Tag Archives: Roy Jones Jr.

Posted on 02/04/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Roy Jones Jr. has thoroughly enjoyed his time as the head trainer of middleweight contender Chris Eubank Jr.

Throughout much of the British star’s young career, he’s gone the solo route, training himself for each of his fights and going without someone in his corner during breaks in-between rounds. While his unconventional method has gotten to where he is today, the now 32-year-old decided that it was time for a change.

With Jones Jr. in his corner, the pair have gone undefeated, scoring two wins in a row, including a fifth-round stoppage win over Wanik Awdijan. This Saturday night, at the Newcastle Arena in the United Kingdom, Eubank Jr. will attempt to end his rivalry with highly ranked middleweight contender Liam Williams.

Having closed the door on his legendary boxing career in 2018, Jones Jr. is widely considered by most as arguably the greatest fighter that’s ever laced em up. Still, despite his lofty standings in the pugilistic sport, Jones Jr. believes that after watching Eubank Jr. up close and personal, he has the chance to usurp him in the boxing hierarchy.

“He has the talent to be very close, if not more than what I was in boxing,” said Jones Jr. during an interview with SecondsOut. “He has a lot of talent.”

Jones Jr., a former four-division world champion and newly inducted Hall of Famer, dominated the competition when he was at his best. In addition to his wins over Antonio Tarver, Bernard Hopkins, Felix Trinidad, John Ruiz, and Montell Griffin – Jones Jr. is the only man in boxing history to begin his career as a junior middleweight and win a world title as a full-fledged heavyweight.

Although Jones Jr.’s accolades speak for themselves, Eubank Jr., on the other hand, is still on the hunt for his first world title. The 160 pound contender previously came up short in his one and only bid at a championship in 2018, losing a fairly close unanimous decision against George Groves.

Should the British star pull off the victory against his bitter rival tomorrow night, he’ll look to lure current IBF middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin into the ring.

Posted on 12/26/2021

By: Hans Themistode

After carefully surveying the cruiserweight landscape, Oleksandr Usyk was proud of what he accomplished. From 2016-2019, Usyk successfully dethroned every cruiserweight world titlist. In the process, the Ukrainian star became an undisputed champion.

With little left to accomplish, Usyk opted to try his hand at the heavyweight division. While his first two results resulted in lackluster wins over the likes of Chazz Witherspoon and Dereck Chisora, Usyk had everything clicking in his most recent appearance against Anthony Joshua. Though he was pegged as a sizable underdog, Usyk made oddsmakers eat their words as he went on to dominate the hulking former titlist to begin his own championship reign.

In all likelihood, Usyk is heading towards an immediate rematch with Joshua during the first half of 2022. But while the pound-for-pound star is focused on proving that his win over Joshua was legitimate, he’s slowly but assuredly begun looking at his former weight class.

In recent months, Canelo Alvarez has expressed his desire to become a cruiserweight world champion. Officially, the newly crowned undisputed super middleweight titlist will face the winner of the upcoming contest between WBC cruiserweight belt holder Ilunga Makabu and Thabiso Mchunu.

Should Alvarez successfully nab another world title, Usyk revealed that he would be willing to return to a weight class that he once dominated.

“I can fight him at cruiserweight,” said Usyk to BoxingInsider.com.

While news of Usyk’s willingness to face Alvarez at the cruiserweight 200-pound weight limit sparked intrigue amongst fans, former four division champion Roy Jones Jr. believes a showdown between them would be an utter mismatch.

“To me, Usyk is too big for Canelo,” said Jones Jr. during an interview with IFL TV. “Usyk beats Canelo easy in my opinion.”

Although Jones Jr. suspects that Usyk would go on to dominate Alvarez due to their size difference, the newly inducted Hall of Famer believes Usyk’s success as a heavyweight would be untenable. To further back his claim that Usyk could be forfeiting future glory for immediate triumph, the former four-division champion points to recent history to further prove his point.

“Usyk has no reason to come down and fight Canelo,” continued Jones Jr. “Usyk is the heavyweight champion of the world. Why would you go to cruiserweight, when you’re the heavyweight champion of the world? Look what happened when Chad Dawson went down from light heavyweight to fight Andre Ward at 168. That was the end of his career. Why would you do that to yourself?”

