Mike Tyson, Roy Jones vow to make exhibition a real fight

Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. won't hold back when they step into the ring next month.

The legendary boxers are scheduled to meet in an exhibition match on Nov. 28 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster has said the bout would consist of hard sparring and no knockout attempts.

Tyson, 54, and Jones, 51, beg to differ.

"What's not a real fight?" Tyson said during a virtual press conference Thursday. "You got Mike Tyson and Roy Jones. I'm coming to fight, and I hope he's coming to fight. That's all you need to know."

"The last guy that did an exhibition with Mike got dropped in the first round," Jones added. "Who goes in the ring with the great, legendary Mike Tyson and thinks, 'Oh, this is an exhibition'? Twelve-ounce gloves, no headgear? Really? This is an exhibition?"

The bout will be sanctioned and scored by the World Boxing Council. It'll consist of eight, two-minute rounds.

Jones said he's been training for this fight with the same intensity as he did during his prime.

"Honestly, you'd have to be a fool not to," Jones said. "You go in the ring with one of the most dangerous men to ever grace the boxing ring. How could you go in there ... (and) not prepare to your utmost intensity? Are you crazy? It should be even better or higher than your last time."

The match was initially supposed to have three-minute rounds. Tyson and Jones both said they were disappointed with the change.

"I'm not happy at all," Jones said. "That's for women. I kept fighting until the last minute. I'm like, 'Why are we doing two rounds? I don't understand that.' We're not women. We're two of the best to ever do it. Why do we gotta do two-minute rounds?"

Tyson said he expects Jones to be "at his best," but he won't make it easy for him.

"My objective is to go in there with the best intentions of my life and disable my opponent," Tyson said.