Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr gave everyone a very entertaining 8 round exhibition bout that ended in a draw on Saturday night.
Tyson and Jones Jr. fought an 8-round exhibition match with a smaller ring, smaller gloves, and shorter round duration than is standard for non-exhibitions. Iron Mike, 54, hadn’t fought since 2005 prior to facing Jones Jr., whom himself hasn’t fought since 2018.
Both warriors showed flashes of their glory days. Tyson occasionally landed his trademark left hook at a distance while Jones showed flashes of his old self with no-look jabs and showboating to boot.
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Jones didn’t come out swinging as much as Tyson but he did have some good placement shots. In the end, the judges couldn’t decide on a winner.
Chad Dawson scored the fight 76-76, Christy Martin had it 79-73 Tyson, and Vinny Pazienza scored the fight 80-76 for Jones.
“Yeah, but I’m good with a draw,” Tyson said afterward. Iron Mike was pleased because he entertained the fans.
Jones Jr. accepted the result but cracked a joke.
“I wear drawers, but I don’t do draws,” he said.
They talked about fighting a rematch.
“We gotta do this again. Everybody loves Mike. It’s tough taking punches from Mike,” Jones said afterward.
In the end, both fighters survived the night with their reputations and body in one piece. Tyson and Jones Jr succeeded expectations and put on a good exhibition fight that may spark a lane like how Versus has for musical battles.