MIKE TYSON and Roy Jones Jr weaved and jabbed their way to a draw in their LA exhibition fight — although with a tad less sharpness than in their prime.
The veteran pair performed admirably despite having a combined age of 105, before they both vowed to step into the ring AGAIN after judges tied the fight.
Follow all the reaction to the draw with SunSport’s live blog below…
SON OF A GUN
George Foreman believes Mike Tyson can break his own record to become the oldest heavyweight world champion in history.
Speaking after his draw against Roy Jones Jr, he told USA Today: “If he gets in shape like he’s in now, gets his timing back, and all the other things fall into place, he can have an opportunity to fight for the title.
“If he can be managed right, the right champion will come to him. And if the right one comes, he can knock him out.
“Tyson looked great, he really did. And Roy Jones had to use every old skill out of the book to keep himself from being knocked out.
“I just couldn’t believe what I saw. And that was just an exhibition. Just think if (Tyson) had some activity the last two years. He’d be in line to be the champion of the world again at 54, 55.
“You have to have a really good manager to navigate you who to fight and who not to fight,’ he added. ‘But if he gets someone who can do some creative moves, he can be in the big time quickly.”
MIKE DROP
Mike Tyson has criticised Floyd Mayweather’s claims that there are too many belts in boxing.
Undefeated champ Mayweather told the World Boxing Organization’s to ‘sort their s*** out’ and accused them of taking extra money from fighters.
It came after Tyson, 54, and old foe Roy Jones Jr came out of retirement to fight for the WBC Frontline Battle Belt despite it being an exhibition scrap.
Reported by Essentially Sports, he said: “Boxing never has too many belts because every time it’s a championship fight, it’s more money for the fighter.
“There’s never enough belts you know? To say there’s one champion and there’s 10 guys, how long will it take for the champion to fight the 10 guys?
“Plus they gotta go through each other… It’s good to have three champions because then everybody can get paid… Everybody makes money. That’s what this business is about. Money.”
NOW LEWIS NOX ON DOOR OF RETURN
Lennox Lewis admitted he could stage a sensational boxing comeback as he has ‘unfinished business’ with his old heavyweight rival Riddick Bowe.
After Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr – with a combined age of 105 – drew in an eight-round exhibition on Saturday night, former world champ Lewis hinted he could be next to return to the ring.
The British-born star, 55, told BT Sport: “Sure! I mean, it seems like a lot of fun.
“You have to look at Mike Tyson; Mike has been doing a lot of different things like wrestling, he’s been doing acting and he even had his own one-man band show.
“So he knows how to entertain people, he knows what to do in these situations.”
Lewis KO’d Iron Mike in Memphis in 2002 and retired soon after his TKO win over Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko the following year.
SPLIFF DECISION
Mike Tyson admitted he smoked marijuana before his drawn exhibition fight with Roy Jones Jr.
Asked if he did, the 54-year-old replied: “Absolutely, yes. Listen, I can’t stop smoking.
“I smoked during fights. I just have to smoke, I’m sorry. I’m a smoker. I smoke everyday. I never stopped smoking.”
BEST OF FIVE
Mike Tyson is primed for more exhibition fights despite drawing his bizarre eight-round PPV exhibition showdown with Roy Jones Jr.
SunSport looks at his possible options after dusting off the gloves for the first time in 15 years.
- Roy Jones Jr rematch
- Evander Holyfield
- Lennox Lewis
- Shannon Briggs
- Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury
‘ANYTHING HE WANTS’
Mike Tyson still has the ability ‘to fight anybody’ – including Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury.
The 54-year-old returned to the ring and fought out an entertaining eight-round exhibition bout against fellow icon Roy Jones Jr on Saturday.
And Jones Jr claims ‘Iron Mike’ can still mix with the best after admitting his body is still feeling the effects of their showdown, which ended in a draw.
He said: “I’m happy to scratch it off the bucket list and move on with my life.
“He hit harder, his hands hurt, his head hurts [my hands], everything hurt that makes contact.
“He’s capable of fighting anybody. If he catches you, you’re going to have problems. I was feeling everything. He’s an exceptional puncher, still.
“All it takes is one punch from either one of us for something to happen. He can do anything he wants to do.”
NOX OUT BLOW
Lennox Lewis said he was apprehensive of Mike Tyson because he looked like King Kong on TV.
The British-born former world heavyweight champ beat Iron Mike in 2002 but wasn’t always so eager on the match-up.
When asked if he was apprehensive of The Baddest Man on the Planet, he told the Guardian: “Yes and no.
“Yes, because TV made him look like King Kong. But, no, because Manny [Lewis’s legendary trainer Emanuel Steward] always told me Tyson would be my easiest fight.
