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Mike Tyson was unable to land a knockout against Roy Jones Jr. But for Tyson being 54, Jones Jr. at 51, and the rules only allowing a light exhibition, the fight turned out great.
One could only wonder how this bout would have turned out if the two were allowed to go for the knockout completely. However, that is for fantasy only. The sportsbooks had a ton of options to bet online for this fight. The sports betting world loved to wager on this fight. Let’s take a look at some of the thoughts:
Return to Glory
Once both boxers stepped in the ring, it was apparent that Tyson looked to be holding back tears. No doubt that this was an emotional experience since it was for the first time in 15 years.
Tyson entered the ring with his signature attire: no socks, black trunks, and a towel. Jones appeared to be focused and presented a sense of dedication.
Fight Breakdown
Tyson appeared aggressive from the gate and even stalked Jones if you want to call it that. Through most of the eight rounds of the exhibition, you could have argued the fight either way.
Tyson resembled his old self, especially when charging after Jones and delivering strong punches. He was able to land Jones with several nicely timed shots.
After the first two rounds, Jones looked somewhat hurt or at least bothered. Once the second round played out, you could tell this since he kept absorbing shots to the body.
After that, Jones made an effort to keep Tyson in a clinch to help stabilize Tyson’s power. He also did this to survive the bell at times.
The matchup would have been incredible years ago, as the event played out, it was a little rough around the edges. The rules could have factored into this, as neither one dedicated with a true volume of strikes.
Tyson at times landed his trademark left hook but at a distance. Jones displayed flashes of his old self with his infamous no-look jabs and, of course, showing off.
In other instances of people scoring the fight, they had Tyson winning instead of a draw. He had the cleaner combos and punches while Jones looked more exhausted compared to Tyson after each round.
However, Jones' work in the later rounds appeared to score him enough points as the fight went on. He was able to win rounds six through eight.
Commentary Won Too
While Tyson and Jones' performance had the main attraction, fans enjoyed the broadcast with rap icon Snoop Dogg. He joined the broadcast for the final two fights and almost stole the show. He also openly rooted for Jones in the main event; even though it resulted as a draw, it was still entertaining to hear his take on it.
Snoop's commentary and playfulness transferred over into the post-fight interviews between Jones and Tyson. They enjoyed each other's company, recognizing that they were once feared by many in the sport.
They even joked with each other, taking in all the moments they had to offer. Fans won while watching this fight.