Mike Tyson reveals his plans to ‘fight all around the world’ against the best opponent from each country as he closes in on sensational comeback against Roy Jones Jr at the age of 54… as he insists bout is NOT an exhibition
- Mike Tyson will fight a boxing match for the first time in 15 years in November
- The former heavyweight champion will take on Roy Jones Jr in Los Angeles
- However, the 54-year-old teased that the fight could be more than a one-off
Mike Tyson insists his bout with Roy Jones Jr later in November could just be the first of many fights around the world as part of a stunning comeback.
The 54-year-old who was once branded the ‘baddest man on the planet’ has not competed since retiring 15 years ago.
But although many have branded the former heavyweight champion’s fight with Jones as an exhibition, Tyson insists his eight-round bout with the 51-year-old is more than that, claiming that with a WBC tribute belt on the line there is much to fight for and just the start of a global tour.
Boxing legend Mike Tyson will be back in the ring when he takes on Roy Jones Jr in November
The heavyweight legend’s bout takes place in Los Angeles on November 28
‘I don’t know. I might do this for a while. Let’s check this stuff out,’ Tyson told ESPN. ‘It would be so awesome if we could do this all around the world and fight the best fighter in that country, exhibitions with this guy in that country, exhibitions all over the world. Wouldn’t that be great?
‘I wanted to fight a four-round exhibition, next thing I know, I’m fighting Roy Jones, it’s eight rounds and I got three judges and I got a belt involved. Now you tell me, is this an exhibition? You tell me. What the f*** is going on? I want an exhibition, now I got a belt involved. C’mon, man.’
In a press release, the WBC explained the scoring method for the fight on November 28 in Los Angeles, with former champions employed as judges for the exhibition fight.
Tyson’s comeback comes having not fought since his professional career ended 15 years ago
But he is looking to get back into shape for the Jones bout he insists is not an exhibition
The statement said: ‘WBC’s remote scoring system will be used to evaluate Tyson and Jones Jr.’s performance. Three champions will serve as the judges. Each round will be scored and announced to the public. California State Athletic Commission will oversee, regulate, and sanction.’
Meanwhile, Tyson who was boxing youngest ever heavyweight champion also weighed in on the current division, insisting that Anthony Joshua still has much to learn despite being on the brink of unifying all the heavyweight belts in the new year.
‘I don’t think he’s a paper champion. I just think he’s a big guy — it’s hard to fight being that big,’ Tyson said of Joshua. ‘It’s very difficult being that big and having to fight a smaller guy… that guy could learn some more. He could be taught some more stuff.’
Joshua will likely take on compatriot Tyson Fury later on in the year for the WBC belt and ‘Iron Mike’ believes he could struggle to wrestle the championship away from him.
‘I think he’s very good,’ Tyson said of Fury. ‘He looks like he’s not intimidating, but he’s really elusive, he really knows how to box, he’s really smart and he’s really difficult to hit and he’s 7-foot, damn near. He’s a monster.’
Tyson insists Antony Joshua still has much to learn despite his recent heavyweight dominance