Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will take on light heavyweight legend Roy Jones Jr in a September 12 showdown fight. Triller, a music media streaming app will be involved in the event announced Thursday.
The fight will also be available on pay-per-view, in addition to triller.
Mike Tyson – Roy Jones fight
Event organizers have booked the date at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, according to Yahoo Sports.
Mike Tyson has been considering a comeback for several months. Videos of Tyson’s reduced training have appeared, with Tyson, who retired since he was knocked out by officer Kevin McBride in 2005, suggesting he would be open to an exhibition match. Legend Mike Tyson has received several multi-million dollar offers in recent months, including one from Evander Holyfield, who fought Tyson in two notable fights in the 1990s.
Jones, 51, last fought in 2018. Jones briefly held a heavyweight title in 2003, when he gained 175 pounds to overtake John Ruiz, becoming the first former middleweight champion to win a lightweight title. Jones was knocked out brutally by Denis Lebedev in 2013. In 2015 Jones was detained by Enzo Maccarinelli.
A frontline battle is announced and the event will feature several fights on the card. Jake Paul, a YouTube star who made his professional debut last January, knocking out fellow YouTuber Ali Eson Gib, is in talks to confront former NBA guard Nate Robinson, sources familiar with the event. Former light heavyweight titleholder Badou Jack is also being considered for the event.
The exhibition has been sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission.
There is some skepticism from the industry that the event will take place, even though it’s formally announced. A Tyson-Jones fight will likely require significant guaranteed money. In recent weeks, event organizers have been searching for a place in the Middle East, the sources said. California, while a notable boxing state, remains a key point in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Fans will not be able to enter the stands in September, which will eliminate a source of income.
Organizers did not announce any pay-per-view pricing on Thursday.