Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr.: How did the fight affect Tyson’s record?

The fight on Saturday, Nov. 28, between Mike Tyson & Roy Jones Jr. was a highly anticipated event as both competitors came out of retirement and back into the ring. While it was only an exhibition match, the anticipation behind the fight felt like a heavyweight championship was coming up. 

Tyson, 54, is considered to be one of the greatest boxers of all time, owning the nickname “Iron Mike.” The fight between Tyson and Jones Jr. ended in a draw, but Tyson has an impressive record that justifies his claim as one of the greats. Here is how the exhibition match with Jones Jr. affected his record.

Career highlights

Tyson has a career record of fifty wins, six losses, and two no contests. In his wins, forty-four have been knockouts (KOs). He was the youngest boxer to win the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), and International Boxing Federation (IBF) titles. 

Tyson made his professional debut in 1985 at the age of eighteen and began dominating the boxing world in the second half of the 1980s. Many of his fights he won in KOs or technical KOs, where the referee had to stop the game as Tyson’s opponent couldn’t continue. In 1986, Tyson defeated Trevor Berbick in a contest for the WBC heavyweight belt. 

In 1987, Tyson held onto the WBC belt as well as becoming the IBF champion. He also became the undisputed world heavyweight champion. In 1988, he KO’d Michael Spinks in ninety-one seconds to become the lineal heavyweight champion. 

Controversy and defeat

Tyson’s career began to fly off the rails slightly in 1990 after being KO’d by James “Buster” Douglas and losing his world heavyweight title. This is considered by many to be one of the biggest upsets in the history of sports. In an interview about this fight, Tyson said this loss was the greatest moment of his career. “I needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter.” Tyson said. “I have a broader perspective of myself and boxing.” 

In 1992, his life outside the ring came to the forefront after he went to trial and was sentenced to six years in prison for the rape of eighteen-year-old Desiree Washington. He was released in 1995, three years before his sentence was up. He would come back into the ring, winning the WBC title in Sept. 1996. However, he lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield in Nov. 1996. 

One year later, in a rematch with Holyfield, Tyson infamously bit off a part of Holyfield’s ear and was disqualified from the match. As a fallout from this fight, Tyson had his boxing license rescinded by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. However, this was only temporary as Tyson had his license restored in 1998. 

In the early 2000s, Tyson continued to fight, but was past his prime and struggled. He did garner a couple of wins but didn’t have the vicious KO punches he was known for in the prime of his career. In 2002, he was knocked out by Lennox Lewis in a fight for the WBC and IBF crowns. Tyson officially retired after a match against Kevin McBride in 2005 in which Tyson didn’t come back into the ring after the seventh round. 

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Tyson has a very impressive record in his career and his draw with Jones Jr. is not going to blemish it. While Tyson has had controversy both inside the ring & outside the ring, it’s hard to deny the impact that Tyson has had on the boxing world in his long & great career. It isn’t clear if Mike Tyson will try to fight again, but if he does, Snoop Dogg better be commentating again.

On November 15, 2024, boxing legend Mike Tyson, 58, faced off against 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The bout, streamed live on Netflix, concluded with Paul securing a unanimous decision victory over Tyson.

Tyson’s return to the ring was marked by significant health challenges. In May 2024, he suffered a severe ulcer flare-up during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles, leading to nausea and dizziness. This medical emergency resulted in the postponement of the originally scheduled July fight against Paul. Tyson later revealed that the ulcer caused him to lose half his blood and approximately 25 pounds, necessitating eight blood transfusions.

Despite these health setbacks, Tyson expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete again, stating, “This is one of those situations when you lost but still won.”

He emphasized the personal victory of returning to the ring after overcoming such a critical health crisis.

The fight itself was notable not only for the age difference between the fighters but also for the controversies surrounding it. During the weigh-in, tensions escalated when Tyson slapped Paul after an incident where Paul stepped on Tyson’s toe, exacerbating Tyson’s existing foot issues.

The event attracted significant viewership, with Netflix reporting over 120 million viewers tuning in. However, many viewers experienced technical difficulties during the livestream, leading to widespread criticism of the platform’s handling of the broadcast.

In the aftermath of the fight, Tyson reflected on his journey, acknowledging the challenges posed by his health issues and the rigorous training required to prepare for the bout. He expressed satisfaction in having completed the fight, highlighting the personal achievement of stepping back into the ring despite the obstacles he faced.