Tag: Roy Jones Jr.

Good, bad, worse: Jamal James’ impressive performance

Jamal James turned in a splendid performance against Thomas Dulorme on Saturday in Los Angeles.

GOOD

Sometimes a fighter puts it all together. He or she devises a clever game plan and executes it perfectly, allowing him or her to dominate a good opponent and take a significant step up the food chain.

That’s what Jamal James did against Thomas Dulorme on Saturday in Los Angeles.

I’ll stop short of saying that James was brilliant because I’m not sure a victory over Dulorme could demonstrate that but the Minnesotan fought about as well as he possibly could in his unanimous-decision victory.

James (27-1, 12 KOs) did everything well. He kept Dulorme at a safe distance with his long left jab and hard, accurate rights. And when the aggressive Dulorme managed to get closer than an arm’s length, he was met by the same stinging power shots.

Outside, inside, it was all James. Dulorme landed only 15 percent of his punches, according to CompuBox. That means James was as good defensively as he was on offense.

By mid-fight, it was obvious that the frustrated Puerto Rican had no idea how to solve the puzzle that James presented. He never did.

Judge Alejandro Rochin must’ve been watching a different fight but at least he had right man winning. He scored 115-113. The other judges had it 116-112 and 117-111, for James. I had it 118-110, 10 rounds to 2.

Can James hang with the top 147-pounders?

The only criticism I can come up with centers on James’ power, or lack thereof. His knockout percentage suggests he’s a so-so puncher at best and he never hurt Dulmore, at least not significantly. That could work against him if he faces an opponent more dynamic than Dulorme.

That said, James’ obvious ability, his focus and his determination make him a threat to anyone at welterweight. That includes Errol Spence Jr., Terence Crawford and on the down the imposing list. Of course, we’ll see.

 

BAD

James (left) hit Dulorme anywhere it took to blunt his attack. Sean Michael Ham / TGB Promotions

James earned the WBA “interim” title with his victory over Dulorme, which in theory puts him in position to face the sanctioning body’s champion, Manny Pacquiao.

Sadly for him, it’s not likely to happen.

Pacquiao at this stage of game wants big-name opponents who will drive up pay-per-view numbers, well-known fighters like Keith Thurman and Mikey Garcia, who could be the Filipino icon’s next foe.

James made a strong statement with his victory over Dulorme but he doesn’t have name recognition that would move the needle like several other 147-pounders.

The good news for James is that the division is ridiculously deep, meaning it’s a good bet he’ll take part in a lucrative, high-profile fight sometime in the near future.

Unbeaten young star Vergil Ortiz Jr. is the WBA’s “gold” titleholder, whatever that is. James would be a legitimate opponent for him, although the fact they fight for rival outlets probably precludes that fight from happening.

Other possibilities: Garcia, Thurman, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, Yordenis Ugas and even Amir Khan.

Bring it on. James, 32 and at the peak of his abilities, is ready.

“Obviously, I would like to get a shot at Manny Pacquiao, he’s got the WBA super title,” James said immediately after the fight Saturday. “But I know he’s such a big name, so it really doesn’t matter. I want any of the big name welterweights, we can really put on a good show.”

 

WORSE

Is anyone else getting tired of all the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. “news?” Douglas DeFelice / USA TODAY Sports

News item: The Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. exhibition has been pushed back to Nov. 28.

That means that we’ll have another two months of chatter about a meaningless event, aside from the money it is supposed to generate for charity. It’s a sparring session, a workout, nothing more.

We know the names Tyson and Jones because of what they accomplished in the past, the distant past. Those fighters, the ones who dazzled us in different ways when they were in the primes, are gone.

Today, Tyson is 54, Jones 51. They’re reasonably fit and retain some of the muscle memory of their youth but they can’t fight at a high level. Anyone expecting that on Nov. 28 is going to be disappointed.

The “fight” was postponed in part because Tyson and Co. wanted more time to maximize profits. And I presume it will do well in terms of pay-per-view numbers. The curiosity factor is significant.

I wonder whether those who plunk down the $49.99 to see it will have buyer’s remove by the middle of the first round, when it will be obvious that these are geezers, not athletes.

And, of course, it will be worse if the unthinkable happens. If one or both of them gets caught up in the moment and tries to hurt the other, an ostensibly playful event could turn into a disaster.

I have nothing against charitable events. Tyson’s heart seems to be in the right place. I’m just looking forward to it being over with.

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Report: Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. exhibition pushed back to Nov. 28

The Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. exhibition, originally set for Sept. 21, reportedly has been pushed back to Nov. 28.

Has the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. exhibition been postponed?

RingTV.com is reporting that the pay-per-view event, scheduled for Sept. 21 behind closed doors at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., will now take place on Nov. 28 at the same location.

