Tag Archives: Mike Tyson

Caleb Plant Fires Back At Mike Tyson: “He Was Stronger Than Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis But That Didn’t Help Him”

Posted on 10/26/2021

By: Hans Themistode

From the moment Caleb Plant signed his name on the dotted line, the skeptics came out in droves. Plant, 29, will look to become the first undisputed super middleweight champion of all time when he takes on Canelo Alvarez on November 6th, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

By and large, Plant has placed his blinders on as he’s ignored the naysayers that are backing Alvarez. But while Plant has mostly turned a deaf ear to his doubters, the words of Mike Tyson have caught his attention.

The former undisputed heavyweight champion has given Plant essentially no chance at pulling off the massive upset. On numerous occasions, Tyson has gone as far as to say Plant is going to get “slaughtered.” Also, Tyson doubts Plant will make it to the final bell.

In the opinion of the current IBF 168 pound champion, brute strength isn’t everything. To further back his claim, Plant rattles off the several shortcomings Tyson had during his Hall of Fame career when he seemingly had the physical advantage.

“He was stronger than “Buster” Douglas but that didn’t help him,” said Plant during an interview with FightHype.com. “He was determined to win. He was stronger than Lennox Lewis, he was stronger than Evander Holyfield but there’s a lot more to winning a fight than just being stronger than somebody. There’s a lot of keys and a lot of factors that go into a fight and not all of it has to do with strength.”

In 1990, with every heavyweight world title draped over his shoulder and as a gargantuan favorite, Tyson stepped into the ring against James “Buster” Douglas. Despite virtually everyone in the world expecting Tyson to get rid of Douglas quick, fast, and in a hurry, Tyson struggled throughout, before succumbing to a jaw-dropping tenth-round stoppage defeat.

In back-to-back fights against Evander Holyfield, Tyson once again strolled to the ring as a considerable favorite but was stopped in both contests, the latter of the disqualification variety. Although Tyson wasn’t the odds on favorite in his contest against Lewis, he was still viewed as having the advantage in physical strength and punching power. None, however, helped him pull off the win as he was stopped in the eighth round.

As a whole, Tyson’s conjecture has left Plant incredulous. While the Nashville, Tennessee, native isn’t known for his knockout power, he does believe he has more than respectable pop in his punches. For those who refuse to believe him, Plant urges his doubters to knock on the door of former titlist Jose Uzcategui, a man Plant sent to the canvas twice during their January 2019 encounter.

“For any people who think that I don’t hit hard, you can ask Jose Uzcategui. How many times has he been sat on his ass?”

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Mike Tyson: “Evander F*cked Up The Money, We Gotta Do It With Lennox [Lewis] Now”

Posted on 09/28/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Cha-Ching was all Mike Tyson could hear.

The former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world was extremely hopeful that a showdown between himself and long-time rival Evander Holyfield could come to fruition. Having shared the ring with one another on two occasions, the pair have generated an excess of 3.5 million pay-per-view buys.

Despite the truckload of money that both were expected to make for a third meeting, after witnessing Holyfield suffer a brutal first-round knockout defeat at the hands of Vitor Belfort just a few weeks ago, Tyson now believes that ship has sailed.

“Evander f*cked up the money,” said Tyson during an interview with ESNEWS.

On September 11th, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, Tyson was disappointed with what took place. On the night, 58-year-old Holyfield stepped in on just a few week’s notice to take on the former UFC star, Vitor Belfort. Originally, Oscar De La Hoya was expected to face the one-time light heavyweight champion but was forced to withdraw due to testing positive for COVID-19.

While Holyfield is considered one of the greatest fighters in boxing history, at 58, he’s now a shell of his former great self. Now, with Holyfield out of the picture, Tyson will turn to another foe he shared the ring with nearly two decades ago.

“We gotta do it with Lennox [Lewis] now.”

Much like Tyson’s two defeats to Holyfield, Tyson was also brutally knocked out during his 2002 meeting with Lewis. After a fairly even first few rounds, Lewis took over down the stretch before scoring the knockout win in the eighth round to retain his WBC, IBF, and IBO heavyweight titles.

While it’s unclear if the pair will share the ring once more, Tyson officially has the itch to continue his boxing career. At least, from an exhibition standpoint.

On November 28th, 2020, at Staples Center in Los Angeles California, Tyson took on fellow legend Roy Jones Jr. in an eight-round exhibition. The two would ultimately end their showdown with a split decision draw.

With his adrenaline now pumping, Tyson simply can’t wait to swap fists with someone else in the ring sometime soon.

“I want to fight. I need another one.”

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Mike Tyson On Jake Paul-Tyron Woodley Fight: “Jake’s Gonna Beat Him”

Posted on 08/24/2021

By: Sean Crose

You don’t have to be an MMA fanatic to understand that Tyron Woodley was some kind of fighter in the octagon. The man held the UFC welterweight title for close to three years – that’s no short period of time in the UFC world. On top of that Woodley bested the likes of Robbie Lawler, Darren Till and Stephen Thomson – notable competition all around. Now, however, Woodley is about to step into the boxing ring as a professional for the first time in his life. This at the age of 39 and after having lost his last four battles in the UFC.

