‘The Mike Tyson you know from the past, I think he’s back’: Legendary boxer’s training partner says he is back to his best ahead of fight with Roy Jones Jr… and reveals he has been knocking out TEETH in sparring
- Mike Tyson has been ‘knocking teeth out’ in training for Roy Jones Jr exhibition
- Legends Tyson and Jones, who have a combined age of 105, face off on Saturday
- Zab Judah says the old Tyson which ruled the heavyweights in the 1990s is back
- He also suggested Tyson won’t be able to stick to the reported ‘no knockout’ rule
Mike Tyson‘s training partner has claimed the legendary boxer has been knocking out teeth in his preparations for Roy Jones Jr and is back to his brutal best.
54-year-old Tyson is making his hugely anticipated boxing comeback after 15 years out of the ring against fellow great Jones Jr in an eight-round exhibition fight in Los Angeles this weekend.
The blockbuster clash, which ex-four-weight world champion Jones Jr recently described as ‘bucket-list material,’ has already broken pay-per-view records despite the fight having a ‘no knockout rule’ in place and will be stopped if either boxer suffers a cut.
Mike Tyson is said to have knocked a sparring partner’s tooth out in training for Roy Jones Jr
However, former undisputed welterweight king Zab Judah, who has been working closely with Tyson throughout his camp, believes the veteran heavyweight will not be able to hold back and refrain from going for a knockout when he faces Jones Jr.
‘I just finished up a training camp with Mike Tyson,’ said Judah on Instagram. ‘I’m here to tell the world that Mike Tyson is coming into the ring Saturday night to put in a lot of pain. ‘He’s not playing, this is not a game.
‘I understand they’re playing around and throwing the rulebook around, but my bro coming to hurt something.
Zab Judah has been working closely with Tyson in camp and says he is back to his old best
Legendary fighters Tyson and Jones Jr face off in an eight-round exhibition on Saturday night
‘So I want everybody to know that this is not going to be a game. The Mike Tyson you know from the past, I think he’s back.
‘Let me tell you why: there was a guy who came to the training camp and he came with a full set of teeth but he left with one tooth missing.
‘So that’s back to the intensity of what Mike is doing again. Bro is on it. It’s going to be crazy.’
Tyson, who became the youngest heavyweight world champion ever at the age of 20. is widely regarded as one of the fiercest punchers to ever lace up a pair of gloves and registered 44 knockouts from 50 victories in his decorated career.
His comeback fight with Jones Jr will be the first time he has stepped through the ropes since his stoppage loss against Kevin McBride in 2005.
Judah says knockout specialist Tyson will not be able to hold back when he fights Jones Jr
Tyson has shown off his impressive physique ahead of his return to the ring this weekend
The bout will consist of eight two-minute rounds and although the California State Athletic Commission previously stated there would be a no KO rule and no official winner, the entertainment platform Triller – who are broadcasting the fight in the United States – have disputed that.
Ryan Kavanaugh of Triller insisted knockouts will be permitted, telling Variety: ‘That commissioner Andy (Foster) who stated that — I have not had a direct discussion with him, but we’ve been told by the people who do that that was him trying to make a name for himself in a magazine.
‘A knockout is allowed. We heard someone say there’s no knockouts. A knockout is absolutely allowed… If someone’s bleeding, the fight’s not going to stop.
‘(California State Athletic Commission, CSAC) approved the fight. They will have a ref there. The ref will be overseeing the fight under are all normal fight professional rules, with a few exceptions.’