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At 54, Mike Tyson will step inside the ring for the first time in over a decade to face another boxing legend, Roy Jones Jr. this weekend.
The California State Athletic Commission has clarified that it will be an exhibition match of 8 rounds and not a sanctioned fight. It will be a "very entertainment centered thing", according to the CSAC executive director Andy Foster.
An exhibition match means CSAC expects neither of the boxers to deliver knock out blows on their opponent, and there will be no scoring of performances by the judges either. There will be no winners or losers.
Despite such rules, the PPV pre-sale fight records are being shattered, as per Triller.
Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. is in huge digital demand
Triller, which is one of the digital services carrying the event in USA along with FITE, shared the news via PR Newswire.
"Taking place live from L.A.'s STAPLES Center on Saturday, November 28th, the 8-round Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. fight has shattered pre-sale fight records."
Mike Tyson tweeted the news from his official Twitter handle, with the caption:
"Numbers don't lie. Haters are mad they can't get numbers like this. Saturday is reckoning. @RealRoyJonesJr you better be ready."
Michael Weber, COO for FITE, said:
"Currently, our advance sales for this event will make this the most watched event in our five-year history of streaming live sporting events."
Mike Tyson will finish fight despite exhibition match rules
Despite what CSAC wants the match to be like, Mike Tyson's coach said that both the fighters will look to finish the fight.
Veteran MMA coach Rafael Cordeiro, who was in charge of getting Mike Tyson back in shape for his return, told MMA Fighting that the boxer will not pull any punches against his opponent, and fans should expect Roy Jones Jr. to do the same as well.
"Two legends in the ring, they both are going for the finish. The fight has three judges [sic] and a referee, so it’s a real fight and must have a winner. It’s no longer an exhibition, someone has to win. We’ll try to win from start to finish. … Mike is not going there for an exhibition, he’s going there to fight."
Cordeiro revealed that Mike Tyson has been sparring in the gym and preparing for a "real fight", and they are expecting Roy Jones Jr. to bring the same mind set to the ring as well.
That is what makes this match different from other "exhibition" matches, Cordeiro believes.
"We’re on a sparring week in the gym and that’s it. That’s something he really enjoys. No one spars a full month for an exhibition. It will be a real fight. We respect Roy because Roy is coming for a real fight, and that’s what makes this match so different. They are both coming for a real fight."
The match will take place on November 28 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya will serve as a color analyst on the event.