Woodley’s opponent? Jake Paul. Yes, that Jake Paul. Although some may feel Woodley’s seriousness and combat sport experience will allow him to defeat Paul in the ring when the two meet next Sunday in a Triller pay per view main event, legendary heavyweight Mike Tyson is of a different mind. “Jake’s gonna beat him,” Tyson said openly on his podcast. “Woodley’s not a puncher like that, that’s why he wants to fight this guy, to get his last payday probably.” Not that Tyson, who gets as much respect among UFC fans as he does boxing fans, doesn’t hold Woodley in high regard.

“I’m proud of them,” he said of both combatants. “He’s (Paul’s) fighting an experienced fighter. That’s so cool.” Paul has taken his share of criticism, not only for his obnoxious antics, but for not fighting any serious boxers. Paul, however, has rightly said that most boxers fight light competition when things start off. “I don’t know,” said Tyson, “Paul’s a real good striker, and I think people do him a disservice when they go in there and say, ‘He’s blonde-haired and blue-eyed, he’s a white boy’, and I think that also builds their courage up and causes them to get knocked out.”

Tyson may have had a well earned ferocious reputation back in the day, but the man has always been gifted with keen insight. He’s probably one of the most knowledgeable people on earth in regard to boxing’s long history. Tyson also knows from first hand experience what it’s like to engage in ring combat and the psychology that goes with it. That being said, Woodley has been working with the one and only Floyd Mayweather, who is clearly of a different mind than Tyson when it comes to this weekend’s fight with Paul. Woodley also appears to be determined to emerge from the battle victorious. In other words, he seems to see this bout as more than a lark.

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Mike Tyson Believes Caleb Plant Has Absolutely No Chance Against Canelo Alvarez: “He’s Going To Get F*cked Up”

Posted on 07/21/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant continue to inch closer and closer to their undisputed showdown.

The pair are currently locked in negations on a proposed September 18th, showdown that would take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. With Alvarez holding the WBC, WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine super middleweight world titles, and Plant in possession of the IBF strap, the winner of their contest would produce the division’s first ever undisputed world champion.

In the mind of many, Alvarez has the clear advantage heading into their possible matchup. With the Mexican star gracing the top of virtually every pound for pound list, most believe it’s inevitable that Alvarez relieves Plant of his world title. Amongst those who are backing Alvarez, is 2011 Hall of Famer, Mike Tyson.

Not only does the former undisputed heavyweight champion believe that Alvarez will dispose of Plant, but he’s also fully convinced that he’ll do so quite easily.

“Caleb Plant ain’t lasting the distance,” said Tyson on his podcast, Hotboxin with Mike Tyson. “I saw this guy fight (Plant), he’s going to get slaughtered. He’s going to get clocked. He’s going to get so f*cked up. This guy is going to f*cking kill him.”

Alvarez, 31, has run through his competition as of late. Earlier this year, the Mexican product scored two devastating knockouts. The first came against fringe contender Avni Yildirim in late February. Alvarez wasted no time in getting rid of his man, doing so in the third round. He then followed that up with another comprehensive win. This time, at the expense of Billy Joe Saunders.

The British star fought Alvarez on fairly even terms in early May at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. However, his night came to an abrupt end due to a right uppercut by Alvarez that shattered his right orbital bone and simultaneously crushed his eye socket. With the win, Alvarez picked up his third world title at 168 pounds and immediately began targeting Plant.

As for the IBF belt holder, he’s also taken care of business against whoever has stepped foot inside the ring with him, albeit they’ve been against much lesser names. After winning his world title against Jose Uzcategui in January of 2019, the Nashville, Tennessee native has defeated fringe contenders Mike Lee and Vincent Feigenbutz. Recently, he outpointed former titlist, although long faded, Caleb Truax.

Those who back Plant to pick up the win against Alvarez point to his movement and boxing ability. The 29-year-old has prided himself on hitting his opponents and receiving little to no punishment in return. But while Tyson notices that Plant does have good abilities in the ring, he believes that once Alvarez attacks his midsection, it’ll be all she wrote.

“Wait until Alvarez hit that mother f*cking body. He’s gonna f*cking kill him.”

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Mike Tyson On Deontay Wilder Vs. Tyson Fury 3: “I Just Think Tyson Might Have His Number”

Posted on 06/19/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Mike Tyson observed carefully as Deontay Wilder and Tyson faced off a few days ago for the first time in over a year. The two are set to throw hands on July 24th, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada for the third time.

During their first showdown, which took place in December of 2018, Wilder scored two knockdowns but was forced to settle for a split decision draw. In their February 2020 bout, Fury knocked Wilder down in the third and fifth rounds and forced Wilder’s corner to throw in the towel. For the third installment of their rivalry, Tyson is siding with Fury. It’s no knock against Wilder, as Tyson has the utmost respect for him but when it comes to this particular matchup, Tyson simply believes Fury is more likely to come out on top.

