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Mike Tyson Confirms November Date for Roy Jones Jr. Fight; Badou Jack Joins Card
August 11, 2020
Mike Tyson announced Tuesday that his comeback fight against Roy Jones Jr. has been moved to Nov. 28, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The bout was originally scheduled for Sept. 12.
"Changing the date to November 28th will give more people the opportunity to see the biggest comeback in boxing history," Tyson said in a statement, per TMZ Sports. "This temporary inconvenience will last longer than Roy Jones Jr. He better be ready, I'm coming full force."
Triller, which is hosting the event, provided further information.
"Given the enormous interest, the holiday weekend will make this historic battle an even bigger viewing event, marking the first live pay-per-view event brought to the world by Triller as the first of the 'Triller Battles' series," the company said.
Badou Jack was added to the high-profile event. He'll take on Blake McKernan as part of an undercard that's also highlighted by former NBA player Nate Robinson vs. YouTube star Jake Paul.
Another bout will see Rashad Coulter return to the boxing ring for the first time since 2015 to take on Viddal Riley, who's 4-0 and garnered attention for helping train KSI for his fights with Logan Paul, Jake's brother.
Details about the return fight for Tyson and Jones remain sparse. It's unclear whether the former heavyweight champions will go full bore or if it'll have the feel of an exhibition.
Jones told Fight Hub TV (via Wil Esco of Bad Left Hook) this will be the last fight of his career after deciding he couldn't turn down a chance to face Iron Mike.
"It's something called heart. So, you got a heart, and you a winner, and you always wanna win—you can retire but that don't stop," he said. "Mike Tyson, I can't say no...I never looked like a coward in my whole career. I'ma run from Mike Tyson because he's big? No, I'ma run to him! I don't run from nobody."
Jones last fought in 2018 when he scored a unanimous-decision win over Scott Sigmon.
That layoff is minuscule compared to Tyson's. His most recent professional bout came in June 2005, a loss to Kevin McBride. His last championship fight was against Lennox Lewis in June 2002.
It's hard to imagine the fight will be the type of all-out brawl it would have been in their respective primes. If nothing else, the pace will likely be a lot slower.
That said, Triller has assembled a card that will generate interest both from older fighting fans and the younger generation. It's also sure to create mainstream buzz as Nov. 28 moves closer.