Tyson vs. Jones Jr. : The Greatest Show on Earth

On Saturday night, live on Triller PPV ($49.99), “Iron” Mike Tyson (50-6) takes on Roy Jones Jr. (66-9).

Before we get into the main event, there are some sanctioned fights taking place on the undercard of this one.

Let’s start with the fights that are more about the “A-side” than the actual competition. Badou Jack (22-3-3) is facing Blake McKernan (13-0) in a fight that Jack sees more as a charity event. McKernan has never fought anyone to the level of Badou and this seems like it’s not going to be that competitive. Badou Jack is a good friend of Mike Tyson so I can see why he is part of this event.

I will just mention that YouTube star Jake Paul (1-0) is going up against former NBAer Nate Robinson. There is also British YouTuber Viddal Riley (4-0) taking on former UFC contender Rashad Coulter (1-0). There isn’t really much to say about those fights other then it would be a good time to refill your refreshments and take your bathroom breaks.

Now that I’ve mentioned those fights, we can get into the ones that matter to their boxing careers. Heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano (18-3) has worked the club circuit for some time now and is looking to capitalize off of this huge forum by making a statement in hopes of landing a big fight next year. I checked in with Juiseppe about two months ago and you can read all about him and his experiences sparring Deontay Wilder. (Click HERE). He faces Gregory Corbin, (15-3) who was a last-minute replacement.

Moving on to another fight on this card which features featherweight Irvin Gonzalez (14-2) going up against undefeated Edward Vazquez (8-0). As you may already know, the smaller weight classes are the ones that always capture my attention so this one would be the fight to watch.

The other fight left before getting into the main event will feature lightweight Jamaine Ortiz (13-0) going up against Sulaiman Segawa (13-2-1). Again, for those boxing purists out there, this one has the potential of being an entertaining fight.

The Event:

Let’s now talk about the event itself and why I called this article “The Greatest Show on Earth”. For those outside of the casual-sphere, this event reminds me of the old Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus shows. I don’t say that in a mean way, it’s just that the event is a spectacle, nothing more and nothing less.

When it was announced, I immediately started to think about my childhood when the circus would come around and display something that no one has ever seen before as part of their marketing and promotion plan. The eyeballs those commercials and posters received drove everyone to purchase tickets to see something they may never see again; sound familiar?

We have seen Tyson involved in an event like this before where he was the “referee” for a WWE event. The WWE used the nostalgia angle to market and promote the event while indirectly aligning their character “Stone Cold” with Tyson. It furthered solidified Stone Cold Steve Austin as a star and Tyson was compensated very well for his efforts.

Getting back to the event itself, it will have a throwback Roc Nation event feel to it (they recently shutdown their boxing outfit) with musical performances by “A-list” artists. Of course, that is more about getting that pop-culture co-sign and getting the younger casual fans to purchase the event. I understand it and know that Triller is a music app. They are hosting the event so it makes sense to get as many subscriptions as possible.

Tyson vs Jones: What should we expect?

When this was originally announced in the summer and Mike Tyson was about to get into a cage with sharks, the thought was that it was going to be a real sanctioned fight.

Tyson was the highlight of this year’s Shark Week.

Then the fight was postponed from the September date and rescheduled for November 28^th. Once that date was final, the rumors swirled again that the fight was going to be an exhibition. The WBC stepped in and said it would be sanctioned and that they would fight for a WBC belt. Weeks later, more news started to be rumored and last weekend, L.A. Times journalist Manouk Akopyan tweeted out the below which also revealed some other details that weren’t known.

Manouk writes for the L.A Times.

The fight will feature two-minute rounds for a total of 8. The rumor is that it will have celebrity judges while also not announcing an official winner. The referee is going to also keep a close eye on the action to avoid any possible injuries.

We will see both men give it a go on Saturday night as they are warriors. Outside of the ring, they are friends and aren’t going to try to seriously hurt each other. Both men are going to cash out on this event when it’s all said and done.

You can believe the rumors if you want but it won’t matter to the people purchasing this event. The purists are going to point out everything that is wrong but is that going to prevent it from being a success? It won’t because the same people that love shows like “Kobra Kai” or binge watch 80’s & 90’s movies and shows will be the same ones to buy this PPV. They don’t care if it’s a sanctioned fight or not, all they are looking for is a bit of nostalgia. Something that is going to take them back to the time they first remembered seeing Tyson.

My Three Cents:

This event is going to do some huge PPV numbers and it’s as simple as that. Literally everyone is talking about this fight and it will be the only boxing program on that Saturday night. It’s Thanksgiving weekend, most states have curfews so what else are you going to do?

The main event is pure entertainment and fans shouldn’t look at it for more than that. If Tyson vs Jones Jr. peaks your interest then hit that buy button on Saturday night. If not, that’s ok too if you’re wanting to save your money for Spence vs Garcia (Dec. 5). Just remember, the choice is always yours.

You can follow me on twitter @abeg718 and follow @nyfights on Instagram.