Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was scheduled to throw hands with fellow veteran pugilist Roy Jones Jr. in an eight-round exhibition bout on Sept. 12 inside Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., but then promoters unexpectedly delayed the bout to Nov. 28 in an effort to “get a crowd.”
Jones Jr. isn’t buying their excuse, especially considering they booked the (cough) “exhibition” bout — limited to just eight rounds — on just six weeks notice.
“I’m like, six weeks, that’s right around the corner,” Jones told Joe Rogan (transcribed by Tom Taylor). “[Tyson] ain’t been fighting. I can get ready, I’m pretty sure I can get a little bit more ready than he can because he’s been inactive a lot longer than I have. So six weeks, he’s still Mike Tyson and he still can punch, but six weeks, there’s no way he can get prepared for this.”
Jones, 51, has not competed since capturing a decision victory over Scott Sigmon in early 2018. The recently-resurrected Tyson, now 54, has been inactive since falling to Kevin McBride way back in 2005.
“It ain’t like I’m scared of Mike Tyson, it’s just that I know that in six weeks he had no chance to deal with me,” Jones Jr. continued. “In 12 weeks he’ll have a better chance to deal with me, but his chance is still gonna be rough, but it’s gonna be better than it would’ve been. Six weeks, he didn’t have a chance.”
We’ll find out in just over a month.
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