How much are Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. getting paid to fight?
Mike Tyson will return to the boxing ring for the first time in 14 years when he faces fellow-legend Roy Jones Jr. this Saturday in an exhibition bout. While the event was originally scheduled for September 12th, the date was pushed back to November 28th instead.
Roy Jones Jr., on the other hand, has only been retired for two-and-a-half years. Mike Tyson created a "Legends Only League" and while he intended to face longtime rival Evander Holyfield, that didn't materialize and he will be facing Roy Jones Jr. instead.
It's going to be an interesting bout but it must be made clear that it's not going to be a war by any means. Some have described it as a sparring session and that's not far from the truth - as the exhibition bout will see eight two-minute rounds without any judges present at ringside and no knockouts as well.
The objective of doing so seems to be to protect both Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. - who are 54 and 51 years old respectively. According to Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole, Mike Tyson, and Roy Jones Jr. are set to earn a staggering amount for the event:
Why Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr. have already justified the high paydays
It's an extremely high figure, but it's not surprising to see given the buzz the bout has around it. It will take place inside the Staples Center in Los Angeles and while a crowd present would have given it a different feel altogether, it will be taking place behind closed doors like most sports have in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mike Tyson revealed on Twitter that the exhibition bout has already 'shattered' pre-fight sales records, though there isn't any mention about how well the event is doing in the MMA world:
Mike Tyson alone is a name that commands such a price and it's not surprising to see that the exhibition bout has already drawn so much.
The referee has the right to stop the contest if he feels that it exceeds the boundaries of an exhibition match. It's not going to be a vintage Mike Tyson fight, but it will be interesting to see him return after so long - being in the best physical condition that he has been in years.