Mike Tyson, the former world heavyweight champion who
retired in 2005, said Thursday he will make a comeback at age 54, fighting Roy
Jones Jr. on September 12 in Los Angeles.
On his Legends Only League
website, Tyson announced the eight-round exhibition bout against Jones, a
51-year-old fighter who briefly held the heavyweight title and has fought
consistently into his 50s.
“It’s just going to be
amazing,” Tyson said on a video call on ESPN.
Tyson shrugged off any notion
of danger for serious injury for himself or Jones, saying that California rules
will require they both wear headgear for the fight.
“We’re both accomplished
fighters,” Tyson said. “We know how to protect ourselves. We’ll be alright.”
Tyson finished 50-6 with 44
knockouts while Jones, who last fought in February 2018, is 66-9 with 47
knockouts.
Tyson vowed it would be
competitive rather than for show – “we’re showing our skills and fighting”—and
said he wants to recapture the fearsome form he once displayed.
“It’s 100% of it looking to be
Mike Tyson in the ring,” Tyson said. “I’ve got one speed—forward.”
In a battle for the aged,
Tyson said he wants to show older can still mean exciting in the sports realm.
“It’s because I can do it and
I believe other people believe they can do it,” Tyson said. “We aren’t washed
up. Somebody says over-age is washed up but they have a bigger fan base than
the guys who are training now.”
Tyson envisions elder
statesmen events of mixed martial arts and NBA fame, mentioning such former NBA
stars as Dennis Rodman and Allen Iverson.
Tyson became the youngest
heavyweight champion in history at 20 years and four months when he stopped
Trevor Berbick in the second round in 1986 to win the World Boxing Council
crown.
Within a year, Tyson was the
undisputed champion and dominated the division, earning his nickname as “The
Baddest Man on the Planet” and going 37-0.
But in February 1990 at Tokyo,
Tyson suffered a 10th-round knockout at the hands of James “Buster”
Douglas in a stunning upset.
‘Taken
care of my body’
He was arrested for rape in
1991 and convicted in 1992, serving three years in prison before his 1995
release and return to the ring.
Tyson regained the title but
lost twice to Evander Holyfield, disqualified the second time for biting his
rival’s ear, earning a suspension that kept him sidelined for 18 months.
He had one last chance at the
heavyweight crown, losing to Britain’s Lennox Lewis in 2002, and retired after
six rounds against Kevin McBride in 2005 in his final fight, days shy of his 39th
bithday.
“I’ve been through some
experiences and now I’m back here,” Tyson said. “I’ve taken care of my body.”
Jones has done much the same
since winning his first middleweight title in 1993 and rolled through the super
middleweight and light heavyweight ranks at 49-1 before dropping three fights
in a row in 2004-2005.
His championship run included
a 2003 victory over John Ruiz for the World Boxing Association heavyweight
title, a crown he never defended before rejoining the light heavyweight ranks.
Jones fought at least once a
year into 2018 but has spent more time as a commentator than fighter in recent
years.