Seemingly at the top of his game and after picking up notable wins against Antonio Tarver and Bernard Hopkins as a light heavyweight, Chad Dawson willingly dropped down to the super middleweight division in 2012 to take on unified champion Andre Ward. Despite being a consistent fixture on numerous pound-for-pound lists, Dawson was thoroughly dominated as he was dropped three times and later stopped in the 10th round.

Though Dawson would later return to the light heavyweight division, he was never quite the same. In his first appearance as a full-fledged light heavyweight since Ward, Dawson was brutally knocked out against Adonis Stevenson in the very first round. His career would continue to spiral downward as he registered losses to fringe contenders Tommy Karpency and Andrzej Fonfara.

In a similar move, Jones Jr. also drastically moved up and down in weight nearly two decades ago. In 2003, after stopping Clinton Woods in the sixth round to defend his light heavyweight titles, Jones Jr. opted to move up to the heavyweight division to take on WBA champion John Ruiz. Although Jones Jr. did his best to not overload his body with too much weight, coming into his heavyweight debut at 193 pounds, his durability seemingly suffered soon after.

Following his victory over Ruiz to capture a heavyweight world title, Jones Jr. stripped a considerable amount of muscle from his frame to return to the light heavyweight division. While he picked up a few wins here and there, Jones Jr. was no longer the pound-for-pound star most were accustomed to seeing. The former multiple division champion would go on to pick up eight of his nine career losses after making the move back down in weight, five of which came via stoppage.

In addition to Jones Jr. wanting Usyk to steer clear of a return to the cruiserweight division due to the weight discrepancy, as the Florida native sifts through the names available to the newly crowned heavyweight champion, he believes there’s a bevy of big fights available to him currently.

“You got Tyson Fury, you got Deontay Wilder, you got Anthony Joshua again, you got Andy Ruiz. You got so many big guys who are in the weight class that you are champion at right now that it makes no sense. Unless it’s way more money that you’re going to make which he’s not because you vs. Fury right now is probably one of the biggest fights on the planet. You vs. Joshua again is also a big fight.”

Posted on 09/26/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Roy Jones Jr. has a tremendous amount of respect for Oleksandr Usyk. The former multiple division titlist has watched closely from the sidelines as Usyk dominated the cruiserweight division. Jones Jr. has also been an interested observer as Usyk made the trek to the land of the heavyweights.

Yet, no matter how much Jones Jr. reveres the Ukrainian, even he was taken aback by what took place last night.

In front of a jam-packed crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in the United Kingdom, Usyk caused a huge upset as he strolled into the backyard of Anthony Joshua and stripped him of his heavyweight titles.

Even with his astute boxing mind, Jones Jr. simply didn’t expect things to shake out the way they did. With Joshua holding a considerable height, reach, weight, and overall size advantage, Jones Jr. was fully expecting him to use all of his physical attributes on the night, especially early on.

That said, Joshua conceded much of the preceding rounds before ultimately losing a fairly wide decision. Even now, as several hours have gone by, Jones Jr. is still scratching his head as to why Joshua came out so passive.

“Joshua came out and gave Usyk respect right away,” said Jones Jr. during an interview with IFL TV. “He let Usyk basically control the center of the ring, so Usyk won the first three rounds. I was surprised.”

Usyk, a former 2012 Olympic gold medalist, broke Joshua down in the first six rounds before cruising to the finishing line. In the 12th and final round, in particular, Joshua appeared to be on his way out. The muscular former heavyweight titlist languished against the ropes as Usyk connected on several unanswered shots.

Immediately following his defeat, Joshua stepped up to the podium and announced that he would be invoking his rematch clause. Since his declaration, several boxers, including Josh Taylor, and Dillian Whyte – have admitted that they don’t like the chances of Joshua heading into part two.

For Jones Jr., he isn’t entirely ruling out a Joshua victory in the sequel. But while the all-timer could have gone into the Xs and Os and described the picture-perfect game plan for Joshua to use, he abstained from doing so. In the end, the bigger alteration that Joshua can make should come between the ears.

“There are a few adjustments he can make. A lot of it is mental, a little bit is boxing but it’s more mental than boxing. He’s just got to hang out with a killer. When I say a killer, I mean a killer in the boxing ring, not outside. He’s a very good guy and that’s fine. I was a very good guy but when I got in that boxing ring, I was a killer. He’s got to get that killer mentality.”

Posted on 05/08/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Roy Jones Jr. has a tremendous amount of respect for Canelo Alvarez. The future first-ballot Hall of Famer has sat back and watched as the Mexican star has won world titles in four separate weight divisions and looked dominant while doing so.

