Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr., billed as "Lockdown Knockdown", was an exhibition boxing match between former undisputed heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson and former four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr. The bout took place at Staples Center in Los Angeles on November 28, 2020, and was sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). With three former WBC champions acting as judges, the result was scored as a controversial split draw. The fight sold over 1.6 million PPV buys and generated over $80 million in revenue.
Background
Mike Tyson
In September 2006, a year after his retirement, Tyson announced that he would embark on a world tour of exhibition fights billed as "Mike Tyson's World Tour" in a bid to overcome the debt he was in at the time. His first bout lasted for four rounds and took place at the Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, on October 20, 2006, against former professional boxer and Tyson's sparring partner Corey Sanders. With 6,000 fans in attendance, the fight failed to live up to expectations and saw the crowd often booing with displeasure. This would be the only exhibition fight of the tour to take place.
Tyson first mentioned the idea of returning to exhibition fights in a YouTube interview with rapper T.I. in April 2020, saying, "I want to go to the gym and get in shape to be able to box three or four-round exhibitions for some charities and stuff." He further teased a potential return to the ring a few weeks later, posting two short videos online of himself training on his Instagram account, and declaring "I'm back" at the end of the second video. Later that month, he said during a Facebook live stream, "Anything's possible. I feel unstoppable now. The gods of war have reawakened me, ignited my ego, and want me to go to war again. I feel like I'm [young] again." Mixed Martial Arts coach Rafael Cordeiro was selected to be Trainer and Cornerman to Tyson for the exhibition bout.
Roy Jones Jr. Jones' last bout of his 29-year-long career took place on February 8, 2018, in which he defeated Scott Sigmon via unanimous decision at the Bay Center In Pensacola, Florida. Jones announced his retirement after the bout, but left the door open for a return against UFC fighter Anderson Silva, saying, "Dana, I know you're listening. I know Anderson's suspended. But that's the only other fight Roy Jones will return to the ring for. Other than that, chapter's closed."
Early offers
Following his Instagram videos and Facebook live stream, Tyson was contacted by Australian boxing promoter Brian Amatruda with an offer of $1 million to face one of three boxers in an exhibition fight: former Australian rules football player Barry Hall, former rugby league player Paul Gallen, or former rugby league player Sonny Bill Williams. According to celebrity agent Max Markson, who was acting as the middleman between Amatruda and Tyson's team, "Mike read the story in the Daily Mail that he would be fighting a rugby player. He has said he would not do that as it would be an insult to boxing. He says if he does get back into the ring, it will be with a real boxer."
Other offers came from Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) president David Feldman for $20 million to fight an opponent of Tyson's choosing, providing that opponent be under contract with the BKFC, and from Boston Boxing Promotions president Peter Czymor for $1.1 million to face former opponent Peter McNeeley, whom Tyson had previously defeated by disqualification in 1995.
Six days after Tyson posted his training videos, Evander Holyfield posted his own video with the caption: "Are you ready? The moment you've all been waiting for... The Champ is back." In an interview with BoxingScene.com, Holyfield expressed his desire to face Tyson in the ring, saying, "I've already done what I wanted to do in my career, and have been the best that I could be. If it wasn't for charity, I wouldn't fight Tyson, I don't look at it as being a winner in this fight. This is a charity event helping our foundations. The thing is knowing what you're doing it for."
Mike Tyson’s Legends Only League
Tyson declined all traditional promoter cash offers and instead partnered with emerging venture creation company Eros Innovations, which had recently been founded by media executive and former movie studio STX Entertainment President Sophie Watts, to launch Mike Tyson's Legends Only League. The goal of the sports venture is to provide infrastructure and support to legendary athletes of all sports to compete in global one-off events. Legends Only League exclusively owns all upcoming Tyson fights.