The November 2020 exhibition match between Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. remains one of the most talked-about charity fights in boxing history. Drawing nearly 1.6 million pay-per-view buys and generating over $80 million in revenue, these figures are remarkable by any standard today.
The fight itself is remembered for Tyson’s restraint, as he seemed to hold back in an effort not to seriously harm Jones. Despite Tyson’s clear dominance throughout the bout, the final decision was a draw, which left many fans puzzled. Fast forward four years, and Tyson has finally addressed whether he truly held back during the match and why he felt satisfied with the draw.
As Tyson prepares for another exhibition match against Jake Paul on November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Texas, he appeared as a special guest on The Jimmy Kimmel Show. Kimmel, quick to bring up the previous fight, remarked, “You looked really, really good. I think you were holding back, and I feel like the results were predetermined.” Kimmel insisted that Tyson’s performance should have led to a definitive victory.
Tyson responded, acknowledging that while he believed the fight shouldn’t have ended in a draw, he was still content with the outcome. “No, I believe it wasn’t a draw, but I was happy with a draw,” he said, expressing his respect and admiration for Jones Jr.
It’s worth noting that, as an exhibition match, the fight’s outcome was largely viewed as predetermined to some extent. In a recent discussion, Tyson’s former sparring partner Joe Egan suggested that Tyson did indeed hold back against Jones. Egan indicated that Tyson was fully capable of inflicting serious damage but chose to show respect by not going all out. “Anybody that Mike hits is going to hurt, probably a knockout as well. But he carried Roy Jones; he showed that man respect,” Egan said. He also suggested that Jake Paul may have felt emboldened by Tyson’s restrained performance during the fight.
Roy Jones Jr. himself has expressed concerns for Jake Paul in their upcoming bout, knowing firsthand how formidable Tyson can be. Jones stated, “Mike [doesn’t] know how to hold back. Mike’s like a Pitbull dog. Pitbull dogs don’t know how to play. It’s going to turn into a fight either way.” His remarks served as a stark warning to Paul, emphasizing that if Tyson is in good shape, the fight could be overwhelmingly in Tyson’s favor.
As speculation about Tyson’s health continues, Jones remains confident that if Tyson taps into his natural instincts, it will be an easy matchup for him against Paul. Given the history of Tyson’s explosive fighting style, fans and analysts alike are eager to see how the upcoming exhibition will unfold.