“I just think Tyson might have his number,” said Tyson on his podcast, Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson Clips.

Since their first showdown, both Wilder and Fury have stood idly on the sidelines. In the case of Wilder, the Alabama native played the waiting game as he sought to legally enforce his mandated rematch with Fury after the British big man attempted to move him to the side. Once arbitrator Daniel Weinstein ruled in Wilder’s favor, however, Fury was forced to put his future plans on hold. The current WBC/Ring magazine titlist attempted to negotiate terms to a two-fight deal with unified champion Anthony Joshua. But, of course, will now face Wilder.

Like Tyson, most of the boxing world feels strongly that Fury will walk away from their showdown victorious. If that does in fact happen, Tyson urges Wilder to keep his head up. With the sort of resume he has compiled over his long career, win or lose, Wilder can walk with his head held high, regardless of the outcome.

“Deontay Wilder has nothing to be sad about, he’s fought great fights.”

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Mike Tyson: “September, I’m Gonna Fight Lennox Lewis”

Posted on 04/28/2021

By: Hans Themistode

It appears as though Mike Tyson will, in fact, return to the ring against an old foe. With that said, it isn’t the one many were expecting.

For months both Tyson and long-time rival, Evander Holyfield appeared to be on a collision course. Originally, their showdown seemed to be a done deal. However, with neither side able to come to an agreement from a financial standpoint, both parties went their separate ways.

For Holyfield, the former heavyweight and cruiserweight champion is now scheduled to face Kevin McBride in an exhibition on June 5th as the co-main event to undisputed lightweight champion, Teofimo Lopez, and the first defense of his crown against Australian mandatory challenger, George Kambosos Jr.

As for Tyson, although a replacement opponent wasn’t initially announced, the 2011 Hall of Famer revealed that he was planning to fight on June 5th. Now, after successful negotiations behind the scenes, Tyson has unveiled that his contest has been officially moved back. But while fans were hoping to see him in the ring sooner rather than later, they’ll be pleasantly surprised with the name he has ultimately chosen to face instead.

“I’m gonna fight Lennox Lewis,” said Tyson during an interview with TMZ Sports. “September.”

Although the official rules of their exhibition haven’t been revealed just yet, their showdown could mirror Tyson’s exhibition contest against Roy Jones Jr. in November of 2020. For the event, two minute periods of action followed by one minute of rest spread across eight rounds was the format.

For Tyson, a matchup with Lewis will allow him the opportunity to exact a bit of revenge. The two originally fought roughly two decades ago. On the night, Lewis easily outboxed Tyson before knocking him out in the eighth to retain his IBF, IBO and WBC heavyweight titles.

In terms of where their showdown could take place, a venue and official date have not yet been confirmed but, according to Tyson, their contest is signed, sealed and delivered for sometime in September.

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Mike Tyson Wants Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis This Year Or An Exhibition Against Tyson Fury

Posted on 04/08/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Mike Tyson still has a bit of revenge on his mind.

In back-to-back bouts against Evander Holyfield in the mid-1990s, Tyson was heavily favored to win both contests. Those who backed the former undisputed heavyweight champion to come out victorious, however, were left disappointed as Holyfield would walk away the winner via stoppage in the 11th round in their first contest and disqualification in their second due to Tyson biting the ear of Holyfield on several occasions.

After picking up the pieces and moving on, Tyson reeled off several knockout victories in a row which propelled him to a contest against Lennox Lewis in 2002. Tyson would go to lose that contest via eighth-round knockout.

Now, roughly 20-25 years later, Tyson not only wants to run things back, but he wants to do so in the coming months.

“I want Holyfield and I want Lennox Lewis this year,” Tyson said on his Hotboxing podcast. “I want both of them, I think I can get em both this year”

Over the past few months, Tyson has worked diligently on the first part of his master plan. The 2011 Hall of Famer has engaged in negotiations with team Holyfield in an attempt to bring a third showdown to reality. At the moment though, things appear headed in the wrong direction as both sides seemingly can’t agree on the financial part of the deal.

Be that as it may, Tyson appears determined to not only get his hands on Holyfield this year but also Lewis. With Tyson enjoying a lucrative second act in his boxing career, the all-time great continues to pursue big names to jump in the ring with him in an exhibition match.

In November of 2020, Tyson took on future Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr., faced off in an exhibition contest that piqued the interest of the boxing world. The event sold for $49.99 apiece and reportedly did 1.6 million buys which generated an excess of $80 million dollars.

With Tyson proving that he is still a draw, outselling Canelo Alvarez and Errol Spence Jr. combined last year, he believes he’s found his new niche. Although the goal is to lure both Holyfield and Lewis into the ring, if he ultimately can’t work out a deal, he still has other plans in mind.

“I (can) box an exhibition with Tyson Fury. If I do that — even if I can get those two guys, I’ll say this is a wrap, I can go and live my life. And that’s just exhibitions. I’m going to break all my true records with exhibitions.”

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Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield Reportedly Off…..Again

Posted on 03/25/2021

By: Hans Themistode

First, they were on, then they were off – then they were on and now, they are apparently back off.

