Mike Tyson is one of the world’s most fearsome boxers whose reputation struck dread into his opponents’ hearts with famous nicknames like “Iron Mike Tyson” and “the baddest man on the planet.”
Those nicknames were not for just show. Tyson gained them because of his dominance throughout his boxing career. Tyson was one of the greatest heavyweights of all time reigning as the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. He was the youngest heavyweight champion when he won the title at just 20 years old. He remained a dominant force in the heavyweight division while compiling 50 wins and just six losses in his whole career.
The now 54-year-old is getting back in the ring with his exhibition boxing bout with Roy Jones Jr. It was Tyson who first started speculation about returning to the ring when he made a social media post of himself training earlier this year. It was not until the end of July when he announced that he will be facing Jones in an exhibition boxing match.
Jones himself is also one of the greatest boxers of all time. Jones cemented his legacy when he was able to win championships in four different divisions. Like Tyson, Jones was able to become an undisputed champion when he unified the WBA, WBC and IBF titles to become the undisputed lightweight champion.
With his matchup against Tyson, it is a dream come true for Jones. Jones said that in 2003 when he was the heavyweight champion, he wanted to fight Tyson. However, it never came to fruition because Tyson was not interested in boxing anymore and was close to retirement. However, that all changed when heard from Tyson. Jones said, “You get a call from the great Mike Tyson – it’s very difficult [to say no],”
Tyson will be the one setting up the terms for the fight. It will involve 12-ounce gloves without any protection. The fight will be an eight-round exhibition, with the match ending if there is a knockout. The rounds will be 60 seconds shorter than usual and have been sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission.
Jones is expecting Tyson to come out with a barrage of attacks in an attempt to end the match with a knockout. Jones will be looking to dodge those efforts in order to stay in the match. As both Jones and his training camp are expecting Tyson to retain his fighting style. “That’s all he knew,” Jones said. “So how can you expect to get something else? Dogs don’t meow. They bark.”
Jones compared the matchup as being between a cheetah and a wild dog. Jones said, “You got a cheetah on one side, who can run 60 miles per hour, but only for 30 seconds. And on the other hand, you’ve got a wild dog, with strong jaws, that can run all day.”
In preparation for his return to the boxing ring, Tyson had shed 100 pounds by going on a vegan diet. Both fighters have been tested to make sure they are healthy for this fight. Jones revealed the tests that he had undergone. “I gotta get a brain scan, gotta get a heart scan, gotta get a cardio test,” he said. “I gotta get a lot of stuff because they are concerned about our health. They want to make sure we are fit before we go in.”
Start time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Channels: PPV or streaming on MikeTysononTriller.com.
