Boxing
TYSON TO MAKE COMEBACK AT 54 AGAINST ROY JONES, 51
Mike Tyson, the former world heavyweight champion who retired in 2005, said on Thursday (July 23) he will make a comeback at age 54, fighting Roy Jones Jr on Sept 12 in Los Angeles.
On his Legends Only League website, Tyson announced the eight-round exhibition bout against Jones, a 51-year-old fighter who briefly held the heavyweight title and has fought consistently into his 50s.
“It’s just going to be amazing,” Tyson said on a video call on ESPN.
Tyson shrugged off any notion of danger for serious injury for himself or Jones, saying that California rules will require they both wear headgear for the fight.
“We’re both accomplished fighters,” Tyson said.
“We know how to protect ourselves. We’ll be alright.”
Tyson finished 50-6 with 44 knockouts while Jones, who last fought in February 2018, is 66-9 with 47 knockouts.
Tyson vowed it would be competitive rather than for show – “we’re showing our skills and fighting” – and said he wants to recapture the fearsome form he once displayed.
“It’s 100 per cent of it looking to be Mike Tyson in the ring,” Tyson said.
“I’ve got one speed – forward.”
In a battle for the aged, Tyson said he wants to show older can still mean exciting in the sports realm.
“It’s because I can do it and I believe other people believe they can do it,” Tyson said.
“We aren’t washed up. Somebody says over-age is washed up but they have a bigger fan base than the guys who are training now.”
Tyson envisions elder statesmen events of mixed martial arts and NBA fame, mentioning such former NBA stars as Dennis Rodman and Allen Iverson.
Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at 20 years and four months when he stopped Trevor Berbick in the second round in 1986 to win the World Boxing Council crown.
Within a year, Tyson was the undisputed champion and dominated the division, earning his nickname as “The Baddest Man on the Planet” and going 37-0.
But in February 1990 at Tokyo, Tyson suffered a 10th-round knockout at the hands of James “Buster” Douglas in a stunning upset.
‘TAKEN CARE OF MY BODY’
He was arrested for rape in 1991 and convicted in 1992, serving three years in prison before his 1995 release and return to the ring.
Tyson regained the title but lost twice to Evander Holyfield, disqualified the second time for biting his rival’s ear, earning a suspension that kept him sidelined for 18 months.
He had one last chance at the heavyweight crown, losing to Britain’s Lennox Lewis in 2002, and retired after six rounds against Kevin McBride in 2005 in his final fight, days shy of his 39th birthday.
“I’ve been through some experiences and now I’m back here,” Tyson said. “I’ve taken care of my body.”
Jones has done much the same since winning his first middleweight title in 1993 and rolled through the super middleweight and light heavyweight ranks at 49-1 before dropping three fights in a row in 2004-2005.
His championship run included a 2003 victory over John Ruiz for the World Boxing Association heavyweight title, a crown he never defended before rejoining the light heavyweight ranks.
Jones fought at least once a year into 2018 but has spent more time as a commentator than fighter in recent years.
–AFP
The Nigerian boxing landscape has been thrown into uncertainty following reports that the Nigerian Boxing Federation (NBF) is considering steps to regulate professional boxing—an area traditionally overseen by the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC).
Reacting swiftly, the NBBofC has dismissed the reports as misleading, warning that any such move could destabilise the established structure of the sport in the country.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Board reaffirmed its statutory authority as the sole body responsible for the regulation, control, and sanctioning of professional boxing in Nigeria.
“The attention of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control has been drawn to insinuations that another body intends to assume regulatory authority over professional boxing in Nigeria. We wish to categorically state that such claims are unfounded and should be disregarded,” the statement read.
The Board stressed that the NBF’s mandate is confined strictly to amateur boxing, in line with global sports governance frameworks, and does not extend to the professional ranks.
NBBofC President, Rafiu Ladipo, warned that any attempt by another organisation to assume control of professional boxing could trigger administrative conflicts, weaken regulatory standards, and expose athletes to unnecessary risks.
The Board also cautioned promoters, managers, and boxers against engaging with unauthorised bodies claiming regulatory powers.
“We advise all promoters, managers, and boxers to remain vigilant and not be misled by such insinuations. The NBBofC remains fully committed to its responsibility of regulating and sanctioning professional boxing in Nigeria in accordance with established rules and international best practices,” the statement added.
Observers within the boxing community note that clarity in regulatory authority is critical—not only for safeguarding athletes but also for ensuring fair competition and maintaining Nigeria’s credibility within the global boxing ecosystem.
For now, the NBBofC has reiterated its resolve to continue overseeing professional boxing in the country, even as stakeholders await further clarification on the reported position of the NBF.
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Oleksandr Usyk will put his WBC heavyweight title belt on the line against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza, Ring Magazine announced on Friday.
The Ukrainian three-times undisputed champion holds the IBF, WBA and WBC titles after vacating the WBO belt.
The 39-year-old has not boxed since beating Britain’s Daniel Dubois at London’s Wembley Stadium last July.
“I respect his (Verhoeven’s) journey – he’s truly the ‘King of Kickboxing’. But this is boxing – a different game, with its own rules and its own kings,” said Usyk, who has a 24-0 record.
“I’m ready and looking forward to meeting him in the ring. It’s going to be a unique experience for both of us, and I know the fans are excited too. A big night is coming.”
The ‘Glory in Giza’ fight will be streamed live on DAZN.
“I spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and accomplished everything I set out to accomplish,” Verhoeven, 36, told The Ring.
“But staying at the top for that long didn’t take away from the hunger; it strengthened it. Usyk is the undisputed champion in boxing. That’s the kind of challenge that motivated me. Undisputed versus undisputed.”
Verhoeven has sparred in the past with former champion Tyson Fury and had one professional bout in 2014, which he won by a knockout.
-Reuters
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Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will face off in a professional rematch at the Sphere in Las Vegas in September, with the bout streaming globally on Netflix, the fighters and promoters announced on Monday.
The fight marks Mayweather’s return from retirement and will be the first professional boxing match held at the Sphere.
Mayweather, who holds a perfect 50-0 record with 27 knockouts, defeated Pacquiao in their 2015 encounter dubbed the “Fight of the Century.”
That bout generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and a $72 million live gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“I already fought and beat Manny once. This time will be the same result,” Mayweather said in a statement.
Pacquiao, whose record stands at 62-8-3 with 39 knockouts, expressed confidence he would hand Mayweather his first professional loss.
“I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him,” the Filipino fighter said.
The rematch will stream to Netflix’s more than 325 million subscribers worldwide, continuing the platform’s push into live boxing.
The streaming platform has recently broadcast several high-profile fights, including Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson, which the company said drew 108 million live global viewers
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