Trouble ahead for Franci, says Tyson’s trainer

“Anything can happen in a fight and we are all aware of that,” Brooks said on Sunday. “But Mike says he wants to look sensational and that means trouble for Julius. Julius is a great guy, but he’s in for a rude awakening come next Saturday.”

The two heavyweights meet at the men arena in Manchester in Tyson’s latest comeback fight as the former undisputed World champion continues the road back to get the belts currently owned by Lennox Lewis.

Tyson sees an impressive victory over journeyman Francis (21-7) as a stepping stone towards a possible fight with Lewis towards the end of this year or early 2001.

“Our ultimate goal is Lennox Lewis,” Brooks said. “That’s the guy who has the belt and that’s the guy we want. Julius Francis is just a guy standing in the way of that so that’s why I brought this 223-pound sleeping pill with me from the States. I think Mike is the only fighter out there for Lennox to make any real money. Things are in the works.”

Brooks said he believed Tyson to be 80 per cent as dynamic as when he unified the championship back in 1986-87 and said he would also benefit from extra maturity.

“Right now I think Mike is a better fighter than he used to be because he’s more mature now,” he said. “He understands what he’s doing and he’s not just looking for that one punch knock-out. He’s learnt how to set things up and he has become a tremendous athlete.”

Tyson has been in England for a week and, in between training sessions at the five-star Grosvenor House Hotel in swanky Park Lane, has been mobbed by fans and chased by a hungry media everywhere he went.