"It feels like a horse kicking you" - Roy Jones Jr. reveals what it was like getting punched by Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. faced each other in an eight-round exhibition bout at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on November 28, 2020. While the fight ended in a controversial split draw, the event itself was a massive success, garnering over 1.6 million pay-per-view buys.
In the aftermath of the bout, Roy Jones Jr. revealed his experience fighting a 54 year old Mike Tyson. According to Roy Jones Jr., Mike Tyson still packs devastating power in his punches. He even compared them to the kick of a horse.
The former four-division boxing world champion also admitted that he had always wanted to experience the impact of a Mike Tyson punch. Regarding Mike Tyson's punching power, Roy Jones Jr. told Danny Armstrong from BT Sport:
"So I wasn't so mad about the situation, I was so happy because I always wanted to see what it felt like to be punched by Mikey. And Mikey, when he hits you, you feel like a horse kicking you. You know when a horse kicks and hits, it can kill you. And that's how Mike's punches feel. So when Mike hits you, it's like nothing you've ever felt before. Specially being a smaller guy. A smaller stature than he is. He is a much bigger guy."
Mike Tyson's defense shocked Roy Jones Jr.
While Roy Jones Jr. had expected explosive power from Mike Tyson, what came as a surprise was the latter's defense. Once famous for his defensive footwork, Mike Tyson seemingly hasn't lost his touch more than 15 years into his retirement. Roy Jones Jr. further told Danny Armstrong:
"So to be in there with Mike surprised me because the power was exactly what I thought it would be but the defense was better than I thought it would be, even at 54 years old. The defense was the biggest thing. I was shocked that he could still be that defensive at 54 years old."
Roy Jones Jr. also noted that while a boxer might become slow with age, he doesn't really lose his knockout power. Since speed was never an issue for Mike Tyson, it is still dangerous to step inside the ring with the 'Baddest Man on the Planet'.
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