By Geno McGahee
In 2005, the former undisputed champion, Mike Tyson, 50-6, 44 KO’s, would lose to the journeyman, Kevin McBride by sixth round knockout. It was a sad ending to the boxing career of Tyson, a fighter that was seen as unbeatable at one point. Considering the turmoil that seemed to surround Mike, it was hard to imagine a happy ending for him. Even less likely was a return to boxing, but here we are. Tyson has found happiness and on Saturday, he will find boxing again as he takes on Roy Jones, JR., 66-9, 44 KO’s.
Unlike Tyson, Jones, JR., has been active and had his last professional fight in 2018. He has not been facing stellar opposition, but at this point in his career, why would he? Much like Tyson, RJJ had an aura of invincibility and was something special, mixing power, speed and unbelievable reflexes to destroy his opposition. Roy won middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight titles in his run and was once on a collision course with Tyson that didn’t worked out.
In 2003, Jones, JR., would move up to the heavyweight division and dominate the champion, John Ruiz, to take the WBA brand of the title. Many discount this victory and note that Ruiz was not the real champion at the time, but he was an incredibly tough fighter that beat credible opponents like Andrew Golota, Kirk Johnson, Evander Holyfield and Hasim Rahman. The top heavyweights couldn’t solve the awkward and tough style of Ruiz, but Jones, JR., did, and did with style.
After losing to Lennox Lewis, Tyson would win in a 49 second knockout over fringe contender, Clifford Etienne in February of 2003. A few weeks later, Jones, JR., would take the WBA heavyweight title and the fight made a lot of sense. Roy was far too small to take on the super heavyweight Lewis, but Iron Mike was his size and considering how he controlled Ruiz, it could be argued that he would have done the same to the fading Tyson, but it didn’t happen.
As much as Roy contends that he wanted to fight Tyson in 2003, it’s not true. He turned down many offers and eventually set his price at 100 million. The offer got up to 40 million for Roy, who had made 26 million to take on John Ruiz and it was turned down. Roy would opt to move back down to the light heavyweight division to face Antonio Tarver while Mike moved on to back to back losses to Danny Williams and Kevin McBride.
So, 17 years later, here we are as the Tyson finally faces Roy Jones, JR., but it’s an exhibition and only 8 rounds, but don’t expect this “let’s not knock each other out and give a show” sort of match. This is going to be a real fight because Tyson knows no other way. Tyson is a boxing historian and despite his comments about the belts meaning nothing to him, they certainly do and so does his redemption in the art that defined much of his life.
After the McBride defeat, Tyson said he wasn’t going to disrespect the sport anymore and that his heart wasn’t in it. It’s safe to say that his heart wasn’t in it for a long time. He was robbed of a lot of his money, pushed into fights that he didn’t want to take and didn’t train as he once did. He was a shell of his former self and that was by choice. Even in his title fight against Lennox Lewis, he was passive. Not discounting those that were able to beat Mike during this time, but it’s safe to say that he didn’t have the same mindset he once did or the same confidence.
Tyson, in his workout videos, looks like he has turned back the clock. His offense looks incredibly impressive but they haven’t released any sparring footage. They may not have released it because it’s not as impressive as the hitting of mitts or they might not want to scare Roy off. Roy has threatened to pull out once.
Roy has also released his workout footage and his approach to this fight and it’s no surprise. He will try to time Tyson coming in, hit him and then move away from any incoming. If Tyson is so rusty and beyond his better days, this could certainly work. Actually, the first punch Roy lands may end the fight. Mike has not been hit in over 15 years. The first punch on the chin is going to be a shock to the system and Roy hits hard enough to hurt any heavyweight.
It’s fair to say that we know what we have in Roy going into this fight. He is strong and has a high skill level. The biggest thing going against him is his diminished reflexes. He made a career out of hitting and getting away without a problem and, much like Ali, had defied logic by backing up straight and still avoiding the incoming. When Roy’s reflexes diminished, he started losing and losing by knockout.
We know very little about Tyson going into this fight outside of what we’ve seen on the mitts and how motivated he is. As a huge Tyson fan, I’ve connected the dots and am hoping to see the former champion come to the ring like he used to and steamroll the opposition and then challenge and regain the heavyweight title. OK, fine, I’m getting a little too hyped about this exhibition match.
PREDICTION
Anything can happen in this match, but there are a few things to consider stylistically in this match that should dictate the outcome. Tyson will come in like he used to, bobbing and weaving as Roy stays on the outside and tries to land his shots and move. The problem is that Roy still moves backward and those sorts of fighters have always been easy prey for the launching left hooks of Mike. Fighters like Bruce Seldon and Tyrell Biggs tried to jab and move back and that put them right in the path of the Tyson left hook. Roy cannot employ this tactic but it’s engrained in his style that he will instinctively do it.
The best shot for Roy to win this is to land first and land hard with the right hand. He cannot jab and move. Tyson should come into this with great anxiety and it will take a round or two to shake it. That is the window for Roy to take away any confidence Tyson can bring because if Mike is confident, he will run over Jones, JR.
The rounds are 2 minutes but Tyson is a 90 second guy and Roy must be careful because he will still have his power and has remarkable speed at this stage of his life. I want to see what happens when Mike gets hit, but I know what happens if Roy gets hit. Roy has been starched by much lesser punchers and Mike knows how to deliver. I think that we will see Tyson pounce on Roy out of pure nervous energy and I suspect that he will land within the first three rounds and that is what it will take for the stoppage win.
Mike Tyson KO-3 Roy Jones, JR.
The undercard will feature the YouTube sensation, Jake Paul, 1-0, 1 KO, in cruiserweight action against Nathaniel Robinson in his pro debut. Paul showed that he had some skill and a good jab and decent pop in his pro debut and it should be interesting to see him in the ring in the featured co-main event.
Former light heavyweight champion, Badou Jack, 22-3-3, 13 KO’s, will be in the ring in an 8 round match against the undefeated, Blake McKernan, 13-0, 6 KO’s. Despite the undefeated record of McKernan, he has not fought anyone and will be taking a huge step up on Saturday.
Orlando Rashad, 4-0, 3 KO’s, will take on Viddal Riley, 4-0, 2 KO’s, in heavyweight action to open up the event.
