Roy Jones Jr. 'almost positive' he'll face Anderson Silva after Tyson bout

Roy Jones Jr. thinks a long-awaited bout against UFC legend Anderson Silva may come to fruition after his exhibition match against fellow boxing great Mike Tyson.

"If this goes well tonight, I'm almost positive that will probably be the next thing we do," Jones told reporters, according to MMA Fighting's Damon Martin. "Because (Silva's) been wanting it. I've been wanting it. This has got to go great first."

Jones and Silva have repeatedly said over the years they would like to face each other in a boxing match, but it's never materialized. The UFC released Silva earlier in November, so the former middleweight champion is free to sign with another promotion or agree to an opportunity such as a boxing match against Jones, a former world champion in four divisions.

Jones, who hasn't stepped into the ring since 2018, returns Saturday for an eight-round bout against ex-heavyweight titleholder Tyson. The match at Staples Center in Los Angeles will not be officially scored. YouTube star Jake Paul will face former NBA player Nate Robinson in the co-headliner.