Yet, despite how highly Jones Jr. thinks of the pound-for-pound star, he’s growing sick and tired of hearing most of the boxing world and their dismissive attitude towards his upcoming opponent, Billy Joe Saunders.

“It’s not easy,” said Jones Jr. during an interview with Little Giant Boxing. “Billy Joe can freaking box. A lot of people don’t like him but Billy Joe understands boxing.”

Both Saunders and Alvarez are set to face off later on tonight at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas in front of 70,000 fans. Despite sporting an undefeated record through 30 fights, virtually no one is expecting the British product to walk away with the victory. Those sentiments, however, are something Jones Jr. simply doesn’t understand. Although activity hasn’t been on the side of Saunders, and his performances inside the ring haven’t been noteworthy, when he’s on, Jones Jr. believes his chances of beating Alvarez are as good as anyone’s.

“He’s been out for a little while and he doesn’t look like he’s progressed a whole lot lately but he’s still a very smart boxer with boxing skills. Billy Joe can beat anybody.”

The combination punching, highlight-reel level knockouts and aggressive nature of Alvarez have him pegged as the number one boxer in the world, according to most. But while the attributes of the Mexican native have earned him numerous world titles, Jones Jr. is under the belief that his style is perfect for Saunders.

“Billy Joe’s best guys to fight against are those hard-hitting guys. They give him the opportunity to see it coming. He loves that. If he gets comfortable then he can become a problem.”

Posted on 04/17/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Shawn Porter has heard the buzz. But up until recently, he hasn’t exactly paid close attention to it.

Following each Jaron Ennis ring appearance, the boxing world would mention him as the next big star in the welterweight division. The Philadelphia native would dance around his opponents until he ended things with one game-changing shot.

Recently, Ennis (27-0, 25 KOs) was tasked with who many believed was his toughest opponent to date in former 140-pound belt holder Sergey Lipinets. Not only did Ennis take care of business against the long-time contender in impressive fashion, stopping him in the sixth round, but he barely broke a sweat while doing so.

After tuning in and giving the 23-year-old his undivided attention, Porter was left with no choice but to compare Ennis to one of the greatest fighters to ever lace up a pair of gloves.

“He’s a welterweight Roy Jones Jr.,” said Porter on his podcast The Porter Way Podcast Clips.

Porter, a former two-time welterweight world champion, couldn’t help but notice the speed, power and relative ease in which it took Ennis to take care of business against someone who is normally a durable opponent. In the mind of many, they’re intrigued by what Ennis will be able to do once he faces the elite of the division. Facing Lipinets is one thing, but taking on the likes of Porter, WBO belt holder Terence Crawford and ultimately, unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr., is another thing entirely.

With that said, much like Jones Jr., Porter remembers a time when the same highlight reel level knockouts Jones Jr. would score against lesser competition, would continue to happen even after facing the best of the best. While many believe at the age of 23, Ennis is the future of the welterweight division, in Porter’s opinion, if Ennis is given the opportunity right now, the future could be a lot sooner than many realize.

“Roy did it just like that. When they stepped up the competition he continued to do it just like that,” explained Porter. “I’m a Showtime fighter. It don’t matter what time of day it is. When the lights come on, I’m ready. I don’t care what I was doing two hours before the fight, when the lights come on, I’m ready and that’s how Jaron is.

“Jaron is just one of those guys where, if you put him in the ring with Shawn Porter, you put him in the ring with Errol Spence Jr., and we can all say that he may not be ready yet, but it’s just one of those situations where he gets in the ring and tonight is that night for him.”

Posted on 03/11/2021

By: Hans Themistode

It’s been a long time since Roy Jones Jr. officially entered the ring. It’s been even longer since he held a world title.

Regardless of that, Jones Jr. feels like a new man ever since he took on former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson during an exhibition match late last year. Their contest may have officially ended in a draw, but Jones Jr. has spent most of his time since then working the rust off.

After one of his more recent gym sessions, a drenched in sweat Jones Jr. took the time to give the boxing world a bit of a warning.

“Y’all gonna make me mess around and come back and become champ again. I’m trying not to but y’all pushing me.”

In the opinion of most, Jones Jr.’s championship aspirations would appear to be farfetched. The last time the former four-division titlist had a world title draped around his shoulders was nearly two decades ago in 2003.