Recently, former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson revealed that a third showdown with long-time rival Evander Holyfield was essentially set in stone.

“I just want everybody to know, the fight is on with me and Holyfield,” said Tyson during an interview with Haute Living.

With Holyfield officially holding the edge 2-0 due to back-to-back wins over Tyson in the mid-90s, the 2011 Hall of Famer appeared confident as ever that things will turn in his favor this time around.

“Holyfield is a humble man. I know that he’s a man of God but I’m God’s man. I’m going to be successful May 29th.”

But while fans of Tyson immediately rejoiced, their excitement will be short-lived. According to a report from TMZ, a rep from Tyson’s camp shot down any hope that a matchup between the pair will actually take place.

In regards to Tyson’s comments, the former champ reportedly misspoke. At the moment, a deal is far from happening. While it isn’t out of the realm of possibility, the rep showed no faith in both sides coming to an actual agreement.

The biggest hold-up in their negotiations stems from dollar signs. Holyfield alleges that both he and Tyson agreed to a 50/50 split as early as last year. Fast forward to today, however, and the pair are far apart financially.

Earlier this week, manager of Holyfield in Kris Lawrence stated that Tyson was offered 25 million dollars to step into the ring Holyfield. Yet, those numbers were reportedly turned down.

“We thought this was a done deal but it quickly fell apart when Tyson’s people declined all offers,” said Lawrence. “We were negotiating in good faith all along and it appears we just ended up wasting our time.”

Despite the up and down negotiations, Tyson is still reportedly returning to the ring on May 29th. Against whom and where exactly, is an open-ended question.

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Mike Tyson On Canelo Alvarez: “I Would Like To See Him Fight That (Jermall) Charlo Guy”

Posted on 03/25/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Photo Credit: Amanda Westcott

Mike Tyson knows a great fighter when he sees one.

The former undisputed heavyweight champion recently spoke with Canelo Alvarez on his podcast, Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson. During their conversation, the pound-for-pound star mapped out the goals he has for himself which include a May showdown with WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders.

Tyson doesn’t expect Saunders, nor anyone else for that matter, to hand Alvarez a defeat anytime soon but there is one person he would love to see him step into the ring against.

“I would like to see him fight that (Jermall) Charlo guy,” said Tyson during an interview with Haute Living. “It’s going to be a good fight.”

Charlo, 30, has long called for a showdown with Alvarez but with the Mexican star currently campaigning one weight class higher, thoughts of their matchup ever coming to fruition have seemingly fallen by the wayside.

With that said, the Houston native has continued to hold on to the belief that his phone will one day ring with team Alvarez waiting on the other line. The confidence he’s displayed in actually pulling off the win has never wavered but in the eyes of Tyson, he doesn’t believe the WBC middleweight belt holder has what it takes to knock Alvarez off his high horse.

“I don’t think that guy is strong enough but I think that guy isn’t afraid. He’s smart and he’ll put up a good fight.”

Currently, the sport of boxing has a plethora of big names associated with it. From unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua to welterweight titlist Terence Crawford, the list of high-level fighters stretches a mile long.

But while those previously names and countless others are near the top of the food chain, Tyson believes no one can compare to Alvarez.

It isn’t just the obvious skills that he places on display that separates him. More than anything, it was the lessons he learned in the biggest fight of his life that have him head and shoulders above everyone else.

“He stands alone,” said Tyson. “He learned so much from that Floyd Mayweather fight.”

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Mike Tyson: “I Just Want Everybody To Know, The Fight Is On With Me And Holyfield”

Posted on 03/23/2021

By: Hans Themistode

With numerous reports surfacing that former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson turned down a 25 million dollars offer to face his long-time rival Evander Holyfield, Tyson has decided to put an end to those erroneous statements.

“I just want everybody to know, the fight is on with me and Holyfield,” said Tyson during an interview with Haute Living.

Tyson and Holyfield have been linked to one another for roughly three decades. When both were at the peak of their powers, in the early 1990s, a matchup between the pair was all but done. The one hurdle that stood between them was fringe contender James “Buster” Douglas. With Douglas going on to create arguably the greatest upset in boxing history by stopping Tyson in the seventh round in 1990, Tyson vs Holyfield fell by the wayside.

They would eventually rekindle their rivalry six years later. But while most of the boxing world believed Tyson would be too much, Holyfield proved his critics wrong by scoring back-to-back wins over his man.

As Tyson began dusting off his boxing gloves recently, the 2011 Hall of Famer decided that he would end his retirement, which began in 2005, to return to the ring for a series of exhibitions. First up on his docket, was future Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr. The two met in the main event slot on streaming app Triller.

While their contest officially ended in a draw, Tyson, 54, revealed that he never intended to hurt Jones Jr. With that said, Tyson also disclosed that in his next contest, he planned on going “all out.”

With two wins in his back pocket against Tyson already to his name, Holyfield, 58, began urging his former rival to take him on the ring.

