Mike Tyson Returning To Boxing Ring To Fight Roy Jones Jr. on Sept. 12
“I feel like I took better care of my body and my state of mind than most of the fighters before me that retired and came back.”
Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is making a boxing comeback after 15 years away from the ring.
Tyson, 54, will fight former pound-for-pound boxing king Roy Jones Jr., 51, in an eight-round exhibition match on Sept. 12 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The surprise superbout between two past-their-prime pugilistic icons will be broadcast on pay-per-view and multimedia platform Triller, which will also show a 10-part docuseries leading up to the bout, reports ESPN.
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Tyson (50-6) last fought 15 years ago when he was stopped by Kevin McBride in six rounds, but he’s been capturing attention on social media in recent months with a series of impressive training videos, as well as new details about Jamie Foxx playing him in an upcoming biopic.
Iron Mike went on ESPN”s First Take on Thursday to explain his return to the ring.
“It’s because I can do it. And I believe other people believe they can do it too,” Tyson said. “Just because we are 54, it doesn’t mean that we have to start a new career and our lives are totally over. Not when you feel as beautiful as I do, and I’m sure that other people feel the same way.
At the age of 54, Mike Tyson is getting back in the ring.
"Just because we’re 54, that don’t mean we have to start a new career and our life is totally over. Not when you feel as beautiful as I do." pic.twitter.com/eEK2H8hnXt
— First Take (@FirstTake) July 23, 2020
“I never took that many punches. After the last fight I had, I left and I lived my life, and I’ve been through some experiences, and now I’m back here. I feel like I took better care of my body and my state of mind than most of the fighters before me that retired and came back.”
Jones (66-9), was, at the height of his powers, “considered the most brilliant boxer in the sport, winning titles at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight,” writes ESPN boxing reporter Steve Kim. “He had a sublime mix of speed, technique and ring intelligence.”
Last month, Jones, expressed interest in a potential bout with Tyson.
“I’ve been trying to enjoy retirement, but people don’t seem to want to let me retire,” Jones said at the time. “They keep calling me, telling me that Mike wants to come back, and that you’d be a great opponent for Mike.
“We always wanted to see it, but I would’ve preferred it back then. Tyson is a hell of a specimen still. Still a problem to deal with. But at the same time, life is life, you only live once. You want to know what it’s like, you go in there and see. You still gotta see it.”
Tyson says both aging former champs will be fine to fight in the high-profile comeback match.
“We’re both accomplished fighters, we know how to take care of ourselves,” Tyson said. “It’s an eight-round exhibition. And, listen, we’ll be all right. Trust me, we can take care of ourselves.”
ESPN reports that Tyson and Jones will not wear headgear and will use 12-ounce gloves.
Meanwhile, The Athletic reported that former NBA player Nate Robinson and YouTube star Jake Paul had agreed to fight on the undercard of Tyson-Jones.
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