HUDDERSFIELD’S Mark Reynolds is having an “unbelievable” time as part of Mike Tyson’s UK tour staff.
The 42-year-old founder and coach of Rawthorpe Amateur Boxing Club is acting as one of Tyson’s escorts on his whirlwind trip around the country.
Reynolds will stay with Tyson and his management until next Wednesday – and he’s enjoying every minute.
“I’m living the dream, meeting lots of my boxing idols along the way,” said Reynolds.
“It was absolute mayhem when Mike, his family and his team arrived, with fans and media from around the world making it a massive event.
“Wherever we’ve been there have been big crowds, I’ve done almost 1,000 miles since I joined up with the tour party and it’s been an absolutely unbelievable time.
“I had to pick up Ken Buchanan from the railway station the other day and had a great time talking to him about his career, fighters from his era and boxing as it is today.
“I’ve also spent time with Alan Minter, Chris Eubank was around for a while on one of the days and there have been so many people from the world of boxing there are really too many to mention.”
Reynolds has been driving Tyson and his guests around and also working as part of the stage security team when the American former World Heavyweight champion has been speaking at his various functions.
And, when it comes to character references, Reynolds is definitely in the Tyson corner.
“Whatever people perceive of Mike Tyson because of his reputation and some of the things which have happened in his life, I can tell them that he’s an absolute gentleman,” added Reynolds.
“He is very humble, he clearly doesn’t think of himself as the global star that he is, and in all the time that I’ve been around him in the past week he’s shown himself to be a smashing, accommodating individual.
“He’s very knowledgeable, not just about boxing but a whole range of subjects, his family are lovely people and I can’t speak highly enough of him. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to be part of the tour and it’s something I’ll never forget.”
While Tyson’s schedule is constantly changing, Reynolds hopes some of the youngsters from his Rawthorpe club will be able to meet ‘Iron Mike’ before he leaves for America.
“It would be great if we can pull that off,” added the coach, who has been using the Rawthorpe ABC mini-bus for part of the tour.
