-
Steve KimESPN
Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is making a comeback. Tyson will fight Roy Jones Jr. in an eight-round exhibition on Sept. 12. The bout will be broadcast on pay-per-view as well as multimedia platform Triller. According to a news release, there will also be a 10-part docuseries on Triller leading up to the fight.
Tyson (50-6), 54, hasn’t fought since losing to Kevin McBride in 2005. Jones Jr. (66-9), 51, last fought in 2018.
Last month, Jones expressed his interest in a possible bout with Tyson.
“I’ve been trying to enjoy retirement, but people don’t seem to want to let me retire,” said Jones. “They keep calling me, telling me that Mike wants to come back, and that you’d be a great opponent for Mike.
“We always wanted to see it, but I would’ve preferred it back then. Tyson is a hell of a specimen still. Still a problem to deal with. But at the same time, life is life, you only live once. You want to know what it’s like, you go in there and see. You still gotta see it.”
In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Andy Foster, the executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, said he believes there won’t be headgear, but that the boxers will be using 12-ounce gloves.