Tyson and his handlers evidently believed they needed more time to properly promote the “fight,” which has garnered mainstream interest. There is also the hope that fans could attend at a later date.

The event, ostensibly for charity, was announced on July 23. Andy Foster, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, said it meant to be the equivalent of light sparring.

Tyson, 54, hasn’t fought since he was stopped by Kevin McBride in 2005. Jones, 51, fought as recently as 2018, when he outpointed Scott Sigmon.

YouTube personality Jake Paul and former NBA player Nate Robinson are expected to fight one another on the card.

Video: Ak & Barak: Could Mike Tyson-Roy Jones spin out of control?

Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. is set for Sept. 12. The legends will meet on that date on pay-per-view at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., in what has been billed as an exhibition, with proceeds to go to charity. California officials say …

Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. is set for Sept. 12.

The legends will meet on that date on pay-per-view at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., in what has been billed as an exhibition, with proceeds to go to charity.

California officials say the “fight” will resemble a light sparing session, which many would argue makes sense given the ages of the 50-something principals.

However, once the opening bell rings and the adranline starts flowing, could the action be ratcheted up a notch? Could the geezers suddenly get serious in there?

In this episode of The Ak & Barak Show, courtesy of DAZN, hosts Akin Reyes and Barak Bess discuss that topic and more.

The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.

 

 

Mike Tyson on his exhibition with Roy Jones Jr.: ‘search and destroy’

Mike Tyson called his exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. on Sept. 12 “search and destroy.”

Is Mike Tyson taking his exhibition with Roy Jones Jr. more seriously than we realized? Or is he just trying to sell pay-per-view buys?

Tyson and those associated with the “fight” have said that it will be akin to a light sparring session when the share a ring on Sept. 12 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.

However, when he was leaving a training session, he told TMZ Sports that he’s “always looking for [a knockout].”

“This is search and destroy, and I’m looking forward to recapturing my glory,” Tyson said.

And Tyson, 54, didn’t allay concerns when he was asked about George Foreman’s suggestion that someone could get seriously injured.

“[George] wasn’t worried about getting hurt when he went on his tour of coming back and fighting,” Tyson told TMZ. “We’re both professionals. We know how to handle ourselves and whatever happens, happens.”

He went on: “The fighting game is what I’m about and hurting people is what I’m about.”

Meanwhile, Jones, 51, doesn’t seem to be overly concerned.

“If he don’t kill quick, he’s got problems on his hands,” Jones told the website. “If he don’t get it quick, his a– belongs to me.”

Sounds like two guys marketing a product. Or does it?

Roy Jones Jr. says he, Mike Tyson could have beaten Joshua, Fury

Roy Jones Jr. said that he and Mike Tyson, in their primes, could have beaten Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

Back in their primes, Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. couldn’t be touched inside the ring. And few were as exciting to watch as those two.

Tyson was the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history and reigned as the undisputed champion from 1987 to 1990. Jones is a former four-division world champion who rarely lost a round inside the squared circle during his magnificent run in the 1990s and mid-2000s. In March 2003, Jones became the first boxer in more than 100 years to start his career as a middleweight and win a heavyweight title, defeating John Ruiz to win a major belt.

At the time, a dream fight scenario emerged that would pit Tyson against Jones, but Tyson had taken a sabbatical, and Jones vacated the title and went back down to light heavyweight. Seventeen years later, Tyson and Jones will lock horns in an eight-round exhibition on Sept. 12 in Carson, Calif.

While Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) and Jones (66-9, 47 KOs) represent the old guard, the new guard in the land of the giants features titleholders Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Fans always speculate how active fighters would fare against the greats from the past. Jones was asked this question in an interview with Sky Sports: How would he and Tyson could do if paired with the Brits.

The 51-year-old believes they would have been able to take care of business against Fury and Joshua.

“Not right now,” Jones said. “It would be hard for us to last 12 rounds with any of those guys. They are skilled fighters, not bad boxers. They are not as skilled as we were, but they are in their primes, and we are not.

“In our primes? We would probably have beaten them. You can never say, but I think we would probably have beaten them. Our skill level was deeper at that time than it is now.

“In our prime, we would have come out on top against most of those guys. But you never know because it never happened, so you can’t discredit those guys. They are good fighters, well-respected fighters, and my hat is off to them because they are at the top.”

Fury and Joshua have tentatively agreed to a two-fight series in 2021. But for those bouts to happen, Fury must get by Deontay Wilder in their third fight, expected to occur on Dec. 19, and Joshua is supposed to defend his belt against Kubrat Pulev later this year.

Is MMA star Conor McGregor next up for Mike Tyson?

Mike Tyson was asked about the prospect of facing MMA star Conor McGregor and responded by saying, “I’d kick his a–.”

Mike Tyson vs. Conor McGregor? Stranger things have happened.

