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- Mike Tyson and Jake Paul were scheduled to box on July 20, but health issues for the veteran fighter mean it's unclear whether he'll be able to compete again.
- So now Roy Jones Jr. has stepped in to save the show and is offering to fight Paul himself.
- “This is going to be one of the biggest fights of the decade,” Jones said.
Roy Jones Jr., one of the greatest boxers of all time, said Monday that he'd be happy to fill in for the injured Mike Tyson in a bout against Jake Paul that will air on Netflix. Tyson recently pulled out of the boxing match citing health concerns. Organizers have said the July 20 bout has been postponed, but it's unclear if or when it will be rescheduled. Jones, however, has an idea for Paul: to fight him instead.
Mike Tyson releases statement after Jake Paul fight postponed
Mike Tyson has spoken out following the postponement of his fight with Jake Paul.
Roy Jones Jr. wants to fight Jake Paul
Jones has one of the best left hooks in boxing history.
Jones has a history of taking part in an exhibition boxing match with Tyson during the sports pandemic of 2020. It was not a sanctioned bout and neither fighter's professional record was taken into consideration, so both fighters left the ring after an eight-round draw and posed for photos backstage holding up the prestigious WBC belt.
At 55, Jones is just two years younger than internet sensation Paul but is still 28 years older, but he has competed professionally much more recently than Tyson, last fighting in 2023, a decision loss to mixed martial artist Anthony Pettis that brought his record to 66 wins (47 knockouts) and 10 losses.
“I'll be in good shape for the match against Paul,” he told Betway. [Tyson vs Paul] If the fight were to happen, I think it would be a great idea, and if it doesn't happen, I would be the ideal person to take Mike Tyson's place against Jake Paul, so I'm going to be prepared and in shape. It's something I've been thinking about for a while.
“if [Jake Paul] The fight is there, yes. [I would take it]”
Jones is an athletic fighter who is difficult to prepare for – he keeps his hands low and relies on his reflexes to dodge attacks and land his own power punches – but he said he won't think too much about the fight against Paul from a strategy standpoint, but will just adapt and take it as it comes in the ring.
“You figure it out in the ring,” he said.
But organisers would need to act quickly if he were to replace Tyson, as Jones has suggested there is interest from other parties in a return to the ring.
“Someone asked me the other day if I’d like to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in an exhibition fight, which is crazy, I jumped at the chance, but now that this has come up, it makes sense to stay in shape. [to fight] Jake Paul.
“It will be one of the biggest fights of the decade.”
It's unclear whether Mike Tyson will be able to fight.
Tyson had to undergo medical treatment in mid-air
According to a recent statement from Most Valuable Promotions, the promoters of the event and the representatives for Tyson's opponent Paul, Tyson recently experienced a health scare during a flight and is taking the necessary rest and recovery time on medical advice.
“My ulcer has recurred and I have been advised by my doctors to refrain from training for a few weeks to rest and recover,” Tyson said last week.
Tyson's health problems will likely do little to assuage criticism that the age difference between him and Paul (30 years) is too great for them to safely fight in an official, sanctioned bout. For now, it's unclear whether Tyson will be able to compete again.
