This Sunday marks the return to the ring of Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr.
Two of boxing’s biggest names meeting in the ring is a rare enough spectacle to ensure that this Sunday’s pay-per-view bout is worth getting excited about — until you realise that the two men are both in their 50s and the rules have been written so that this “fight” is only being sanctioned as a sparring contest.
Nevertheless, Tyson, 54, and Jones, 51, will lace up the gloves one more time for an exhibition event in Los Angeles that has got the boxing world talking. Or at least muttering under its breath.
Here’s all you need to know about the event that’s been derided as a circus freakshow by some and lauded as an unmissable nostalgic return of two boxing greats by others.
Who is Mike Tyson?
Once known as the “baddest man on the planet”, Tyson is one of the most feared boxers of all time.
The youngest heavyweight world champion, a title he first won aged just 20 years, four months and 22 days, Iron Mike was the undisputed champion from 1987 to 1990 and one of the most recognisable athletes in the world.
One of the most devastating punchers in boxing history, 12 of Tyson’s first 16 professional fights were stopped inside the first round — all before he even turned 20.
Tyson went on to win by knockout in 44 of his 50 professional wins to end with a record of 50 wins, six defeats and two no contests.
However, while Tyson was a ferocious force in the ring, that professional violence was born from a tumultuous and controversial personal life that eventually resulted in his downfall.
After serving time for rape between 1991 and 1994, Tyson was a sad reflection of his former self.
Despite fighting for a world title again in 2002, his out-of-the-ring issues overwhelmed him, leaving the former champion bankrupt and battling with drug and alcohol addiction.
Who is Roy Jones Junior?
Jones Jr is a four-weight world champion and one of the best pound-for-pound boxers of all time.
He was the first man in more than a century to win a world title at heavyweight after winning his first crown at middleweight.
But after a near-faultless first 50 professional fights — Jones had a record of 49-1, the one defeat being a disqualification against Montell Griffin — he started to lose his edge and suffered the bulk of his nine professional defeats, five of which came by knockout.
Australian fans might remember him as the man who got beaten in the first round by Aussie Danny Green for the IBO Cruiserweight title in Sydney in 2009 — Jones’s only first round defeat by TKO in his career.
Jones only retired in 2017 after a 75-fight, 29-year career that ended with a victory over Scott Sigmon.
Although Jones did win a heavyweight world title, he is not really a heavyweight fighter — he’s far more suited to middleweight through to light-heavyweight.
Is this a real fight?
The California State Athletic Commission has laid down some pretty strict rules around the fight as part of their conditions for sanctioning it.
It will be fought over eight, two-minute rounds.
There will be no headgear, but each will wear 12-ounce gloves, as opposed to the 10-ounce gloves typically worn by professionals.
The fight will be stopped immediately if there’s a cut, and boxers will be stopped from going for the knockout … which definitely sounds like it will be easier said than done.
Both boxers said they’d be taking it seriously and fighting for the win.
The balance of maintaining a spectacle worth the pay-per-view price ($59.95 in Australia) while keeping both aged fighters safe will be a near-impossible task.
It either sets us up for a controversial intervention from referee Ray Corona just when both fighters hit their stride; a sad, limp imitation of a bout; or an unseemly, damaging knockout of a middle-aged man being broadcast around the world.
None seem all that appealing.
The bout is not being officially covered by any world governing body, but the World Boxing Council will judge an unofficial winner with three remote judges and the “Frontline Championship” title belt — for reasons only known to them.
Is this the first exhibition that Tyson has fought?
Nope. He met head-guard-wearing Corey Sanders in 2006 as part of Mike Tyson’s World Tour, in what can only be described as a panda-puff glorified sparring session.
The less said about that sorry affair, the better, but it wasn’t great.
What’s the point?
This is not clear — although the rumoured $10 million each will make from the fight won’t hurt either fighters’ respective bank balances.
Tyson has got himself into pretty decent shape for this fight, which he hopes will be the start of a series of events call the Legends Only League, giving a platform to former star athletes.
Neither of these guys are going to make a full professional comeback to the ring — even George Foreman was “only” 45 when he became the oldest heavyweight world champion in 1994.
And as good as Tyson was, can you see a 54-year-old dominating someone like Tyson Fury, who not only has 22 years on Iron Mike, but a 28cm height and 36cm reach advantage? Me neither.
Who will win?
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While it’d be unwise to judge everything through the carefully selected Instagram posts from Tyson’s social media team, Iron Mike has looked quite impressive, making him a strong favourite.
More than that, he looks very fit and, as anyone who’s ever watched a Tyson fight in their lives before knows, Tyson’s sheer ferocity in the opening exchanges can often prove too hard for the best of heavyweights to handle.
Whether he will even be allowed to go that hard early in this exhibition under its restrictive rules remains to be seen.
But perhaps from Tyson’s viewpoint, just getting back into fighting shape — losing as much as 60 kilograms — is the most important thing as he rediscovers the enthusiasm for the sport that made him a household name.
The best thing to do is probably lower your expectations that either fighter will recapture their former glories and treat us to an amazing spectacle, and tune in just to witness two of boxing’s best exhibit their skills — while hoping both stay safe.
What’s on the Tyson-Jones undercard?
Incredibly (or not, depending on your point of view) the Tyson-Jones fight isn’t even the oddest spectacle we’ll be “treated” to on fight night.
For a start, former NBA Slam Dunk champion Nate Robinson will take on YouTuber Jake Paul — whose brother Logan has also got into boxing in recent years — in a six-round cruiserweight fight.
Two-weight world champion Badou Jack will meet undefeated but relatively unknown fighter Blake “The Beast” McKernan in an eight-round light-heavyweight fight.
And then another YouTuber, Viddal Riley, will take on 28-year-old former UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Coulter.
A card like that almost gives Paul Gallen’s fighting career a degree of legitimacy.
When will the fight start?
You can watch the fight from 1:00pm AEDT on Main Event by pay per view.
Tyson and Jones are supposed to be in the ring at roughly 3:30pm AEDT.
You can also follow all the action in our live blog on Sunday afternoon.