“Yes, I want to fight Mike Tyson,” said Holyfield during an interview with Fiaz Rafiq and Richard Forrester of The Sun several months ago. “I can definitely handle him.”

For Tyson, he has grown fond of Holyfield over the last few years. Both men have been seen making the rounds at special events and television shows.

Despite the reverence Tyson shares for him, however, he will put all of that to the side as he believes the third time will be the charm.

“Holyfield is a humble man. I know that he’s a man of God but I’m God’s man. I’m going to be successful May 29th.”

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Mike Tyson Set To Return To The Ring In Late May At The Hard Rock Stadium In Miami Florida

Posted on 03/17/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson wasn’t kidding around when he said he wanted to return to the ring soon.

After ending his decade and a half retirement late last year to take on future Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition matchup, Tyson announced to the world that he would continue his run of exhibitions for the foreseeable future.

Despite Tyson stating that he wanted to remain active in the ring, he was mums the word on when and who he would be fighting next. That is, up until now. While he hasn’t revealed who his next opponent will be, he has given both a date and place as to when fans can expect him back in the ring.

“May 29th something like that,” said Tyson during his podcast Hotboxin with Mike Tyson with his guest Canelo Alvarez. “The same arena you fought in.”

For Alvarez, the unified super middleweight champion last fought on February 27th against Avni Yildirim at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Florida. With Tyson revealing that he plans on fighting in the same arena, the topic of discussion now flips to who exactly will he be fighting next?

That question, however, is still an open-ended one. With that said, according to multiple reports, long-time rival Evander Holyfield appears to be in the driver’s seat.

As for his most recent outing, many anticipated Tyson to score the knockout win against Jones Jr. in their November contest in 2020. That of course, didn’t happen as he was forced to settle for a draw. But while many were surprised with the outcome, everything went according to Tyson’s plan.

Regardless of the 2011 Hall of Famer showing off his still explosive power in several training videos, Tyson revealed that the game plan was never to go out there and actually inflict serious damage to Jones Jr.

After spending 15 years sequestered on the sidelines, Tyson simply wanted to get his feet wet. Now, after reminding himself of what it feels like to be in the ring, the 54-year-old believes he’s ready to let loose in his second go-round.

“I felt better than I anticipated,” said Tyson. ”I thought I would be a little more nervous than I was, but I was relaxed. I felt like ‘wow’ – I could do some more, I could punch more combinations, I could do this and do that. I said ‘wow, this is interesting and I want to do it again and I want to do it against someone I could go all out on. It made me interested in wanting to do it again. I wanted to go the distance, I didn’t want to knock anybody out. That’s what people expected, but I wanted to go the distance.”

If Holyfield is in fact Tyson’s next opponent, he’ll be ending a ten-year run of inactivity. The former multiple-time heavyweight champion was last seen in the ring on May 7th, 2011. On the night, Holyfield scored a tenth-round stoppage win over Brian Nielsen.

In spite of hanging up his gloves soon after, Holyfield has been spotted in the ring as he attempts to get back into fighting shape. In the process, Holyfield has shown no fear of fighting Tyson. In fact, after defeating him in back-to-back fights in the mid-90s, Holyfield has stated that even at their advanced age, a third showdown between them would end the exact same way.

“I can definitely handle him,” said Holyfield during an interview with Fiaz Rafiq and Richard Forrester of The Sun several months ago. “I can still shoot the jab, I can still shoot the shots. I’m going to hurt you. I’m going to show you that I can knock him out.”

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Jesse Katz, President Of Roots Of Fight, Breaks Down His Collaboration With Triller And Reminisces About Mike Tyson And Roy Jones Jr.

Posted on 12/01/2020

By: Kirk Jackson

Roots of Fight Sowed Connections with Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr.

Roots of Fight President Jesse Katz recently spoke with Boxing Insider, providing insight to the highly anticipated bout between legendary Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. Katz also expanded on the collaboration with Triller, origins of Root of Fight, expectations for the anticipated match-up, along with his fondest memories of Tyson and Jones Jr.

The Roots of Fight connection between Roy Jones Jr., Mike Tyson and President of the company Jesse Katz, stems deeper than an exhibition fight taking place this past weekend. A star-studded event, featuring luminaries from several spectrums of the entertainment sphere, is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year.

“We’re pretty well respected and loved within the fight community and have very good relationships. We have a fairly decent audience, even though we’re not a Nike or Adidas, we’re pretty ubiquitous in this space and obviously have the attachment with all the icons we represent,” Katz said to Boxing Insider when speaking about how this event came together.

“We already had the relationships with the fighters where you know their approval needs to be had for everything to do with this event. So I got a call from Nakisa (Bidarian) and we’re very excited about the opportunity and to be a part of it.”

“We thought it was a very symbiotic relationship where we could have. We can add a lot of value to them with our relationships, our seeding abilities, the product capabilities and then, of course, we would get the benefit of all the connection with this incredible event and you know, just looking at these two guys look the way they do right now, I’m so excited about this fight on Saturday.”

