‘I would absolutely do this again’: Mike Tyson reveals plans to continue fighting following boxing return after 15 years out of the ring in exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr
- Mike Tyson has confirmed plans to continue fighting after his boxing return
- The boxing icon made his return in an eight-round exhibition with Roy Jones Jr
- The contest ended in a draw but Tyson still has an appetite to continue fighting
- Jones Jr also revealed he would like to fight again after the exhibition bout
Mike Tyson has revealed plans to continue fighting after making his highly-anticipated return in his draw with Roy Jones Jr in Los Angeles.
‘Iron Mike’ stepped in the ring for the first time in 15 years to take on fellow boxing great Jones Jr in an eight-round exhibition at the Staples Center. The duo went the distance as the fight was scored a draw by the judges.
The pair’s combined age of 105 had left some fans divided over the event, but Tyson, 54, has revealed he would like to step in the ring again following his return this weekend.
Mike Tyson has revealed plans to continue fighting after his exhibition bout this weekend
The 54-year-old made his boxing return in a score draw with fellow icon Roy Jones Jr
‘This is better than fighting for championships,’ Tyson said of the heavyweight exhibition, which raised money for various charities. ‘W´re humanitarians now. We can do something good for the world. We’ve got to do this again. I would absolutely do this again.’
‘I’m good with a draw, because I entertained the crowd. The crowd was happy with it,’ he said in the immediate aftermath of the exhibition.
‘Nobody thought I could go eight rounds, but you’ve got to go the distance, that’s boxing. I was very happy to be here, despite what everyone says I was happy to go to eight rounds.
Despite a combined age of 105, the veterans impressed in the eight-round contest in LA
And Tyson is hoping to get back in the ring as he continues to roll back the years
‘I used to do this for three minutes. Somehow, those two minutes felt like three minutes,’ admitted Tyson. ‘I’m just happy I got this under my belt and will continue to go further.’
‘Absolutely,’ Tyson said to the possibility of returning under similar circumstances. ‘I hope (Jones) will be on the card as well. We gotta do this again.’
Despite the draw, Tyson looked in phenomenal shape as the former heavyweight king rolled back the years with an impressive performance.
The 54-year-old had Jones Jr, 51, on the back foot for most of the contest, boxing from the outside in an attempt to slow Tyson down. The former four-weight champion said he too would like to fight again.
Former four-weight champion Jones Jr also said he would like to fight again in the future
‘Dude is so strong man,’ Captain Hook said after the contest. ‘When he hits you, to the head, punches to the body shots, everything hurts. I’m cool with a draw, we just might have to do it again.
‘We’ve got to do this again, everybody loves Mike, I love Mike too but it’s something else taking punches from Mike.
‘I’ll go talk to my family, see how they feel about it and if they want to do it again, we’ll do it again.’