Mike Tyson’s return fight against Roy Jones Jr. over the weekend may have ended in a draw, but “Iron” Mike still came very close to knocking someone out that night during an altercation after the bout. TMZ Sports reports that Tyson was leaving the Staples Center after the show when he was approached by a small group of fans asking for autographs. When Tyson obliged by walking over to interact with the group, an unidentified man in the crowd took the opportunity to confront him.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the man yelled at Mike Tyson, asking the boxer why he wouldn’t fight him. Sort of joking but probably not really, Tyson responded that a fight with the guy “wouldn’t end well” for him. Unwilling to accept a no, the man reportedly swung at Mike before reaching into his waistband, appearing as if he was preparing to pull out a weapon. Before things could escalate, Tyson’s team intervened and the man fled. It’s starting to look like the guy could be a stalker as well, as some of the people on Tyson’s team recognized him from a previous signing where he also tried to start trouble.
After the incident, law enforcement was called about a possible battery involving Tyson that night. By the time officers arrived, everyone involved had already left the scene, so no police report was filed. It also appears that the identity of the man remains unknown. As he now seems to be developing a pattern of confronting Tyson on multiple occasions, Mike’s team better be keeping an eye out for him. That would be to protect the man perhaps even more so than Tyson, as “Iron” Mike may not be willing to simply laugh it off next time.
What will happen next with Tyson’s return to boxing remains unclear. Although the fight against Roy Jones Jr. was declared a draw, Tyson looked amazing in the ring, made all the more impressive when considering that his last sanctioned bout was 15 years ago. If he decides he wants to do a bit more tussling in the squared circle, he’ll have multiple options for opponents to choose from. Kevin McBride, who defeated Tyson in 2005, has said that he’d love to fight “Iron” Mike once again if given the chance. Evander Holyfield is also up for boxing Tyson for a third time, though he wouldn’t do it for less than 25 million dollars.
The Tyson vs. Jones fight also had people talking with its undercard matches, including a bout between Jake Paul and Nate Robinson. There was no draw in this fight, as Paul knocked Robinson out cold in the second round. Riding a wave, Paul is now setting his sights on former UFC fighter Conor McGregor, claiming that his team is already speaking with McGregor’s team about setting up the potential bout. No matter who Tyson or Paul wind up taking on next in the ring, let’s just hope Snoop Dogg comes back to provide commentary. This news comes to us from TMZ.
