Mike Tyson’s highly-anticipated comeback against Roy Jones Jr was postponed because the boxing legend reportedly wants to fight in front of a live crowd.
The contest was initially supposed to take place in Carson, California, on September 12, but the blockbuster clash has been pushed back to November 28.
Tyson vs Jones Jr Live Coverage ( Round by Round Full )
And further reports suggest the former world heavyweight champion requested the change of plan to allow fans to return to the stands amid the global pandemic which has seen sports events played behind closed doors.
KEEM wrote on Twitter: “Jake Paul vs. Nate Robinson the fight has been postponed till November 28!”
He added: “Sources tell me Mike Tyson wants to fight in front of a live crowd and the venues being moved to Cowboys Stadium.”
Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr exhibition fight ‘postponed’ – new date revealed
Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. is an upcoming exhibition boxing match contested between former undisputed heavyweight world champion, Mike Tyson, and former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr. The bout scheduled to take place on November 28, 2020, at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The match wouldbe officially sanction by California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).
Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr postponds until November 28.
“Changing the date to November 28 will allow more people to see the biggest comeback in boxing history,” Tyson said.” This temporary inconvenience will last longer than Roy Jones Jr. He better be ready, I’m coming full force.”
The event planned to air on traditional pay-per-view and social media app Triller and scheduled to take place at Dignity Health Sports Park in California. The California State Athletic The commission will sanction the bout, though executive director Andy Foster has stated, “We can’t mislead the public as to this is some real fight,” and made it clear that the fighters would avoid “using their best efforts to hurt each other.”
Also of note, September 12 originally the date of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s next fight before the slot took over by Tyson vs. Jones. The original date is now open without a significant battle.
The eight-round exhibition bout has initially been announced for September 12 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in California.
However, it seems there has now been a change of plan
According to Ring Magazine, Tyson vs. Jones Jr will now take place on November 28, which is Thanksgiving weekend in America when millions of fans will be at home with their families.
It is to claim that this is because Tyson’s team felt they could further maximize revenue by rescheduling the event. A meeting will held between both camps, with Jones’ team agreeing to the move.
It’s common that the fight will still be at the same venue, likely always with no fans in attendance.
Andy Foster, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, who is sanctioning the fight, previously told BoxingScene that there will be no judges scoring the match and so no winner unless there’s a knockout.
Tyson vs Jones Jr Live Coverage ( Round by Round Full )
However, this is not the plan
Foster said: “We can’t mislead the public as to this is some kind of real fight.
“They can get into it a little bit, but I don’t want people to get hurt. They know the deal”.
Mike Tyson – Brief History
A year after retiring, Tyson announced in September 2006 that he would embark on a world tour of exhibition fights, billed as “Mike Tyson’s World Tour”, in a bid to overcome the debt he was in at the time.
The first bout took place on October 20, 2006, at the Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, against former professional boxer and sparring partner, Corey Sanders (not to be confused with the South African former world heavyweight champion Corrie Sanders), in a four-round bout. With 6,000 fans in attendance, the fight failed to live up to expectations, with the crowd often booing with displeasure.
This would be the only exhibition fight for the tour to take place.
Tyson first mentioned the idea of returning to exhibition fights in an April 2020 YouTube interview with rapper T.I., saying, “I want to go to the gym and get in shape to be able to box three or four-round exhibitions for some charities and stuff”.
He further teased a potential return to the ring in early May 2020, posting two short videos online of him training via his Instagram account, declaring at the end of the video, “I’m back”. He later explained in a Facebook Livestream, “Anything’s possible. I feel unstoppable now. The gods of war have reawakened me, ignited my ego, and want me to go to war again. I feel like I’m [young] again.”
Roy Jones Jr. – Brief History
Jones’ last bout of his 29-year career took place on February 8, 2018, defeating Scott Sigmon via unanimous decision at the Bay Center In Pensacola, Florida. Jones announced his retirement after the bout, but left the door opens for a return against UFC fighter Anderson Silva, saying, “Dana, I know you’re listening. I know Anderson’s suspended. But that’s the only other fight Roy Jones will return to the ring for. Other than that, chapters closed.”
OFFERS
Following his Instagram videos and Facebook Livestream, Australian boxing promoter Brian Amatruda contacted Tyson with an offer of $1m to face former Australian rules footballer-turned-boxer Barry Hall, former rugby league player-turned-boxer Paul Gallen, or New Zealand’s former rugby player-turned-boxer Sonny Bill Williams in an exhibition fight. According to celebrity agent Max Markson, who
was acting as the middleman between Amatruda and Tyson’s team, Tyson called the offer “an insult to
Boxing”, with Markson saying, “Mike read the story (in the Daily Mail) that he would be fighting a rugby player. He has said he would not do that as it would be an insult to boxing. He says if he does get back into the ring, it will be with a real boxer.”
Other offers came from David Feldman—president of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC)—for $20m to fight an opponent of Tyson’s choosing, providing that opponent be under contract with the BKFC, and from Peter Czymor—president of Boston Boxing Promotions—for $1.1m to face former victim Peter McNeeley, who Tyson defeated by disqualification in 1995.
Six days after Tyson posted his training videos, Evander Holyfield posted his video with the caption: “Are you ready? The moment you’ve all been waiting for…The Champ is back.”
In an interview with BoxingScene.com Holyfield expressed his desire to meet Tyson in the ring, saying, “I’ve already done what I wanted to do in my career, and have been the best that I could be.
If it wasn’t for charity, I wouldn’t fight Tyson; I don’t look at it as being a winner in this fight. This is a charity event helping our foundations. The thing knows what you’re doing it for.”
The signed deal between Tyson and Jones
After two months of negotiations between Tyson and Holyfield failed to materialize a deal. Then, he announced on July 23 that Jones had signed a contract to face Tyson. With the exhibition initially scheduled to take place on September 12. Further, it was at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, with professional boxers to appear on the under-card.
In August, they announced date pushed back to November 28, to maximize the revenue for the event. The event would officially sanction by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).
Both fighters would submit CSAC medical tests for fighters over 40 and the referee will be under specific instructions to stop the match if it goes beyond “the boundaries of a competitive boxing exhibition.”
It has led to concerns from the WBC – who has nothing to do with the bout – but want to see extra safety measures put in place for the fighters, who have a combined age of 105.
World Boxing News reports WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman as saying: “Both Tyson and Jones should wear headgear that boxers use in sparring.
“They should also wear 16 or even 18-ounce gloves.
The fight card has also been fleshed out with the former world champion Badou Jack taking on the unbeaten
Blake McKernan
YouTube star Jake Paul will still face former NBA star, Nate Robinson in the co-main event while Brit Viddal Riley, who trained KSI to fight Logan Paul will take on former MMA fighter Rashad Coulter.
And according to TMZ, Tyson vs. Jones will sanction and score – although the California commission insisting the fight will have no winner.
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