ROY JONES JR could be persuaded to carry on his comeback by the likes of Anderson Silva, Benard Hopkins or Antonio Tarver.
All-time great Jones comes out of retirement on Saturday to face fellow legend Mike Tyson in an eight-round exhibition bout.
Roy Jones Jr prepares to come out of retirement to face Mike Tyson Credit: Instagram / @royjonesjeofficial
UFC legend Anderson Silva has long been linked with fighting Jones Credit: Getty Images – Getty
The challenge comes two years after his last fight, but it may not prove to be the end of the road in the 51-year-old’s illustrious career.
Tarver, 52, and Hopkins, 55, are among those Jones feels he has unfinished business with – as well as UFC legend Silva, 45.
His cornerman Tom Yankello told SunSport: “I know he’s got a couple of guys he wants to settle scores with if they’re willing to.
“We got Tarver and Hopkins. But I don’t think he would come back to just fight, he wouldn’t come for just anyone.
“It would have to be one of the guys he really wants or for a cruiserweight world championship of something like that.
“Anderson Silva, that’s another name I can see something like that too.
“Roy loves to fight, he loves to train, he’s the ultimate competitor he enjoys that.”
Jones beat Tarver in their first fight in 2003, but lost the following two.
Similarly, he saw past Hopkins in a 1993 masterclass, but failed to repeat in their rematch 17 years later.
During the end of Jones’ career, he chased a fight with the UFC’s middleweight icon Silva, but the Brazilian’s contract permitted it.
Now the former champion has been released by the UFC, he is free to crossover to boxing, something Silva also revealed was possible.
Jones and Yanekllo have not explicitly discussed what could be next after Saturday’s pay-per-view spectacle.
Having seen the former four-weight champion revitalise himself over nine weeks of training camp, the trainer has not ruled out further fights.
But it all depends on how well Jones fairs against iconic puncher Tyson.
Jones lost on points in his rematch against Bernard Hopkins in 2010Credit: AFP – Getty
Antonio Tarver twice beat Jones Credit: Reuters
Yankello said: “If he comes out healthy I wouldn’t put it out the realm of possibility. But I would say it’s a little too early to say.
“This fight plays a big part, to see how he comes out and how he feels after it.
“Does this satisfy his sweet tooth, enough to ride off into the sunset?
“He’s spent his whole life doing that and it’s not something that fizzles out, especially once it’s been reignited.”
Jones comes into the fight as the betting underdog, despite Tyson’s 15 year inactivity.
But Yankello is confident what they lack in size in power, they make up for in superior boxing skills.
And he forecasts if Jones can weather the early storm, he can stop Tyson in the later rounds.
Trainer Tom Yankello with Jones
Yankello says Jones can stop Iron Mike in the later rounds
Yankello explained: “The later rounds is where I think Roy takes over. I’m not saying he doesn’t win the early rounds as well.
“But the early rounds will be dictate and then I think Roy outboxes him clearly. I think he could possibly stop him late.
“I think it comes down to how durable Mike is, being off 15 years. That’s the mystery to me, what he’s actually bringing, what his durability is.
“Mike’s been gone 15 years, can he be durable after not being hit for all these years?
“Even though Roy’s not on paper the bigger puncher in this fight, he’s knocked out more people than Mike has.
“He’s a power puncher, he always has been and I think it comes down to how durable Mike is.
“If he does stop him I think it would be later, somewhere from the fourth round onwards.”
Roy Jones Jr, 51, shows off incredible hand speed ahead of Mike Tyson fight
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