While he would continue to fight for 15 years, Jones Jr. was a shadow of his former pound-for-pound self.

Outside of his exhibition showdown with Tyson, Jones Jr. has kept busy by training younger fighters with title dreams of their own. Amongst the many he is currently training, is WBA interim middleweight champion Chris Eubank Jr.

After suffering several knockout losses during the latter portion of his career, Jones Jr. decided to hang up his gloves for good in 2018.

Yet, his boxing itch has struck again. Instead of kicking his feet up and enjoying the fruits of his labor, Jones Jr. spends his time training his now 52-year-old body.

Despite his reflexes slowing down considerably, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer appears to be as focused as ever. In fact, the Florida native even took the time to offer advice to anyone that would be willing to take him on.

“See where I’m from it’s called dedication,” said Jones Jr. “If you ain’t dedicated to taking on a legend, then you ain’t ready. You gotta be dedicated, so dedicated that you willing to take over the nation.”

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.”

Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones #tysonjones Poster pic.twitter.com/v9LjVDV6C6

— Boxing Insider.com (@BoxingInsider) November 13, 2020

(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.

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.

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.

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.”

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

Mike Tyson – Roy Jones Preview – https://t.co/W00o7bME1I pic.twitter.com/7jbgxfqyof

— Boxing Insider.com (@BoxingInsider) November 28, 2020

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.”

Mike Tyson pic.twitter.com/MDXjl32E3N

— Boxing Insider.com (@BoxingInsider) November 28, 2020

“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

• Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. — WBC Frontline Championship (8 rounds)
• Jake Paul vs. Nate Robinson — cruiserweights (6 rounds)
• Badou Jack vs. Blake McKernan — light heavyweights (8 rounds)
• Viddal Riley vs. Rashad Coulter — cruiserweights (6 rounds)

Preliminary card

• Jamaine Ortiz vs. Nahir Albright — lightweights
• Irvin Gonzalez Jr. vs. Edward Vasquez — featherweights
• Juiseppe Cusumano vs. Nick Jones — heavyweights

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.

Posted on 11/27/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and former four-division titlist Roy Jones Jr. proved that they’re taking their eight-round exhibition matchup tomorrow extremely seriously.

With a few additional months to build up the anticipation for their showdown, both Tyson and Jones Jr. stepped onto the scale in the best shape that their plus 50-year-old bodies could muster.

Unlike Tyson’s last appearance on the boxing scale where he weighed 233 pounds a decade and a half ago for his contest against Kevin McBride, Tyson trimmed down his physique and came in at 220.4 pounds.

Jones Jr. on the other hand, a former heavyweight champion with his majority decision win over John Ruiz in 2003, packed on the extra muscle as he tipped the scale at 210 pounds. Even in Jones Jr.’s lone trip to the heavyweight division, the future first ballot hall of famer kept his weight down as he checked in at 193 pounds.

With both men appearing in fairly good shape, the stage has been set for a contest to take place that was 20 years in the making.

In 2003, following his win over Ruiz, a matchup between Jones Jr. and Tyson was on the verge of becoming a reality. However, due to financial reasons, amongst many, their contest never took shape. Had they solved their differences and met inside of the ring, Jones Jr. was expected to have his hand raised as he was tabbed as the slight favorite.

Fast forward nearly 20 years later though, and it is Jones Jr. who is viewed as the prohibited underdog. Much of the betting public’s insistence in backing Tyson stems from Jones Jr.’s numerous knockout losses over the years, coupled with the impressive workout video’s Tyson has dropped on his social media accounts over the past several months.

Although both Tyson and Jones Jr. have sold their showdown as an official contest, their Pay-Per-View matchup will have several different factors from the norm.

For one, instead of the traditional 10-ounce gloves worn by heavyweights, the two all-time greats will be sporting 12-ounce gloves instead. Also, knockouts are prohibited, although Triller co-owner Ryan Kavanaugh has said that knockouts will be allowed.

In order to protect both fighters from serious injury, the first sign of a cut will end their bout entirely. Also, there have been conflicting reports that an official winner will not be announced. The last of their rule change is that unlike normal men’s boxing matches that feature three minute rounds, their showdown will feature two minute rounds instead. As long as one shot does not end the night prematurely, their bout is scheduled to last eight rounds.

To witness their highly-anticipated showdown, viewers will be able to tune in on the Triller app or their website as well as on other various platforms this Saturday at 9 p.m Eastern time.

