Boxing

Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. fight to a split draw in exhibition fight

The two legends came out even in the end.

By Collin Sherwin@CollinSherwin Updated Nov 28, 2020, 9:43pm PST

Mike Tyson throws a punch in the third round against Roy Jones Jr. during Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr. presented by Triller at Staples Center on November 28, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.

The boxing world was on display late Saturday evening, and we got to see two legends duke it out. Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson fought former pound-for-pound champion Roy Jones Jr. over eight rounds in a fight that ended with a split decision.

The fight was an exhibition so it does not count toward either fighter’s career record. However, the WBC provided scoring with three boxing Hall of Famers. Christy Martin had it 79-73 for Tyson, Chad Dawson decided it was a 76-76 slate, and Vinny Pazienza had it 80-76.

Both fighters came out of the event healthy thanks to rules that prevented anybody from getting too hurt. The California State Athletic Commission wanted to ensure this was a clear exhibition of ring skills, rather than a battle to knock the other fighter out, and that’s what they got.

Below is some video and pictures from the event. Whether we see either extensively fighting in the future, this one brought back some memories even with both fighters advancing in age.