Changing Room Chat: Boat Race president inspired by Mike Tyson

OXFORD president Karl Hudspith will prepare for tomorrow’s Xchanging Boat Race against Cambridge as if he is Mike Tyson.

Hudspith, who was not good enough to make the top boat at Hampton School, has been inspired by the former heavyweight world champion’s rags to riches story.

Ahead of tomorrow’s race over four and a quarter miles of the Thames between Putney and Mortlake, Hudspith, 24, said: “One of the things I’ve done this year is look at great sportsmen who have gone from nothing and achieved a lot.

“That has been my journey as well. I was so terrible when I started this sport, for the first few years I couldn’t even make the year group in my school.

“So to come from Hampton’s fourth boat to president of the blue boat is quite a journey.

“I watched the biographical film about Mike Tyson and one of the things I was interested to see was how he prepares, walking up to the ring, all the things going through his head. To begin with it was: ‘This guy’s going to beat me’. And then as he gets closer, he steps into the ring and he feels like a god, like no-one can touch him.

“That kind of stuff is something you can relate to.”