Los Angeles (AFP)

A real fight, not an exhibition: former heavyweight legend Mike Tyson, 54, and Roy Jones Jr, 51, who will return to the ring on November 28 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, are determined to s' confront "for real".

California Athletic Commission (CSAC) executive director Andy Foster recently said that the date, contested behind closed doors, the first to take place in the Downtown LA venue since March, would not constitute "not a real fight".

"I don't know what he means by + not a real fight. + It's Mike Tyson versus Roy Jones Jr. I'm going to come fight and he will come and fight. That's all there is to know." , replied "Iron Mike" at a virtual press conference Thursday.

"The last guy who did a + exhibition + with Mike Tyson ended up on the ground in the first round. Who gets into a ring, facing the big one, the legendary Mike Tyson and believes that + is an exhibition +, with 12-ounce gloves (for middleweight generally), without head protection? Ca, an exhibition? Come on, it will be for real, "continued Jones Jr.

Twenty years ago, "when I arrived at 32, we were considered old ... but we're monsters, that's why (this fight) is so big," he insisted.

According to the rules set by the CSAC, it will take place over eight rounds of two minutes each.

This is not to please the two boxers, who have also committed to perform anti-doping tests.

"I'm sure they have their reasons, but it's the women who box for two minutes. I guess the commissioner has more influence than I have," said Tyson.

- "Why two minutes?"

-

Jones Jr, former world champion in four weight categories, is "very unhappy".

"It's for the women. Why are we going to do two-minute covers? We're two of the best boxers in history to do that? Two minutes won't do us anything."

Tyson and Jones Jr will nevertheless fight for the gain of a belt, called "WBC Frontline Battle Belt", specially created by the WBC federation, in order to give this confrontation a more "official" look in the eyes of the fans, who do not will attend as "Pay-per-view".

Supporting videos, broadcast in recent months on social networks, Tyson appeared very sharp, recalling the boxer who terrorized the rings during his reign between 1986 and 1990.

"The last time I weighed 97 kg, I was 17 or 18 years old. I'm really happy with the work I did. I'm in complete confidence. It's amazing," said Tyson who asked his sparring-partners not to spare him in training.

"I'm the only boss. And if you don't kick my ass, you're fired. That's how a fight is."

His last professional fight dates back to 2005 and it ended in a humiliating defeat against a stranger, the Irishman Kevin McBride.

"I was scared to be in the ring at the time. I was fighting for financial reasons. I was on drugs. I was a completely different person."

"This guy at the time in Washington was just my ghost. I feel really good and I want the world to see how big I am," Tyson concluded.

© 2020 AFP