Mike Tyson v Roy Jones Jr Betting Preview
2020 has already been a very strange year but it’s going to get a whole lot weirder following the announcement that 54-year-old Mike Tyson will be returning to the ring later in the year in an eight-round exhibition battle with 51-year-old Roy Jones Jr. This head-to-head was scheduled for 12th September, however the date has been pushed back to 28th November and while Jones has been somewhat vocal about his lack of enthusiasm for the change of date, there is nothing to suggest that this battle won’t actually be going ahead.
Iron Mike opened as firm outsider for this clash, however punters were quick to back him in the betting markets and this early action has resulted in the script being flipped, Tyson now 1/2 odds-on favourite with the bookies to win outright on the night with Jones out at a general 9/4. Only once before has Tyson opened as underdog – in the 2002 battle with Lennox Lewis – and he has been big favourite in each of his other professional fights. The veteran hasn’t hit the ring professionally for 15 years, however opponent Jones capped a four-fight winning run with victory in a unanimous decision against Scott Sigmon before hanging up his gloves in 2018 and he will doubtless be in better shape than Tyson. Indeed Jones is smaller than his opponent and he will doubtless have speed on his side over the 54-year-old although Tyson will be taking this bout extremely seriously and will be going all out to prove just why he is still one of the biggest names in the sport.
This being an exhibition match, the likelihood is that the two might simply use the stage as a way to spar their way to a big payday, however, Irish betting sites have been gearing themselves up for what promises to be a hugely popular fight amongst punters and there’s no doubt that the betting markets will be experiencing plenty of seismic shifts between now and 28th November.
