“Magic” Mike Russell, a cruiserweight boxer out of Petaluma, California, was a decorated amateur boxer, who won a regional title in just two fights, is getting to spar one of the greatest boxers of all-time, Mike Tyson, as Tyson preps for Saturday, November 28th, clash with Roy Jones Jr.

“This is such a humbling experience,” said Russell after the final day of camp and seconds after taking a photo with the legend himself Mike Tyson, and Jake Paul, who fights in the co-main event. “I think Roy is going have trouble, Mike’s going to come in, he is strong, he is so fast, it doesn’t feel like he is 54-years-old.”

The man Russell is talking about Mike Tyson, needs no introduction. Tyson defeated 11 undefeated opponents, nine of which by knockout, and became the youngest heavyweight world champion at 20-years-old. Tyson was bigger than boxing, he was an icon of the highest level of boxing, and became a symbol for toughness and strength to not just boxing fans, but the world.

Russell, who turned professional in 2017, saw his confidence grow being in a camp with legend, Tyson.

“Everything happens for a reason,” said Russell reflectively “The fact that my daughter came at the right time, I am getting eight-weeks off of work, that whole time I was able to be here for Mike.”

Russell, an explosive and dynamic fighter, is fiercely loyal, and that loyalty is returned by the words of Tyson’s Billy White.

“Not have [Team Russell] brought the best sparring for Mike [Tyson], the fact of the matter, back to the fun, we train diligently, balls to the walls, a couple of hours a day,” said Billy White, who is Mike Tyson’s coach for this bout. “After that, you’re still living life, you still got to go to dinner, and we all had fun together.”

The experience has been life-changing for Russell, who has had countless rounds with the legend himself, Tyson, not to mention a ton of positive affirmations from one of the sport’s greatest to ever do it.

Tyson, who fights Roy Jones Jr., on pay-per-view, available on the Triller App and Fite TV, will be a throwback to many fight fans youth, as the two are probably the two most polarizing fighters in the last forty years of the sport, and in the mix with these greats, is our hometown guy, Mike Russell.