Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr WILL be permitted to knock each other out as American broadcaster claims a KO is ‘absolutely allowed’ in exhibition fight that will be ‘like two trucks crashing’
- Contrary to previous reports, it has now been claimed knockouts will be allowed
- The fight will take place between former boxers with a total age of 105 years old
- The rules around round times and glove weights differ from professional bouts
- But Ryan Kavanaugh says changes are like putting a tissue between two trucks
Ryan Kavanaugh of Triller, the broadcaster showing the Mike Tyson v Roy Jones Jr fight, has insisted knockouts are allowed in their $11million (£10m) fight despite claims to the contrary.
The pair’s highly-anticipated fight is due to take place over eight rounds on Saturday night in California and it had previously been reported that knockouts would not be allowed.
Both fighters are in their fifties, with a combined age of 105, leading to widespread concern about the safety issues which come with that.
Mike Tyson will take on Roy Jones Jr on Saturday night with knockouts now reportedly allowed
UFC boss Dana White expressed his shock at reports knockouts were off the table earlier this week.
But Kavanaugh has sensationally dismissed reports of a ‘knockout clause’ which would likely dampen interest and encourage questions about the bout’s integrity.
He told Variety: ‘That commissioner Andy (Foster) who stated that — I have not had a direct discussion with him, but we’ve been told by the people who do that that was him trying to make a name for himself in a magazine.
‘A knockout is allowed. We heard someone say there’s no knockouts. A knockout is absolutely allowed… If someone’s bleeding, the fight’s not going to stop.
Roy Jones Jr, who will face Tyson on Saturday, is 51 and the pair have a combined age of 105
‘(California State Athletic Commission, CSAC) approved the fight. They will have a ref there. The ref will be overseeing the fight under are all normal fight professional rules, with a few exceptions.’
Andy Foster of the CSAC had stated the ‘exhibition contest’ would take place with a strict ‘no knockouts’ policy and that the event would be stopped immediately if either fighter received a cut.
Certain rules have been tweaked from professional fights, with the pair fighting two-minute rather than three-minute rounds and wearing 12oz rather than 10oz gloves.
Tyson (right) has not fought since losses to Danny Williams in 2004 and Kevin McBride in 2005
Jones Jr became the first ex-middleweight champion to win a heavyweight title in 106 years
Nonetheless Kavanaugh was bullish about how little the modifications would affect the spectacle.
He added: ‘That’s like putting in an extra Kleenex between two trucks crashing.’
Roy Jones Jr has fought 13 times since December 2011, winning 12 and losing just one, while Tyson hasn’t fought since losing his last two bouts in 2004 and 2005.
However, Iron Mike displayed an astonishing body transformation in the build-up to Saturday’s fight, crediting his vegan diet for being so in shape.