(4230) Mike Tyson Vs Roy Jones Jr [ EPISODE 1 ] #triller – YouTube

The Vancouver-raised Katz was always a fight fan. As a youth growing up and even as he entered adulthood, Katz watched the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and many others. He coincidentally also admired the two icons featured in this past weekend’s blockbuster event between Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr.

“We’re a company born from Muhammad Ali,” said Katz. “We wouldn’t exist without Muhammad and Lonnie and everything they did for us. With everything they did for us, they embraced, encouraged and supported.”

“As we initially built the company, it was largely just from my personal experience; relationships I had and the people who were my heroes growing up as an athlete and a fanatical sports lover. All of the greats that we represented in the early years, were people who were the best in the world at what they did. Whether that was fighting as world champions or baseball players or football players or basketball players, they were iconic.”

What started as an idea, a clothing brand representing and paying homage to various icons of the sports world, blossomed and transcended into one of the more influential brands we see today. With the addition of apparel featuring more fighters, apparel featuring other impactful figures from the world of sports and other avenues, Root of Fight continues to add its imprint into the fabric of popular culture.

“But as we started maturing, as the political landscape changed – in particular in America, the ideals of the people we represented became ever more important,” said Katz.

“We decided to shift the company and the brand and started focusing on people who were exceptional on the field of play, but were also exceptional off the field of play and helped shape popular culture on a global scale and moved the needle to making the world a better place. So that’s really what our focus is now; shining a spotlight on them and paying respect and tribute to people who were groundbreakers, difference makers, game-changers in all aspects in what that means.”

(4230) Mike Tyson Vs Roy Jones Jr [ EPISODE 2 ] #triller – YouTube

Tyson and Jones respectively are game-changers, with their influence not only transcending sports, but other mediums of entertainment. They have inspired the lives of many across multiple generations.

“Obviously for people who know our brand, we have the history with Mike and with Roy, we’ve worked in both of them. Both of them have their own clothing ventures now. When Triller was looking to find partnerships, there’s some complexity there, and we already have worked with and have very positive working relationships and histories with each of the fighters,” said Katz.

“The executive producer of the event, Nakisa (Bidarian) is someone that I worked with years ago when he was the CFO of the UFC. And then when he moved over [to Triller] and is producing this event. He thought of who would be a good brand partner that has a very positive reputation in that space and is synonymous with boxing and the combat sports world.”

The expectations were enormous for this fight between Tyson and Jones on Saturday; albeit it was reasonable to temper projected forecasts with all things considered. However, it’s Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr.; their reputations far proceed them and the memories many fans share tend to override conventional thought.

It’s fair to suggest most, if not all of the sports world was intrigued by this event. The sentiment is echoed by everyone involved.

“Coming back, the older fighters don’t usually look crisp, powerful, clean, fast. Both these guys look fantastic and I think I’m like everybody else — I just can’t wait to see what happens and what the fireworks should be.”

Katz on Memories of Tyson:

“I mean I grew up watching Mike Tyson, so I’m 49-years-old. I grew up watching Mike Tyson as a teenager and I can remember watching those fights with my father. And you know those memories are permanently etched in my brain,” said Katz.

“But then I was in University in Montreal, like probably my mid-20s for the Evander Holyfield fight, the first one, and I remember going through a kind of upscale pool hall, where they were showing it in a big open room and it was so packed. But I mean it was just absolutely chaos and that emotion everyone was so attached to Mike. And although that fight didn’t go his way, every fight was a spectacle that was built up with so much energy and so much entertainment, everything was emotionally charged. That excitement was palpable.”

Katz on Memories of Jones:

“And then with Roy Jones Jr., I have two. One, I think would begin with Vinny Pazienza. If I’m correct, he hit like a 21-punch combination and it looked like a video game, where I watched it over and over again in super slow-mo. It was like he was hitting him like he’s playing ping-pong with him. It was just so extraordinary watching that, like it was like nothing I’ve ever seen again. It’s like a video game, like The Matrix,” Katz said of Jones Jr.

“When he fought James Toney. Toney was just such a scary dude and I remember watching Roy then and just again thinking that this guy is inhuman, that what he’s doing is not real. I still think that Roy would have retired after Ruiz, then he would have been regarded as the greatest part of pound for pound ever to live. Yeah, he was just such a special. Such a special fighter man. It was just such a pleasure to watch him work, he was poetry in motion.”

As the official apparel partner for the match, Roots of Fight has created an exclusive collection of graphic apparel across five styles including sweatshirts and tees all inspired by the official promotional poster in bright colors like yellow, pink and blue. The collection draws from the designs of retro concert tees that can be worn to showcase support and excitement around the match or simply as your go-to graphic tee.

The Triller Presents Tyson vs. Jones Collection retails from $48 – $80 and is available on RootsofFight.com.

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Mike Tyson: “Boxing Owes YouTube Boxers Respect, They Should Give Them Some Belts Because These Guys Make Boxing Alive”

Posted on 11/30/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson remembers the good ole days. The times of yesteryear where boxing was amongst the most talked about sports in the world. Nearly 30-40 years ago, living a normal life as a professional boxer was nearly impossible with the amount of fanfare. Fast forward to today however, and Tyson believes that boxing was heading by the wayside.