Tyson was a guest on “The Tonight Show” on Monday. Host Jimmy Fallon asked the former heavyweight champion how he would fare against the fictional likes of Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago.

“I think I could beat anybody that ever lived,” said 54-year-old Iron Mike, who is set to face Roy Jones Jr. in a pay-per-view exhibition on Sept. 12 in the Los Angeles area.

Fallon then brought up MMA star Conor McGregor.

“How about this one? This one actually could happen,” Fallon asked. “Mike Tyson vs. Conor McGregor. That dude is nuts.”

“Yeah, but I’d kick his a– anyway!” Tyson responded.

Fallon pointed out that McGregor, 32, is a mixed martial artist, not a boxer. Tyson responded by saying, “”Hey, we’ll play with boxing rules.”

McGregor was knocked out by Floyd Mayweather under boxing rules in August 2017. The Irishman weighed 153 pounds for that fight, making him a junior middleweight.

Tyson is a relatively big man. He has trimmed down as a result of an intense training regimen but still reportedly weighs around 220 pounds, which would seem to preclude a showdown with McGregor.

Of course, when millions of dollars are on the table, anything is possible.

McGregor hasn’t responded to Tyson’s comments on social media … yet.

Roy Jones Jr. says Mike Tyson fight was ‘too incredible to resist’

Roy Jones Jr. said the offer of an exhibition with Mike Tyson was “too incredible to resist.”

(Editor’s note: This story was originally published at MMA Junkie, part of the USA TODAY Network.)After all these years, Roy Jones Jr. is getting his wish.

***

Jones will face Mike Tyson on Sept. 12 in an eight-round exhibition boxing match in California, which has been dubbed “Frontline Battle,” on pay-per-view.

Jones, 51, always has wanted to fight Tyson, but the stars never aligned. Jones, the former heavyweight titleholder, had most of his success as a cruiserweight, middleweight and light heavyweight, but would have stuck around at heavyweight when he won the WBA title in 2003 if he had the chance to fight Tyson.

However, Tyson retired shortly after.

Tyson, 54, has been teasing a comeback for a while, looking in phenomenal shape in training videos on social media. But despite that, Jones admits that the news of Tyson’s comeback was shocking, and he’s ecstatic to get the opportunity to fight him, even if it’s 17 years later.

“Too hard to resist, too incredible to resist, too much of a blessing to resist” Jones told MMA Junkie on Monday. “When I won the heavyweight title, I told them the only other person I would fight as a heavyweight was Mike Tyson. If Mike Tyson didn’t want to fight, I was going back down to light heavyweight. From what I got … was that he was through with boxing, he didn’t want to box no more, so I left and went back to light heavyweight. I didn’t stick around, but to have him come out now and say, ‘OK, I want to come back. Guess what? You wanted it, you get your opportunity.’ I’m like, ‘Yes.’”

California State Athletic Commission executive officer Andy Foster recently said that the public can’t be mislead into believing this is a real fight. But Jones says it won’t be any different than if they were to have fought in 2003, and he expects Tyson to come out with the same ruthless energy that has led to 44 knockouts in his 50 career wins.

“No different,” Jones said. “I mean, the first three rounds, he’s gonna be dangerous. He was like that in his prime. He’s like that now. He’s a guy that can knock you out from Round 1 to Round 12, so in the eighth round he’ll still be dangerous. But if you can get the fatigue factor to set in, then you got a better chance. So for me, I got to try and work off the second half of the fight more so than I work off the first half.”

He continued, “Mike knows one way – kill. That’s all he knows. Destruction and destroy. That’s all he understands, so my mindset is I better be ready when I go in between those ropes. One thing my dad’s taught me, he said, ‘If you’re going to kill a fly, you kill a fly with an axe, not a fly swatter.’”

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Roy Jones Jr. says Mike Tyson fight was ‘too incredible to resist’

It’s an exhibition bout, but Roy Jones Jr. expects Mike Tyson to come into it with his same killer instinct.

After all these years, [autotag]Roy Jones Jr.[/autotag] is getting his wish.

Jones will face [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag] on Sept. 12 in an eight-round exhibition boxing match in California, which has been dubbed “Frontline Battle,” on pay-per-view.

Jones, 51, always has wanted to fight Tyson, but the stars never aligned. Jones, the former heavyweight titleholder, had most of his success as a cruiserweight, middleweight and light heavyweight, but would have stuck around at heavyweight when he won the WBA title in 2003 if he had the chance to fight Tyson.

However, Tyson retired shortly after.

Tyson, 54, has been teasing a comeback for a while, looking in phenomenal shape in training videos on social media. But despite that, Jones admits that the news of Tyson’s comeback was shocking, and he’s ecstatic to get the opportunity to fight him, even if it’s 17 years later.

