Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. assure fans that their fight is the real deal

Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. talked about their upcoming Nov. 28 boxing bout with the media. They maintained that they’re showing up to fight and win. 

Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. addressed the media on Thursday, Oct 29. They are a month away from their scheduled boxing match and assured pundits and fans that this is a real fight.

Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) is arguably one of the best heavyweight boxing champions of all time. He’s 54 years old and 15 years removed from his last professional bout, but he’s a dynamic figure who’s creating buzz with his impressive workout videos.

Jones (66-9, 47 KOs) is a legend in his own right. He dominated boxing during the 90s and won titles in four weight classes. He’s 51 and last fought in 2018, where he retired after defeating Scott Sigmon.

Numerous news reports came out months ago stating that California State Athletic Commissioner (CSAC) Andy Foster didn’t consider this a real fight. Tyson was asked about Foster’s comments and took exception to his position.

“Listen, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Tyson during the press conference. “What’s not a real fight. You’ve got Mike Tyson and Roy Jones. I’m coming to fight, and I hope he’s coming to fight. And that’s all you need to know.”

Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. promise that they are giving their exhibition bout all that they’ve got

Tyson was asked outright about this contest’s legitimacy. Many are skeptical if they have bad intentions or if they will go through the motions. He took an emphatic stance on viewpoints that this is a fake fight.

“No one I know thinks that,” said Tyson. “Nobody that supports me believes that.”

Jones echoed Tyson’s sentiments and talked about how seriously he has trained for meeting Tyson in the ring.

“Honestly, you’d have to be a fool not to, [train]” said Jones. “You’re going into the ring with one of the most dangerous men to grace the boxing ring.”

Tyson vs. Jones is still deemed as an exhibition, but the WBC is sanctioning it. On Saturday, Nov. 28, Tyson and Jones will fight in eight 2-minutes rounds at the Staples Center. Professional bouts use three-minute rounds, but the decision was made to reduce the round length. Tyson wasn’t happy with that decision.

“I’m sure they have their reasons for doing it, but you know, the women fight two minutes,” said Tyson.

Jones also voiced his displeasure at CSAC’s reduction in round length.

Tyson and Jones headline a full fight card of six total matchups. The main undercard bout features former NBA player Nate Robinson against social media star Jake Paul in a professional contest.

It will be an interesting night of boxing, to say the least. It is a pay-per-view event streamed on the event’s website, TysonOnTriller.com, or the FITE TV app.