It isn’t just other sports such as the NFL, NBA and MLB that have passed boxing along, but Tyson also believes that so did the UFC. Regardless of how boxing was perceived over the past few years, Tyson is under the impression that the sport he once ruled over is making a comeback, and not because he’s decided to make his de-facto return to it.

“Boxing was pretty much a dying sport. UFC has been kicking our butt. Now we got these YouTube boxers and boxing is going back. Thanks to the YouTube boxers.”

Tyson’s love and admiration for YouTube boxers stems from having YouTube star Jake Paul and his six-round bout against former NBA dunk champion Nate Robinson as the co-main event of his eight-round exhibition contest against Roy Jones Jr. this past weekend.

Although Tyson’s debatable draw against Jones Jr. created much of the buzz, it was Paul’s second knockout of Robinson that stole the night. Watching the former NBA player lie motionless on the canvas sent social media and television talk shows into a frenzy.

YouTubers such as Paul, his brother Logan and KSI have set a new trend over the years but one that hasn’t been greeted with open arms by the boxing community. Yet, with over 2 million viewers tuning in to see KSI and Logan Paul go at it in August of 2018, the numbers for these special events have only continued to skyrocket.

Handing YouTube boxers their credit is difficult for Tyson’s ego to handle. With that being said, as the proliferation continues to pile up in terms of fans, Tyson thinks it’s time to embrace this new age of boxing.

“Listen, my ego says so many things,” said Tyson following his exhibition bout. “But my reality is they help boxing so much. Boxing owes these YouTube boxers some kind of respect. They should give them some belts because these guys make boxing alive.”

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Roy Jones Jr. And Mike Tyson Battle To A Draw But Tyson Eye’s Rematch: “We Gotta Do This Again”

Posted on 11/29/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Mike Tyson took a page out of his 1980s playbook as he sauntered his way to the ring tonight. The former undisputed heavyweight champion strutted out wearing his typical all-black attire with the sleeves cut out of his shirt.

It was the moment that fight fans all around the world was waiting on as both Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. stood across from each other in a contest that was 20 years in the making. After watching former NBA player Nate Robinson get decapitated by YouTube star Jake Paul along with former two-division world champion Badou Jack and his one sided beating against Blake McKernan, Tyson and Jones Jr. ended the night with mostly nonstop action for eight rounds.

With the usual three minute rounds kicked to the curb in favor of an abbreviated two minute rounds instead, Tyson came out as explosive as ever. He bobbed and weaved from side to side and launched himself at Jones Jr. For the 51-year-old future hall of famer however, he proved that his reflexes are still working just fine as he evaded many of Tyson’s big shots.

Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Triller

Trading blow for blow was never on the agenda for Jones Jr., so instead, he went into retreat mode and clinched with him whenever he could. His early game plan may have allowed him to stay upright, but Tyson appeared to be in clear control.

Each round started off the same. Jones Jr. would attempt to outbox his man, while Tyson on the other hand, did his best to leave him stiff on the canvas. At various points during their contest, it appeared as though he was on his way to doing just that as he landed several hard right hands. The much talked about fading chin of Jones Jr. though, held up just fine.

During the midway point of their contest, Jones Jr. felt his man losing a bit of pop in his punches. From there, it was showtime for the former pound for pound star. Jones Jr. hit Tyson with Jabs during the early portion of round five and made him pay whenever he would lunge at him with a left hook of his own.

As their scheduled eight round contest reached round seven, both fighters appeared winded on the stool. Yet, it was Tyson who kept his foot on the gas and refused to let up. Being on the receiving end of a big shot wasn’t on the mind of Jones Jr. as he continued to grab Tyson on the inside and push him back.

The final round saw Jones Jr. do his best work. He immediately came forward and threw a six punch combination at Tyson. The former undisputed heavyweight titlist ducked down but was still on the receiving end of several. Just when he thought it was safe to push forward, Jones Jr. connected with a combination again. Tyson took the shots well and attempted to get on the inside.

Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Triller

With a few seconds remaining in their contest, both fighters appeared more than content with standing in the middle of the ring clinched up.

Following the final bell, both men had their hands raised as if to say they had done more than enough to win the contest. To the surprise of both though, their showdown was ruled a draw. Judge Vinny Pazienza ruled it 80-76 in favor of Jones Jr., while judge Christy Martin gave the edge to Tyson with a score of 79-73. The third and final judge however in Chad Dawson, simply couldn’t give it to either man as he had it, 76-76.

Ruling their contest a draw may have left social media pissed off, but for Tyson, he was perfectly fine with it.

“I’m okay with it,” said Tyson immediately following the contest. “We entertained the crowd and that’s all that matters.”

Jones Jr. though, wasn’t pleased with the ruling at all.

“Hell no I’m not happy,” said Jones Jr. “I wear draws but I don’t agree that this fight was a draw.”

Part two between both aging legends not only could take place but according to Tyson, it absolutely should.