“Too hard to resist, too incredible to resist, too much of a blessing to resist” Jones told MMA Junkie on Monday. “When I won the heavyweight title, I told them the only other person I would fight as a heavyweight was Mike Tyson. If Mike Tyson didn’t want to fight, I was going back down to light heavyweight. From what I got … was that he was through with boxing, he didn’t want to box no more, so I left and went back to light heavyweight. I didn’t stick around, but to have him come out now and say, ‘OK, I want to come back. Guess what? You wanted it, you get your opportunity.’ I’m like, ‘Yes.'”

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California State Athletic Commission executive officer Andy Foster recently said that the public can’t be mislead into believing this is a real fight. But Jones says it won’t be any different than if they were to have fought in 2003, and he expects Tyson to come out with the same ruthless energy that has led to 44 knockouts in his 50 career wins.

“No different,” Jones said. “I mean, the first three rounds, he’s gonna be dangerous. He was like that in his prime. He’s like that now. He’s a guy that can knock you out from Round 1 to Round 12, so in the eighth round he’ll still be dangerous. But if you can get the fatigue factor to set in, then you got a better chance. So for me, I got to try and work off the second half of the fight more so than I work off the first half.”

He continued, “Mike knows one way – kill. That’s all he knows. Destruction and destroy. That’s all he understands, so my mindset is I better be ready when I go in between those ropes. One thing my dad’s taught me, he said, ‘If you’re going to kill a fly, you kill a fly with an axe, not a fly swatter.'”

Nate Robinson works with ex-champ Ron Johnson for Tyson undercard bout

Former Boston Celtic reserve guard Nate Robinson is working with former champion boxer Ron Johnson ahead of his Tyson – Jones Jr. undercard bout.

Former Boston Celtic reserve guard Nate Robinson will take on YouTube celebrity Jake Paul in a boxing match planned as the undercard of the Mike Tyson – Roy Jones Jr. fight set to take place on September 12th, and has been training with professional boxers in preparation for the match.

Robinson has been training with heavyweight boxer Ron “The American Dream” Johnson in particular, putting out a video exclusive to USA TODAY discussing their partnership for this fight.

Johnson is a four-time boxing champion and current Current GBO Heavyweight Boxing Champ, one of several reportedly helping Robinson get his sea legs ahead of the high-profile bout.

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“Ron! Thank you my brother, I know this is last minute man,” began Robinson in the video.

“I know you’re a champ; I want to learn from you, bro. I appreciate you for opening your home to me, man — this is pretty cool. Shouts to all the people out there that’s trying to box, that’s trying to do it up.

I’m showing y’all that you’ve got to go for it and go do it. It’s been pretty cool. Great Day, learned some new tricks man and hopefully I can get this done and get this championship and kick Jake Paul’s ass — that’s what we’re here for, man.”

“Y’all know what it is, man,” he added. “Shout out to the peaceful — everybody, peace and love.”

Both fighters have released training montages on their respective Instagram accounts ahead of the contest.

The two Instagram clips feature each fighter in the ring sparring with a trainer.

Neither look especially skillful at the craft, which shouldn’t surprise too much given their non-professional status as fighters.

Thankfully, the mid-September match is far enough away still that both amateur boxers can pick up some more tricks to make the meeting as interesting of an affair as their hype videos wants us to expect.

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Mike Tyson opens as significant betting favorite against Roy Jones Jr.

Mike Tyson has opened as a significant betting favorite against Roy Jones Jr. in their Sept. 12 exhibition.

Boxing legends Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. are set to square off in an eight-round exhibition match on Sept. 12 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.

Although Tyson will be competing inside a boxing ring for the first time since he was stopped by Kevin McBride on June 11, 2005, the former heavyweight champion has opened as a significant favorite over the former four-division champion.

According to BetOnline, the 54-year-old Tyson is a -350 favorite (bet $350 to make a $100 profit) to defeat Jones in the pay-per-view matchup. The fight is billed as an exhibition and both fighters will wear gloves with extra padding. Nevertheless, oddsmakers favor Tyson despite Jones having last fought just two years ago, a unanimous decision victory over Scott Sigmon in a cruiserweight bout.

It has yet to be announced at what weight the bout will be fought, but it is assumed that it will be at heavyweight.

Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) is renowned as one of the biggest punchers in boxing, but he hasn’t won a fight since a first-round knockout of Clifford Etienne in 2003. He ended his career losing three of his final five fights, all by stoppage, but his latest body transformation and series of training videos have led many to believe that he will have a return to form against Jones.

Jones, 51, has won 12 of his last 13 fights, albeit against largely unknown competition. His lone loss during that span was a fourth-round knockout against Enzo Maccarinelli in December 2015.

Jones was widely recognized as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, but he was brought down to earth in 2004 when he was knocked out by Antonio Tarver. Jones would lose his next three fights and seven of his next 12 before putting together his latest run of victories.

Both Jones and Tyson have acknowledged this is an exhibition.