After football, track, bobsledding and ballet, Herschel Walker tackles MMA

NEW YORK - Since his retirement from football in 1997, Herschel Walker's athletic endeavors have included Olympic bobsledding, track and field and even ballet.

However, his latest decision - to enter the world of mixed martial arts - might just be his wildest yet.

Walker, after all, is 47 years old.

"People have been saying my decision is a publicity stunt and a farce and I just laugh because it's the farthest thing from the truth," said Walker, who played for the Eagles from 1992 to '94, as part of a 13-year NFL career. "For those that think this is a circus, get up off the couch and train with me. I guarantee you'll see how serious I am."

Yesterday, Walker spoke at a news conference to promote his Strikeforce: Miami undercard bout on Jan. 30 in Sunrise, Fla. Interestingly, Walker's MMA debut comes the day before the NFL's Pro Bowl will be played in Miami. Walker was a two-time Pro Bowler.

Walker will fight Greg Nagy, 26, a 6-5, 215-pounder from Arizona with a 1-1 record. Walker, 6-1, 217 pounds, signed a multifight contract in September. He has been training with "Crazy" Bob Cook and Javier Mendez, owner/operators of American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif.

Walker said he will donate his purse to Project Turnaround, the same Texas-based community development charity to which he donated the proceeds from his appearance on NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice." Strikeforce was waiting approval from the Florida Athletic Commission to release what Walker will be paid for his debut, but a source said it will be a five-figure payout.

One person who vouched for Walker's validity was Mendez. Mendez has been a fight trainer in both boxing and MMA since 1985 and claims that in the 7 weeks he has had to get Walker prepared to become a professional fighter, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner's ever-increasing level of improvement is nothing short of remarkable.

Walker holds a fifth-degree black belt in tae kwon do and has other martial arts experience.

"This sport is no joke. You can't come in here and think you're going to take it by storm," Mendez said. "I knew of Herschel's martial arts background, but when he came to me he was still very green. I mean, we had to teach him how to punch, how to throw kicks, everything. In all my years of training fighters, I have never seen one with the work ethic and intensity. The man is a freak of nature."

That has been the sentiment since Walker exploded onto the football world at the University of Georgia in 1980. The man who was known to subsist on just one meal a day and 4 to 5 hours of sleep per night still does. The man who relied solely on body-weight exercises and calisthenics to build his freakish physique still sees that as the only way.

"I have never picked up a weight to build my body; I don't even think I would know how," Walker said. "I am still an advocate that young athletes shouldn't lift weights without proper training because that is just asking for a reason to ruin your body."

Walker decimated a recent physical fitness stress test conducted by Florida Boxing Commission chief physician Allan Fields, who called the exam "the most strenuous test that you possibly can impose on an athlete." Fields noted that Walker produced the highest heart evaluation score of anyone ever tested at the facility, including Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali.

"He's in as fine a shape as anyone we've had the care of," Fields said at a news conference Tuesday in Miami Lakes. "This guy is 47 going on 22 as far as his physical fitness goes."

And yesterday, Walker vowed that his mental health is equally strong. There was a time when that was not the case as Walker conveyed in his 2008 autobiography "Breaking Free," where he revealed his battle with multiple personality disorder.

"My mind is good, I feel good," said Walker, who said he is still being treated for the disorder. "You know, I was going through a rough time in my life, as we all do, and it took the help of some true friends along with the grace of God to get through. Right now my mind is clear and all I am focused on is getting in the ring on Jan. 30."

While Walker doesn't want to look too far ahead in his MMA career, Mendez said the former running back, with his work ethic, could easily become a top contender in 3 years.

For Walker, fighting isn't about accolades as much as it is about trying something completely out of the ordinary, and excelling at it, like he has done so many times before.

"I don't know where I will be in this sport in 3 years, but where I am today . . . is what I am looking forward to," Walker said. "You know at lot of guys like Jose Canseco [who was knocked out in 77 seconds in his MMA debut last May] who tried to do this sport and embarrassed it. You guys will see that when I get in there I am doing this for real and maybe that'll shut up some of the couch potatoes. I do that, and that'll be good enough for me." *