I am not sure what to expect here. Both were outstanding in their prime. Roy did well as a junior middleweight, but went downhill after moving up in weightclass. He fought locally a number of times and I remember his gold Rolls Royce that changed color when exposed to the sun. Boxers seem to not know when to quit. Here is the story and the link:

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will return to the ring to face Roy Jones Jr. on Sept. 12.

The eight-round exhibition match will take place at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, Yahoo! Sports reported Thursday.

This will be the first match for Tyson since June 2005 when he lost to Kevin McBride. Tyson is 54 years old, and Jones is 51.

Tyson had recently released training videos on social media, hinting at a comeback.

Andy Foster, the executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, confirmed to Yahoo Sports that he expects YouTube star Jake Paul to fight ex-NBA player Nate Robinson on the undercard.

After news of the fight broke, Tyson posted an Instagram video announcing the formation of the Legends Only League, which will include athletes from a number of sports.

LINK: https://wgntv.com/news/mike-ty...jones-jr-on-sept-12/

quote:

The eight-round exhibition match will take place at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California

That's ironic considering neither guy is likely to come out of this fight with either his dignity or health intact.

In case you did not know Roy has lots of plans:
Putin is reported to have told Jones that citizenship was possible if he intended to live in Russia much of the time. Jones answered that he hoped sport could help "build a bridge" between the US and Russia.

Jones also said that he hoped to speedily learn the Russian language, develop his rap career, and also to "earn two or three billion dollars," opening boxing schools in Russia.

You just cannot make this stuff up. Roy holds dual citizenship. Just twenty years ago he was living in a rural area near Pensacola and selling roosters for cockfighting.

My younger son was telling me about this earlier this evening. He also mentioned the Legends League. I told him I'd be interested if a few more former boxers like George Foreman also took part. You know, real legends (meaning guys in their 60's and 70's).

Mike is debt with the IRS. He’s been making payments, living in a normal type house we’d live in with his lady. I’m pretty sure after his one man show tour (excellent) he was actually still in debt. This is to get him out of debt. That’s really all it is.

Roy has a gig commentating at the fights so don’t know about his motivation as he has a good job with Showtime I believe (maybe it’s HBO).

Wow, this should be interesting. Should be fun to watch the highlight reel.

Is Freddie Roach training Tyson again? That would be legendary.

Hopefully his opponent wears ear protection

quote:

Originally posted by ChuckFinley:
Hopefully his opponent wears ear protection

As long as he doesn't keep head butting him, it shouldn't be too much of an issue

Does it really count if Tyson bites off his opponents ears, using dentures? Seems like cheating.

What if their wheelchairs get locked? How will the referee separate them?

How will they protect everyone else in the nursing home?

I say more power to him. I imagine that brain damage occurring at 50 is more likely and worse, with a much longer recover time, than when younger.

I'm also quite certain that I wouldn't fare well getting socked by Tyson or his opponent at any age; at his wost, whenever that might be, he's probably still a hell of a lot.

After seeing a few recent vids if Tyson training, I suspect the fight won’t last 8 rounds. For 54, his hand speed, bob-and-weave, and power was pretty impressive. He may have lost the full benefit of youth, but he’s still a beast.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
After seeing a few recent vids if Tyson training, I suspect the fight won’t last 8 rounds. For 54, his hand speed, bob-and-weave, and power was pretty impressive. He may have lost the full benefit of youth, but he’s still a beast.

I thought the same. He's a frightening beast. No way I'd step in the ring with him.

quote:

Originally posted by myrottiety:

I thought the same. He's a frightening beast. No way I'd step in the ring with him.

Yep. It's a moot conversation, but I'm pretty sure in 20 years Tyson would still be able to kick my ass in my prime. I've never been a boxing fan, but his highlight reel is fun to watch. He just flat overwhelmed most of the people that stepped into the ring with him, and they went down not knowing what really happened to them.

"Everyone has a plan until they get hit." By far, the smartest thing Tyson ever said.
Rod

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
Mike is debt with the IRS. He’s been making payments, living in a normal type house we’d live in with his lady. I’m pretty sure after his one man show tour (excellent) he was actually still in debt. This is to get him out of debt. That’s really all it is.

Roy has a gig commentating at the fights so don’t know about his motivation as he has a good job with Showtime I believe (maybe it’s HBO).

That’s just not true. He definitely blew through hundreds of millions but he’s now a pretty successful businessman who has a comfortable life.

This fight is to capitalize on his name and launch his newest business venture, that’s all it is.

It’s not a comeback it’s an exhibition.

I'm no expert on boxing, but grew up watching Tyson in his prime. As we all know...he was absolute devastating. Still remember when he lost to Buster Douglas. Put it *almost* as unbelievable as Dan Gable's loss to Larry Owings.

Roy may well have been one of the most naturally gifted/talented all-around boxers ever.

But at their ages...unless this is an exhibition match and they 'hold back' and mostly put on a demo show...probably not a good idea for either of them. This isn't a 'Rocky' movie.

$.02 worth.

ETA - In the immortal words of LL Cool J - 'Don't call it come back - I been here for years!'

Boss

quote:

Originally posted by myrottiety:

He's a frightening beast. No way I'd step in the ring with him.

Meh. He is a has-been. I could probably kick his ass. Wait, why does everybody have wings and a harp?

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
After seeing a few recent vids if Tyson training, I suspect the fight won’t last 8 rounds. For 54, his hand speed, bob-and-weave, and power was pretty impressive. He may have lost the full benefit of youth, but he’s still a beast.

I watched every fight, almost every one of them live and studied boxing for many years. Cus was old school so this would have never ever happened. In the main sport I watch they have sports psychologists these days, and they are greatly beneficial. I'm not saying that. I think that if Cus had the foresight to get the young Mike, I think Cus took him in at 13-14 years old IIRC, a regular psychologist, and got him into group or one on one, to deal with his childhood, then Mike would have been the undisputed GOAT heavyweight AND the best pound for pound boxer of all time. He'd pull those gloves in as hard as he could so his knuckle would be at the razor's edge of legal. He also trained like Bruce Lee, to not punch your opponent, but to punch through them with the target being the back of their head, not the front. Mike's opponents, many of them, said his punches felt like bricks and no other fight they fought was even remotely close. And his hand speed was ridiculous. I think he's the greatest boxer I have ever seen. He's just fucked up mentally from childhood and living in a brothel or around prostitutes.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:

I think he's the greatest boxer I have ever seen.

He's just fucked up mentally from childhood and living in a brothel or around prostitutes.

Completely agree, I was a HUGE fight fan back in the 80's and 90's.
I watched everything and saw him come up early.
In his prime he may have been the most devastating fighter ever, and could be the GOAT but he went down fast after Cus due to the lack of mental discipline.

I had Buster Douglas pass me in his 911 roadster in Columbus circa 1990. He filled that car up. Man he is a big man.

Obligatory Knock Out highlights:




Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOHvMqAgcmc