

“We’ve been talking a lot on Facetime,” Fenech said. “We’ve had quite a few Facetime calls and phone calls, which makes me really happy.

“I classify him as one of my best friends. I think he’s now in the best place he’s ever been.”

Fenech, who celebrates his 60th birthday on Tuesday, was rushed to hospital for open heart surgery in March, but is bouncing back rapidly.

“My heart rate is back to normal and the clot beside my heart is gone, that was pretty scary,” he said.

“I’m ready to get back to my life, get back to my training.

“I’m giving up training other fighters pretty soon.

“I just want to get back to my family and my wife. I’ll do commentary, be happy, travel and take as much time as I want with my wife and family.”

Originally published as ‘One of my best friends’: Inside Mike Tyson and Jeff Fenech’s 40-year bond