Boxing
Mike Tyson Could Have Big Comeback Plans After Fighting With Roy Jones Jr.
Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sportscasting, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he's a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie. Growing up loving Shaquille O'Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he's continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives. As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He's barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe's big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level. Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.
Get to know Joe Kozlowski betterPublished12 Nov 2020
Depending on your age, you probably know one of two distinct versions of Mike Tyson. If you saw him fight, Iron Mike stands tall as one of the most fearsome boxers to ever step into the ring; if you’re too young to remember those bouts, however, you probably know Tyson as more of a meme than anything else. The former heavyweight champ, however, has a potential plan to change that.
At the end of November, Mike Tyson will be stepping back into the ring to face off against Roy Jones Jr. After that bout, though, Tyson has some big plans to keep his boxing comeback alive.
Mike Tyson was once boxing’s baddest man
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Despite their extraordinary talent, some athletes live fairly normal lives outside of the spotlight. Mike Tyson, for better or worse, wasn’t one of those men.
Growing up in Brooklyn, Tyson had a difficult childhood; due to repeated run-ins with the law, he eventually found himself north of the city at the Tyron School for Boys. There, Mike sought out Bobby Stewart, a former boxer turned counselor; he wanted to learn to fight.
Stewart immediately recognized the teenager’s talent and took him to Cus D’Amato; that introduction would change the course of boxing history. The legendary trainer taught Iron Mike the peek-a-boo technique, giving him a solid defensive base to compliment his raw punching power.
Tyson turned pro at 18 and immediately climbed to the sport’s highest height; he seemed capable of dispatching any opponent with incredible ease. That success, however, would prove to be fleeting.
While he excelled in the ring and made millions, Iron Mike also spent time in jail, bit Evander Holyfield’s ear, and filed for bankruptcy. More recently, though, he’s undergone a career resurgence, gracing the airwaves, screen, and everywhere.
Returning to the ring against Roy Jones Jr.
RELATED: Mike Tyson Explains His Approach Heading Into Roy Jones Jr. Fight
These days, it’s more common to see Mike Tyson on a podcast than in the ring. The former heavyweight champ, however, will finally be making his comeback at the end of November.
Earlier in 2020, Tyson teased a return to the ring on social media; that led to a variety of offers, ranging from MMA and bare-knuckle boxing to squaring off against a former rugby player turned boxer. Evander Holyfield also expressed an interest in facing Iron Mike, but nothing ever materialized.
Eventually, Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. agreed to fight in September; the bout has since been postponed until November 28. While the event probably won’t appeal to the boxing purists, Iron Mike will finally be back in the ring.
Mike Tyson could keep boxing after his date with Roy Jones Jr.
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Based on his age, if nothing else, it’s easy to assume that Mike Tyson’s comeback would begin and end with the fight against Roy Jones Jr. The former champ, however, may have other plans.
“I don’t know. I might do this for a while. Let’s check this stuff out,” Tyson told ESPN’s Peter Rosenberg, according to Eric Woodyard. “It would be so awesome if we could do this all around the world and fight the best fighter in that country, exhibitions with this guy in that country, exhibitions all over the world. Wouldn’t that be great?”
It is worth noting, though, that the boxer already floated that idea. In 2006, he launched “Mike Tyson’s World Tour” in an attempt to earn some money. Iron Mike, however, was out of shape, and the tour barely got off the ground.
Tyson, however, does seem to be in better shape—both physically and mentally—than he did in 2006; he’s also undergone somewhat of a branding renaissance, becoming more of a wacky uncle than a disgraced boxer. It’s quite possible that, if launched an exhibition tour, fans would show up. If people will pay money to see Iron Mike’s one-man show, they might want to watch him box.
With Mike Tyson, though, one thing is always a safe bet: expect the unexpected.
