23rd July, 2020
Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is returning to the boxing ring in September.
Tyson, 54, will fight 51 year-old Roy Jones Jr. in an eight-round exhibition match on Sept. 12 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Jones Jr was one of the most dominant fighters of the 90s and early 2000s.
He was a former world titleholder in four different weight classes.
While Tyson hasn’t fought since 2005, Jones Jr. boxed in 2018.
According to Yahoo Sports columnist Kevin Iole, Tyson has reserved the facility for that date.
Iole quoted a California State Athletic Commission official who said that he’d recently met with Tyson and Jones about the specifics of the bout—which will be fought without headgear, but with larger-than-normal 12-ounce gloves.
Triller, the virtual social media and music platform, which will stream the fight said the eight-round bout will be part of a three-hour pay per view event.
Triller has also obtained streaming rights to a 10-part docuseries featuring behind-the-scenes, pre-fight footage leading up to the bout.
The program will also include a “significant” undercard as well as musical performances.
Tyson teased fans about a possible return to the ring in May when he posted videos of himself training.
One video showed Tyson, the first heavyweight to hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, hitting the pads with ferocious power before signing off with the message “I’m back”.
Tyson later said he was interested in returning to the ring to raise money for charity and potential opponents immediately began to line up for a crack at the fighter known as “Iron Mike”.
Old rival Evander Holyfield and New Zealand rugby great Sonny Bill Williams were among those reported to be in line for the fight before Jones Jr. was chosen.
Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion of all time when he defeated Trevor Berbick in 1986 aged 20.
He won 50 of his 58 professional fights before retiring in 2005 after a loss to Kevin McBride.
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