Two Legends Collide – Tyson vs Jones

Los Angeles: Former 2-time Heavyweight Champion of the World, Mike Tyson’s new promotional label, Legends Only League, completed its first fight card with the aforementioned Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) headlining said card when he took on former 4-division world champion and long-time pound-for-pound king, Roy Jones, Jr. (66-9, 47 KOs) in a bout over 20 years in the making. Although the event was just an exhibition match, it was still a treat to see both boxing icons “lace ‘em up” once again. Quite a few rules and restrictions were in place Saturday night, including both fighters required to use 12-ounce gloves (larger than the Heavyweight standard), 2-minute rounds (shorter than the 3-minute standard), a strange rule about any cut whatsoever causing the bout to come to a halt, and a “no knockout” rule. Finally, it was stated prior to the fight that no winner would be determined. All of that aside, however, each fighter made the best of the situation and showed flurries of their former selves throughout the 16 minutes of action. Tyson landed more punches overall, including some devastating body shots, while Jones stayed busier, showcasing his quick combinations and great defense, with which the fans are all too familiar. In the end, the fight was called a split decision draw by the recognizable, former world champion boxers serving as referees for the bout: Christy Martin, Chad Dawson, and Vinny Pazienza.

On the same card, former two-division champion, Badou Jack (23-3, 13 KOs), who was coming off of his December 2019 secondary title shot split-decision loss to WBA Light Heavyweight Champion, Jean Pascal (35-6, 20 KOs), put on a clinic against then-undefeated prospect, Blake McKernan (13-1, 6 KOs) in a one-sided affair. Jack “The Ripper” dominated in every way, as fans were surprised to even see McKernan make it to the final bell. Kudos to both fighters for making it a great fight.

YouTube sensation, Jake Paul (2-0, 2 KOs), knocked out NBA Superstar, Nate Robinson (0-1, 0 KOs), in the second round of a fight which looked far from one. Robinson was clearly not prepared to be inside of a boxing ring and should not even think about climbing back into one ever again.

Earlier in the evening, two ranked, undefeated Heavyweight prospects faced off in an elimination bout to see who would move into position for a top mandatory spot towards a world championship match with one of the best in the world. Joe Joyce (12-0, 11 KOs) stopped Daniel Dubois (15-1, 14 KOs) after what lived up to be a superb fight. After Dubois showed why his fans have dubbed him “The Next Tyson” with some hard power punches, Joyce found a groove and went to work. In Round 10, Joyce landed a flush left cross to Dubois’ left eye, which had Daniel take a step back and an eventual knee. With blurry vision from that shot and the persisting pain, Dubois willingly took a 10-count while on his knee and that was that.

Finally, Friday night also brought with it some honorable mention bouts out of The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. Former WBA Middleweight World Champion, Daniel Jacobs (37-3, 30 KOs), fresh off of his December 2019 win over Julio Caesar Chavez, Jr. had only his second bout at Super Middleweight when he took on journeyman Gabe Rosado (25-13, 14 KOs). Although Rosado is a tough opponent, many thought Jacobs would handle him easily and eventually find the knockout. However, the fight ended up being much tighter with Rosado showing at times he may even pull off the upset. In the end, though, it was Jacobs who raised his hand in victory, albeit a split decision win.

Earlier on the same card, Olympic Gold Medalist and Kazakhstani boxing poster boy, Daniyar Yeleussinov (10-0, 6 KOs) took on former unified Super Lightweight World Champion, Julius Indongo (23-3, 12 KOs) in his biggest test yet. Yeleussinov had little trouble handling the very experienced former champ and was able to impress the viewers with a second-round stoppage. Expect big things to come for Daniyar in the next couple of years.

–Mike Feinberg
TFN Reporter