Posted on 11/26/2020

By: Hans Themistode

With confusion mounting surrounding former all-time great’s Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. and their highly-anticipated showdown which will air on the Triller app this Saturday night, Ryan Kavanaugh, co-owner of the Triller app, has made things crystal clear.

“Know there have been some false rumors swirling, so to be clear,” said Kavanaugh in a recent statement. “The WBC is scoring the fight. There could be a knockout and there will be one winner. Anyone who says there is no judging or no winner either does not understand the rules or has their own agenda. Unquestionably, 100 percent. DraftKings is the betting partner and is taking bets on the fight in New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Illinois. The only difference is the fight is the gloves are 12 ounces, there are eight rounds and the rounds are two minutes rather than three. That is it.”

Kavanaugh’s need to clarify the rules between Tyson and Jones Jr. stems from Andy Foster, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, and his insistence on promoting Tyson vs Jones Jr. as a safe sparring match.

“Let’s call it an exhibition,” explained Foster during an interview several months ago. “That’s what it is. I want the public to know what this is because I don’t want people to be disappointed. As long as they know this is an exhibition, I’m fine for everybody to earn. … There’s no official judges. The WBC is going to have some guest celebrity judges remotely, not official, not 10-9 [scores], nothing like that. No cumulative score. No winner announced. That’s a very entertainment centered thing. It’s about entertainment. It’s not about competition. … It is what it is and it’s not more than it is but it’s going to be fun.”

Recently, amongst the long set of rules to ensure both fighter’s safety, Foster has also stated that if either fighter suffers a cut, that their bout will immediately come to an end.

While Kavanaugh is fully behind the safety of each fighter, who are well into their 50’s, he continued to push the narrative that Tyson vs Jones Jr. will in fact be a full-fledged fight and not an eccentric matchup.

“We have nothing but the utmost respect for Andy (Foster) and everyone at (the California State Athletic Commission). For total clarity we are not implying that CSAC is picking a winner or scoring this, WBC is doing both. WBC is scoring under a 10-9, and a knockout will be a win under WBC’s scoring. The results will not be reflected on their fight record. We apologize for any confusion and look forward to a great night of fights Saturday night.”

Posted on 10/30/2020

By: Hans Themistode

The Mike Tyson who carried around with him an aura of invincibility throughout the 1990s, was a far cry from the man who laid slumped on the ropes at the MCI Center in Washington D.C. at the hands of journeymen Kevin McBride in 2005.

On the night, the man who appeared inside of the ring may have resembled the former heavyweight titlist, but the real Mike Tyson was nowhere to be found.

“That guy that was in Washington D.C. was just a ghost of me,” said Tyson during a recent presser. “I was happy to leave the ring man.”

Shortly after losing via sixth round stoppage, Tyson would announce his retirement to the world. His words may have come as a shock to his fans, but with his heart no longer fully invested in the sport and his legal troubles piling up, Tyson was no longer fighting because he wanted to but more so because he needed to.

“I was fighting for just financial purposes and I was on drugs back then,” explained Tyson. “I dreaded even being in the ring at that time.”

Tyson, 54, may have ended his career on a whimper, but with the former heavyweight titlist dropping workout video, after workout video which depicts him looking far younger than what his birth certificate entails,
he simply can’t wait to enter the ring again.

On November 28th, he’ll do just that when he ends his 15 year retirement to take on future hall of famer Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition matchup at the Staples Center in Carson, California. The two boxing icons were once in discussion to face off against one another nearly two decades ago when they campaigned in the same weight class. Dreams of a mega fight between them would never materialize as both sides could never agree to terms.

Still, for Tyson, he could care less about answering questions about how their contest would have played out. Also, the lasting image of a man who was once considered “The Baddest Man On The Planet,” isn’t exactly what’s on his mind either. Instead, he’ll be looking to etch a new memory as opposed to the one that saw him dejected and ousted from both the ring and his illustrious career.

“I was a whole different person back then. I have the desire and will to do this now. I’m just ready to do this stuff and I’m feeling really great so I want the world to see how I look.”

Posted on 10/06/2020

While Roy Jones Jr. may show flashes of his former self during short workout clips, the fact of the matter is, at 51 years of age, training every day just isn’t possible. So on a day where he allowed his old bones to rest, he decided to swing by Boxing Insider Radio to discuss several topics including how he has to be prepared to either “kill or be killed,” against Mike Tyson on November 28th.

