Brain expert brands Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr fight “dangerous and wrong”
- Planet Sport writer
- 9 August 2020
Will it end in tears?
Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr fight is “dangerous and wrong”, says deputy chief of Headway Brain Injury Association.
Former champions Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr have agreed to an exhibition match on September 12, an exhibition event that has left many in the boxing world confused.
The 54-year-old Tyson will go eight rounds with the 51-year-old Jones in what the California State Athletic Commission intends as something resembling a hard-sparring session.
Andy Foster, executive director of the commission told Boxing Scene: “We can't mislead the public as to this is some kind of real fight. They can get into it a little bit, but I don't want people to get hurt, they know the deal.
“It's an exhibition, they can exhibit their boxing skills, but I don't want them using their best efforts to hurt each other.”
Despite warnings given to both fighters, Tyson revealed in an interview with TMZ that he has no intention of holding back against Jones and will approach the exhibition match as he has the rest of his fights.
“Hurting people is what I’m about…this is search and destroy.
“If the opportunity [for a knockout] comes, I'm always looking for it, we're both professionals, we know how to handle ourselves and whatever happens, happens.”
As neither fighter has opposed the idea of a real fight, their advanced age has caused concern among experts in the field of brain injuries and CTE.
Luke Griggs, the deputy chief executive of brain injury association Headway, believes any such blow to the head of men this age could be fatal, calling the fight “dangerous and wrong”.
Griggs bases his concerns on how neuroplasticity (the brains ability to recover from damage) has been shown to diminish with age.
Griggs told Sky Sports: “When we all get older, we do become more vulnerable. Our bodies take longer to recover from any injury and the brain is no different.
“In addition to that you get slower reaction speeds. While these guys in their twenties may have been able to duck and weave and dodge the punches, what ability are they going to have to do that now?
“Boxing fans don’t want to see a fight that’s won on points or an exhibition, they want to see the real blood and guts of the fight.
“If somebody is standing there punching you in the head and trying to cause you damage, I think the ability to stay calm and to say “oh it’s only an exhibition”, I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
Tyson’s recent comments support this theory, telling Triller: “My ego is F****** with me, you don’t know what goes on up here.”
The pair have put pen to paper for exhibition fight in LA
Why are they returning?
Such comments have fans speculating as to what may have prompted “Iron” Mike’s desire to fight again after 15 years since calling it quits.
In a conversation with Sugar Ray Leonard on his podcast ‘Hotboxin’ in February, Tyson said: “Those days are gone, it’s empty, I’m nothing.
“I’m working on the art of humbleness, I’m not that person no more and I miss him, sometimes I feel like a b***h.
“I don’t want that person to come out because if he comes out hell is coming with him.
“I know the art of fighting, I know the art of war, that’s all I ever studied, that’s why I’m so feared, I’m an annihilator, it’s what I was born for.”
Jones, who has fought as recently as 2018 told Sky Sports: “I love challenges, anything that seems like it’s impossible or something that I shouldn’t do, that’s what I love to do.
“I’ll bring speed and power, he’ll bring explosiveness and power, I hope he doesn’t have sharp teeth because I need my ears.”
Tyson and Jones are not the only ex-champions to have returned to the ring past their prime.
George Foreman famously recaptured his heavyweight title at the record age of 45 but told TMZ Sports: “Boxing is nothing to play with. I would tell them that it’s really dangerous.
“There’s a time when you’ve got to worry about your health, but when you make up your mind to do something like that, you can’t tell them not to do it, they’re not going to hear that.”
In addition to health concerns, American fans have been surprised by the $49.99 viewing price (compared with around £39 in the UK), which seems unusually high for an exhibition match.
Given the apparent risks, many have criticised the bout as a dangerous money grab, exploiting the egos of boxing legends at the expense of their health.
Nevertheless, the matchup represents an ultimate fantasy clash for boxing fans and will be available for streaming on the Triller app, likely taking place between 4am and 5am UK time.
By Joe Greenough
