Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. will meet for whatever they plan to do in the ring Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles on pay-per-view.
The exhibition, which officials likened to a sparring session, matches two all-time greats against one another in boxing’s version of an old-timers game. Tyson is 54, Jones 51. Well see whether “old-timers” and “boxing” go together.
Tyson stirred the masses — as he had done so many times in the distance past — by posting on social media videos of himself looking as ripped and imposing as ever. Some are convinced that the heavyweight who terrorized the division in the 1980s is back, as fantastic as that seems.
And the hype has been immense, with Tyson claiming he’s the killer of old and Jones expressing trepidation. Could they be just trying to sell the fight? Wink, wink.
The pre-fight chatter will be at high volume this week. With that in mind, here are five questions to ponder going into the exhibition.
No. 1
Has Tyson really recaptured his old form?
Of course not. I shake my head when I hear someone say that the 54-year-old former two-time heavyweight champion can compete with the likes of Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua today. C’mon. He looked horrible in his last fight, a knockout loss to journeyman Kevin McBride. And that was 15 years ago. He might be fit (for his age) and as ferocious as ever, which brings back memories of the juggernaut who once steamrolled all-comers. But it’s an illusion. One can whip oneself into reasonably good shape and summon the passion of the past but speed, coordination and reflexes fade over time. Tyson is definitely a bad ass for his age – he’ll probably remain one for the rest of his life – but the fighter who captured our collective imagination 30-plus years ago has been relegated to history. Don’t fool yourself into believing anything else.
No. 2
How much has Jones declined?
See above. The former four-division titleholder was once one of the most-dazzling all-around fighters in history, with off-the-charts quickness, reflexes and power. Now? He’s just an old man (by boxing standards) with a lot of experience and some muscle memory. Jones has a few advantages over Tyson. He’s a little younger, although three years isn’t much. More important, he last fought in February 2018, when he outpointed journeyman Scott Sigmon. Almost three years away is a lot – especially for a 50-something fighter – but it’s nothing compared to 15, which is a lifetime ago. And it should be noted that Jones took part in an exhibition against Dion Rizzuto in February of last year. Jones clearly is a different person from the one who was so dominating in the 1990s and early 2000s but, our gut tells us, he has more left than Tyson does.
No. 3
Is it appropriate for two 50-somethings to exchange blows?
Good question. If this were an actual fight, one in which the principals intended to hurt one another, the answer to that question would be “no.” That’s probably not the reality, though. California officials have made this as safe as possible – oversized gloves, eight two-minute rounds and, it seems, an understanding between the fighters that they will not try to knock each other’s gray-haired heads off. If that’s the case, if this is essentially the sparring session officials have described, then there’s nothing inherently wrong with it. The last thing anyone wants to see is either Tyson or Jones carried out of the arena on a stretcher. Can you image?
No. 4
Who was better at their peaks?
Jones. Tyson was an excellent fighter and a much bigger figure than Jones – he was the youngest ever to win the heavyweight crown, after all – but he never beat an elite opponent when that opponent was in his prime. Not once. His greatest victory was probably his knockout of Michael Spinks, who was a special light heavyweight but only a good heavyweight. Jones was the best fighter of an entire decade-plus, the 1990s and early 2000s. His dazzling speed, flair and power was breathtaking for those fortunate enough to witness it. He was arguably the best fighter between Sugar Ray Leonard and the present. Would Jones have beaten Tyson head-to-head in their primes? Highly doubtful because of the size difference. But he was better than Tyson pound-for-pound.
No. 5
Should we pay $50 to watch this?
Depends. If you’re expecting to see a competitive clash between two contender-level fighters, then don’t waste your money. That’s not what this is. It’s a glorified light sparring session between two once-great, but badly faded legends, nothing more. The exhibition won’t be scored and there will be no winner, at least officially. Retired boxers Christy Martin, Vinny Pazienza and Chad Dawson were hired by the WBC to score the fight just for fun. And the participants will wear 12-pounce gloves, which should soften whatever blows they end up landing. If you understand that, if you’re happy simply to take a nostalgic trip down memory lane, then, hey, $50 isn’t an outrageous fee. Knock yourself out, which is more than Tyson or Jones is likely to do to the other on Saturday night.
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