08/11/2020 - 16:41
- Clarín.com
- sports
Boxing fans hoping to see Mike Tyson again in the ring will need to be patient and wait a little longer. Because the fight between the American heavyweight legend and his compatriot Roy Jones Jr. , which was scheduled for September 12, was postponed and will now be held on November 28 at Dignity Health Park in Los Angeles.
According to Ring Magazine , the organizers decided to move the date in the hope that the fight can be held with the stadium full of spectators , which would allow them to maximize revenue. That idea would be impossible to carry out in September, due to the outbreak of coronavirus in the United States.
Both parties had agreed to wait to announce the fight until the health crisis improved and the public could return to sporting events. However, the evolution of the disease ended up convincing them and a few months ago they confirmed that they would face closed doors .
Tyson shows off his new figure. The Brooklyn boxer lost 31 kilos of fat and says he is in top shape for the comeback.
But the absence of spectators meant that the winnings would be substantially lower than if the fight was held with the stands in full. That is why Tyson's team would have suggested postponing it for a few more months, in the hope that the situation improves and fans can attend the event.
The fight between Tyson, 54, and Jones, 51, will have special rules, which invites you to imagine that it will be a different show than the sport is used to.
It will be an eight- round match , without a judge inside the ring , with 12-ounce gloves (the largest ones) and without score cards . There will only be a winner by knockout or technical draw and if either of the two suffers a serious injury or cut, the fight will stop. And while California state rules state that both must wear helmets, neither will use protection .
YO SOY. BACK. #legendsonlyleague. September 12th vs @RealRoyJonesJr on #Triller and PPV #frontlinebattle @TysonLeague pic.twitter.com/eksSfdjDzK
- Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) July 23, 2020Despite those restrictions, Tyson assured that the duel will be competitive and not a mere show. And he promised fans will be able to see a version of him that "will look 100 percent like Mike Tyson in the ring."
The former 1986 world heavyweight champion has been out of the ring for 15 years. His last fight was in 2005, when he fell in six rounds to Kevin McBride , just days away from his 39th birthday. But in the last few months he lost 31 kilos of fat in training and assured that he feels in top shape to return.
Jones Jr., who was world champion in four categories between 1993 and 2004, is also retired from professional boxing after a series of attempts to return to the rented area. Although his last fight was in 2018.
As announced a few weeks ago, the fight can only be followed online, through the pay per view system , and the packages will be available from August 26 on the TysonOnTriller.com page . Although with the change of date, perhaps some lucky ones will be able to witness the return of Iron Mike live .
HS