To listen in on the conversation, head over to Spotify, iTunes or BoxingInsider.com to subscribe.

When you’re a four weight world champion, future first ballot hall of famer and considered by most as the best boxer to ever lace up a pair of gloves, it’s difficult to play second fiddle to anyone. Yet, in the case of Roy Jones Jr., that is exactly what is happening. 

During much of the lead up of his contest against former heavyweight titlist Mike Tyson which will take place on November 28th, the Pensacola, Florida native has been summarily dismissed as having no chance against the surly knockout artist. 

The reason is simple. For as great as Jones Jr. has been throughout his career, Mike Tyson has left many of his opponents either unconscious or in a vegetative state. 

The accolades of Tyson scream dominance. In 1986, at 20 years of age, the Brooklyn native became the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history when he destroyed Trevor Berbick in just under two rounds. He would go on to become undisputed world champion just one year later, outpointing Tony Tucker to do so. 

Simply put, Tyson dominated the heavyweight division like no other. But while many are in awe of how he ran through his competition with deleterious shot after deleterious shot, Jones Jr. shrugs his shoulders. Dominating a weight class is difficult to do in itself, but making several divisions look like your personal playpen is something else entirely.

“A lot of people don’t really pay attention to the level of dominance that I had. I dominated from middleweight to heavyweight,” said Jones Jr. to BoxingInsider Radio. “Not just did it but I dominated. I didn’t just dominate one weight class, I dominated an area. I dominated a whole area. Anything from 160 to a heavyweight was not safe when I was around.”

Deciding who is the best fighter in the world has always been conjecture. Today’s list mostly varies at the top between fighters such as Canelo Alvarez, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Terence Crawford and numerous others. But throughout the 90s and early 2000s, Jones Jr. was the only name that echoed throughout every list. With that being said, his heyday has long since past him.

During the back half of his career, his once impregnable defense was cracked on several occasions by lesser fighters. The hand speed he once possessed which forced viewers to hit the slow down button on their remote’s has dissipated as well.

In short, many believe that Jones Jr. held on far too long, retiring officially in 2018.

For much of his retirement, the four division world champion showed no interest of getting blood stained on his knuckles again. But the moment he became settled into the rocking chair of his retirement life, an opportunity of a life time came calling.

“I always wanted to fight Mike and he always wanted to fight me. But originally, I thought it was just an exhibition. I was called for an exhibition but I was invited to a fight,” said Jones Jr. before laughing.

Jaws hit the deck once Tyson vs Jones Jr. was announced. Fans began celebrating and planning their schedule’s around their November 28th date. They also began planning the funeral of Jones Jr. as soon as Tyson began dropping snippets of his workout videos.

With knockout losses at the hands of Enzo Maccarinelli, Denis Lebedev and Danny Green in the latter portion of his career, getting into an all out war with Tyson isn’t something that Jones Jr. had in mind. With that being said, neither does the California State Athletic Commissioner in Andy Foster. 

For several months now, Foster started putting together the safety protocols that would prevent Tyson from living his bloodthirsty moments.

“I wanted to have their assurances that they understand, ‘I don’t care if they spar. I don’t care if they work.’ They are world-class athletes, even still,” said Foster several months ago. “They have a right to earn, and all these types of things. They’re about the same age. We can’t mislead the public as to this is some kind of real fight. They can get into it a little bit, but I don’t want people to get hurt. They know the deal.

“It’s an exhibition,” continued Foster. “They can exhibit their boxing skills, but I don’t want them using their best efforts to hurt each other. They’re going to spar hard, but they shouldn’t be going for a knockout. This isn’t a record-book type of fight. This is not world-championship boxing right now. It’s not what this is. People shouldn’t be getting knocked out. The public can see what kind of shape Roy and Mike are still in.”

Safety and Mike Tyson are oxymorons. Never have the two made sense in the same sentence. 

Foster can speak until he’s blue in the face of the safety measures he is taking. Jones Jr. though, is preparing himself to take things to the extreme on fight night.

“When you listen to all that foolishness that they talking about, the real deal is you’re going into the ring with a killer. You either gotta kill him or he’s going to kill you. Don’t pay attention to what Andy Foster is saying. You either gotta kill him or he’s going to kill you.”

Posted on 09/16/2020

By: Hans Themistode

From the moment the ink dried on their fight agreement, boxing fans around the world began taking a trip down memory lane. 