“We gotta do this again.”

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Ryan Kavanaugh, Co-owner Of The Triller App, Sits Down With Boxing Insider To Discuss Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr.

Posted on 11/28/2020

By: Kirk Jackson

Triller co-owner Ryan Kavanaugh recently spoke with Boxing Insider, providing insight to the highly anticipated bout between the illustrious Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. Kavanaugh also expanded on his predictions for the event, uniqueness of the Triller app and creative expression.

In what is expected to go down as one of the more extraordinary events of the year, legendary icons Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr., will battle across eight rounds in what is dubbed as an exhibition match from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. 

Although this encounter is listed as an exhibition bout, Tyson and Jones have the public believing that this will be far from that. The two icons stated multiple times in the buildup, that this is going to be a legitimate fight. 

(4244) Mike Tyson v Roy Jones Jr final FACE OFF ahead of comeback fight – YouTube

Ryan Kavanaugh, co-owner of the Triller app, is one of the main figures responsible for this star-studded, blockbuster event. The fights and musical performances can be streamed via TysonOnTriller.com and is listed at the price of $49.99.

“I don’t think anyone has ever seen it before. Starting with Tyson as the centerpiece, since this launches for Triller our live events business, we wanted to do something that was so epic and large, literally there is something for everyone,” said Kavanaugh to Boxing Insider. 

“For a pretty good price, for 50 bucks, half the price for a UFC fight, that we’re getting so much. Especially in times of COVID-19, we want to make things affordable for people.”

“It started with that, Tyson as the main piece and how can we add to it? And thinking since Tyson does transcend generations, who’s the younger audience? Everybody loves seeing Jake Paul fight and there’s obviously a big rivalry with him and Nate (Robinson) that’s one. Let’s see who’s really serious with fighting, boxing or mma, young fighters, top fighters and make sure we got them and now we got this broad audience. Now that we have this big event, let’s give viewers something similar to the Superbowl, let’s give them the best halftime show they’ve ever seen, with the biggest music acts they’ve ever seen. Now that we’ve done that, lets put together the celebrity lineup and celebrity hosts from Mario Lopez to Sugar Ray.”

(4244) Mike Tyson Vs Roy Jones Jr. [EPISODE 16]#triller – YouTube

For the application itself, Triller is an AI-powered music video app, enabling users to create professional-looking videos in a matter of seconds. Triller has more than 250 million downloads, with celebrities like Alicia Keys, Cardi B, Marshmello, Roddy Ricch, Wiz Khalifa and several other notable names, using the app to create their own music videos. 

Kavanaugh made his name with Relativity Media, the entertainment company he founded in 2004. In 2011, Variety named him Showman of the Year, and in 2013, he landed on the Forbes billionaires list. Ever since acquiring the app in 2019, Kavanaugh has worked diligently to enhance the value, functionality and overall user experience. Kavanaugh wants Triller to be an easy to use platform for artistic expression; to be somewhat of a haven for creativity.

Creativity akin to what was displayed from Jones Jr. throughout his illustrious career. The majestic, ever-flowing punishment he dished out to various opponents throughout the years. Punching poetically and entertaining viewers over his tenure.

Representation of entertainment, not knowing limitations; unbridled expression. Similar to the proclamation of enraged pugilism unleashed from Tyson during his prolific career. 

“It takes courage, a lot of what people talk about. one of us thinks that social media should be the arbitrary truth and opinion. It’s not our place to take down something, even if we don’t agree with it,” said Kavanaugh, regarding censorship of users utilizing any social media app.

“The way we look at it is, if it’s not illegal, if it’s not harmful to someone, if it’s not unethical, if it’s not overly offensive, opinion is not necessarily offensive, we’re not going to censor it. Whether we agree with it or not, it’s not our decision for someone’s opinion to be taken down or not.” 

With Tyson in particular, it’s what makes him if not endearing, polarizing at the very least. His struggles and stories have been uncensored and some of the situations he has endured relate to us in one way or another. The sheer openness that is his life can be welcoming in many ways. 

Pertaining to the fights Saturday night, Kavanaugh is of the belief that many of the bouts will end in a knockout.

“Uh I think, personally I think Tyson knocks out Jones in the third. I think Jake Paul knocks out Nate and wins in the first four rounds.”

“We want this to go down as one of the most epic events in history. We want this to go down, where people are remembering how we brought together the culmination of boxing, live music concerts, celebrities, influencers, social media and content all into one event, where the first time in a very long time, a son and a daughter, a mother and a father, a grandmother and a grandfather can all be watching the same thing a say I love this. There’s something for all of them, like a generational bridge so to speak. Those don’t exist anymore.”

Main card

Preliminary card

This event will also feature performances from Lil Wayne, French Montana, Wiz Khalifa and YG, with Ne-Yo performing the national anthem. The commentary team will consist of fellow boxing icon Sugar Ray Leonard and current UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. Michael Buffer will serve as ringside announcer and Jim Gray will conduct post-fight interviews.

To watch, check out TysonOnTriller.com listed at the price of $49.99.

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