Mike Tyson confirms his boxing comeback in exhibition fight this September against Roy Jones Jr
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Mike Tyson confirms his boxing comeback in exhibition fight this September against Roy Jones Jr

Iron Mike is back!

ARE YOU READDYYYYYY

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will make a highly-anticipated return to the boxing ring for an exhibition fight against ex-four-weight world champion Roy Jones Jr.

The eight-round contest will take place in Los Angeles on September 13 (NZ time). 

The bout is part of a three-hour pay-per-view event on Triller, which has also obtained streaming rights to a 10-part docuseries featuring behind-the-scenes, pre-fight footage.

Tyson, 54, has not fought professionally since June 11, 2005 when he refused to come out for the sixth round against Kevin McBride.

After declaring he was "back" in May, Tyson has been linked to exhibition bouts against old rival Evander Holyfield and former All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams.

But instead he'll face Jones Jr, 51, who last fought February  2018 when he beat Scott Sigmon by unanimous decision.

"It is because I can do it. And I believe other people believe they can do it too," Tyson told ESPN's First Take about his decision to return to the ring. 

"Just because we are 54, it doesn't mean that we have to start a new career and our lives are totally over - not when you feel as beautiful as I do, and I'm sure that other people feel the same way.

"I never took that many punches. After the last fight I had, I left and I lived my life, and I've been through some experiences, and now I'm back here. 

"I feel like I took better care of my body and my state of mind than most of the fighters before me that retired and came back."

Tyson became the youngest-ever world heavyweight champion at 20 when he knocked out Trevor Berbick in 1986.