Thoughts of Mike Tyson destroying his opposition before they were able to finish their bag of popcorn were still pertinent. Sure he looked like a shell of his former scary self in 2005, his last ring appearance, but with the Brooklyn native releasing a new workout video seemingly every week, the question of whether or not he would leave Roy Jones Jr. in a vegetative state come November 28th, became a real one. 

Fans of Tyson hoping to catch a glimpse of his “baddest man on the planet” days, might be excited to see him dish out some real damage. But the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) on the other hand, isn’t expecting Tyson to go out there and throw haymakers.

“It’s an exhibition. They can exhibit their boxing skills, but I don’t want them using their best efforts to hurt each other. They’re going to spar hard, but they shouldn’t be going for a knockout. This isn’t a record-book type of fight. This is not world-championship boxing right now. It’s not what this is. People shouldn’t be getting knocked out. The public can see what kind of shape Roy and Mike are still in.”

In a sense, the CSAC views this as a safe yet entertaining matchup. But the words safe and Mike Tyson have always been an oxymoron.

“He’s still Mike Tyson,” said Jones Jr. to Sky Sports. “He’s still one of the strongest, most explosive people who ever touched a boxing ring.” 

With 22 first round knockouts over the course of his career, Tyson simply wasn’t interested in having a long night. But for the most part, those explosive performances came from a young Mike Tyson. The one who would repeatedly curse during media sessions and donned black shorts with black boxing boots with no socks as he made his way to the ring shirtless. 

This version of Tyson has mellowed. He’s been an advocate for mental health, stops for photographs and seldom curses at reporters anymore. But his new found facade isn’t fooling Jones Jr. 

The former four division world champion and one time heavyweight titlist was never one to back down from a challenge. But with everything now set in stone, and the former pound for pound champ realizing that there’s no turning back, he’s acknowledging his mea culpa.

“If anything, I made a mistake going in with him. He’s the bigger guy, he’s the explosive guy. He’s going to have all the first-round fireworks, not me. I do have first-round fireworks. But he’s known for more first-round fireworks than anybody to ever touch boxing, other than maybe George Foreman. With him having the first-round fireworks, he’ll be against a guy smaller than him, maybe 40-50 pounds smaller than him.”

Posted on 08/11/2020

By: Hans Themistode

With roughly one month until their original September 12th fight date, there simply wasn’t enough time to promote a historical contest between former heavyweight titlist Mike Tyson and former four division world champion Roy Jones Jr. 

With both Tyson and Jones well past their primes, the buzz surrounding their showdown was still immense. Social media immediately divided into team Jones and team Tyson with each side giving their take on why their man will come out on top. With the anticipation reaching a ridiculous level, everyone involved, including Triller who will showcase the event on pay-per-view, believe that waiting will bring even more eyeballs to the television screen. 

“Given the enormous interest, the holiday weekend will make this historic battle an even bigger viewing event,” said Triller in a recent statement. “Marking the first live Pay-Per-View event brought to the world by Triller as the first of the ‘Triller Battles’ series.”

Tyson, for what it’s worth, placed his full backing behind Triller and their decision to postpone his comeback matchup. 

“Changing the date to November 28th will give more people the opportunity to see the biggest comeback in boxing history,” Tyson said in a statement.

For Tyson, his early career consisted of matchups that were shorter than bathroom breaks. His eye blinking knockouts gave him the moniker “the baddest man on the planet.” Although during the second half of his career he wasn’t nearly as intimidating, Tyson seems to be ready to turn back the clock to his glory days of the 80s.

“This temporary inconvenience will last longer than Roy Jones Jr. He better be ready, I’m coming full force.”

While Jones vs Tyson is more than enough to grab the sports world attention, the undercard associated with the event will be a spectacle all in itself. 

Calling YouTube star Jake Paul a boxer would seem both farfetched and disrespectful to the sport, but technically with a knockout win in his ring debut against fellow YouTube star Ali Eson Gib earlier this year, Paul is listed as not only a boxer but ranked the 748th best in the Cruiserweight division according to Boxrec. The YouTuber turned professional fighter is set to return to the ring in another peculiar matchup. This time against former NBA player Nate Robinson.   

With a lack of actual boxers on the card, former two division world champion Badou Jack has officially jumped onboard to give fans a true boxing show to lead into the main event. The Swedish native is set to take on the unheralded Jake McKernan. 

Those who are looking to checkout the event, will have to fork over $50 dollars on November 28th in order to do so.