“I’d say: ‘Come on, now! He’s going to be a little difficult.’ But Manny said: ‘No. It’s your easiest fight.”
TY-MES ARE CHANGING
Mike Tyson claimed boxing needs YouTubers like Jake Paul and KSI because ‘UFC was kicking out butt’.
Jake Paul KO’d former NBA star Nate Robinson in round two of their undercard fight before Tyson’s comeback draw against Roy Jones Jr.
Iron Mike, 54, said: “Well listen, my ego says so many things. “But my reality is, they help boxing so much; boxing owes these YouTube boxers some kind of respect.
“They should give them some belts because these guys make boxing alive. Boxing was pretty much a dying sport, UFC was kicking our butt.
“Now we got these YouTube boxers, with 25million views. Boxing is going back thanks to the YouTube boxers.”MIKE DROP
Mike Tyson revealed the psychedelic ‘Toad Venom’ drug helped inspire him to make a boxing comeback at 54.
The heavyweight legend fought for the first time in 15 years this past weekend, in an eight-round exhibition against Roy Jones Jr.
But before the bizarre draw, Tyson opened up on how taking toad venom played a part in his dramatic body transformation and ring return.
He said: “I took the medicine and the medicine told me to get into shape.
“It really blew my mind. It told me to come back and start getting in shape.”
According to AddictionCenter.com, toad venom is a psychedelic drug made ‘from a rare species of toad native to the Sonoran Desert’.
It is said to cause ‘hallucinogenic effects [to] take hold in about five minutes after ingestion, causing a powerful religious-like trip that lasts about an hour’.
MIKE TYSON LATEST
Evander Holyfield is the bookies’ tip to be Mike Tyson’s next opponent after his exhibition draw with Roy Jones Jr split boxing fans about 50-50-something.
Former heavyweight king Tyson, 54, claimed “this is better than fighting for championships” while 51-year-old Jones said: “Maybe we can do it again.”
But Holyfield is 4/6 favourite and Lennox Lewis 3-1 to step in ahead of Jones.
Meanwhile, Tyson admitted he took marijuana before the fight, saying: “Absolutely, yes.
“I smoked during fights. I just have to smoke, I’m sorry. I’m a smoker. I smoke every day.I never stopped smoking.”
Jones stifled not-always-rusty Iron Mike for most of the eight two-minute rounds, despite Tyson’s glimpses of explosive power.
But former four-weight champ Jones said: “The body shots definitely took a toll.
“It’s something to take the punches that Mike throws. I’m cool with a draw. Maybe we can do it again.”
And Tyson said: “I’m good with that. The crowd was happy with that.”
AMIR HAPPY TYSON ‘DIDN’T GET HURT’
British boxer claims Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr put on a “great performance” – but is just happy both 50-somethings came out of it with their health still intact.
I’M NEXT
Professional Ice Hockey player Evander Kane has called out Jake Paul.
He told Paul: “Easy to beat up guys with no experience and much smaller.Easy to beat up guys with no experience and much smaller.”
BOLD CLAIMS
After Jake Paul brutally knocked Nate Robinson out cold, he called out Conor McGregor and Dillon Danis.
Have to give Jake some credit, he’s clearly serious about continuing his professional fighting career.
QUID WHILE YOU’RE AHEAD
Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr got back to their US homes late on Saturday fitter and richer for their efforts but we are all poorer for it.
Under a cloud of thick cannabis smoke, following inter-fight raps and spliffs from Snoop Dogg and Whizz Khalifa, the event that was supposed to help inspire a new generation of young kids into boxing gyms huffed and puffed but blew nobody away.
READ MORE
TO BE FRANK
Frank Bruno says Mike Tyson won last night’s fight against Roy Jones Jr despite the bout being called as a draw.
YOU’VE GOTTA BE JAKING
Jake Paul reckons he could be the next Floyd Mayweather after he knocked out NBA veteran Nate Robinson on the under-card of Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr last night.
He said: “My career goal was to do exactly what I did.
“To have an undeniable victory and steal the show. And prove to the boxing world, who has doubted me for the past six months, that I’m a pro boxer and I’m here to stay.
“When you put those 10-ounce gloves on me, I’m vicious, I can hit. I’m a real dog.
“When these MMA fighters come into the ring, they’re gonna meet ‘The Problem Child.’ They’re gonna meet me.
“And I’m here to make millions of dollars and sell millions of pay-per-view and I’m gonna be one of the biggest stars. I think I might just be the new Floyd.”
RIDDICK-ULOUS
Lennox Lewis admitted he could stage a sensational boxing comeback as he has ‘unfinished business’ with his old heavyweight rival Riddick Bowe.
After Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr – with a combined age of 105 – drew in an eight-round exhibition on Saturday night, former world champ Lewis hinted he could be next to return to the ring.
The British-born star, 55, told BT Sport: “Sure! I mean, it seems like a lot of fun.
“You have to look at Mike Tyson; Mike has been doing a lot of different things like wrestling, he’s been doing acting and he even had his own one-man band show.
“So he knows how to entertain people, he knows what to do in these situations.”
Lewis KO’d Iron Mike in Memphis in 2002 and retired soon after his TKO win over Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko the following year.
MONEY TY-ME
SunSport’s Wally Downes writes “Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr got back to their US homes late on Saturday fitter and richer for their efforts but we are all poorer for it.
“Under a cloud of thick cannabis smoke, following inter-fight raps and spliffs from Snoop Dogg and Whizz Khalifa, the event that was supposed to help inspire a new generation of young kids into boxing gyms huffed and puffed but blew nobody away.
“Just hours earlier British boxing fans had watched 23-year-old lifetime boxer Daniel Dubois suffer a sickening eye injury in a 30-minute Westminster battle with brilliant Olympian Joe Joyce.
“And, a “few minutes prior to the headline circus act, the pay-per-view buyers had to watch a former basketball player lay prostrate on the California ring twitching worryingly as medics scooped him off the canvas.
“Both contrasting examples highlighted why pitching two retired icons, with 105 years and countless injuries between them, into a confusing money-grab ‘fight’ was wrong.
“Tyson’s tattooed face looked lost before the bell and Jones’ once lazer-fast body was soft and almost matronly.
“Put these brilliant men and their peers, from any sport, in lengthy documentaries, spellbinding books, movies, theatres, TV studios and let us learn from their genius – we will buy it.
“But don’t put them in a boxing ring, with their tops off and hairlines retreating, and tell us we are watching anything other than an exhibition in cash grabbing – because we shouldn’t.”
GONE TO POT
Mike Tyson has incredibly claimed he smoked weed right before exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr.
Speaking at the post-fight press conference, as quoted by BadLeftHook, he said: “I smoked every day. I never stopped smoking.
If asked if he smoked before the fight, Iron Mike said: “Absolutely, yes.
“It’s just who I am, it has no effect on me from a negative standpoint. It’s just what I do, what I am, and how I’m gonna die. There’s no explanation, there’s no beginning, there’s no end.”
TOO MUCH ROSE?
Jake Paul’s girlfriend licked and thrusted at a big screen after watching her man brutally knock out Nate Robinson last night.
Model Julia Rose, 26, was clearly delighted at the YouTube star’s victory – and that their sex ban is over.
PAUL OVER NOW
Britain’s former world super-flyweight champion Kal Yafai has also shared his doubts over celebrity boxing after Jake Paul’s knock out win.
He tweeted: “Scary thing is Nate Robinson got licensed to fight a pro fight.”
STOP CELEBRITY BOXING
Amanda Serrano says an inexperienced boxer will get “really hurt” after watching YouTuber Jake Paul knock out ex-NBA star Nate Robinson.
The Seven-weight world champion said: “They need to stop this stupid celebrity boxing thing.
The Puerto Rican added: “Boxing is a serious game. Nothing to be doing for YouTube likes.
“Most amateurs turning pro fight four rounds, these guys are debuting in a six-rounder. Someone’s going to get really hurt one day. Not cool at all.”
TYME TO FIGHT AGAIN
UFC president Dana White was also asked if he thinks Mike Tyson should fight again.
He added: “He looked good. He’s a grown ass man and will do whatever he wants anyway, but good for him. It was actually a good fight.
“It was an entertaining fight to watch, and I thought he looked really good.”
WHITE NOISE
UFC president Dana White has revealed he was impressed by the performances of both Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr.
Speaking at the UFC Vegas 15 post-fight press conference (via BloodyElbow), he said: “Fighting is a young man’s game.
“All that being said, (Mike Tyson) looked f—king awesome tonight! I was blown away with how good he looked.
“I was worried about Roy. Roy was 51 years old, but Roy’s been a lot more active than Tyson has been. Roy actually got more tired than Mike tonight, which was shocking. I’m happy for them. I hope they both made a f—king zillion dollars. It exceeded my expectations.”
ICYMI
Roy Jones Jr was hurting after facing Mike Tyson and was adamant Iron Mike still has his famous power.
He said: “When he hits you, to the head, punches to the body shots, everything hurts.
“I’m cool with a draw, just might have to do it again.
“Body shots definitely took a toll the body shots are what make you exhausted.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
