Roy Jones Jr Still Wants To Fight Anderson Silva
Roy Jones Jr. is set to return to the boxing ring against his fellow boxing legend Mike Tyson, on September 12th in Carson, California. The former four division world champion recently stated that he’s wanted to fight ‘Iron’ Mike for almost 20 years.
Someone else who has been on Jones Jr.’s radar for many years is the former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Despite the fact that the two close friends have been campaigning for that fight for over ten years, it has never come to fruition.
Retrospective
When the whole idea was brought to the table in 2008, Silva was 33 years-old, and Jones Jr. 39. ‘Superman’ however, hasn’t lost all hope for a match against the UFC veteran.
“People have been talking about Roy Jones Jr. versus Anderson Silva in a boxing match for years, even before the McGregor-Mayweather fight happened. We were supposed to happen first. And, unlike that fight, Anderson has professional boxing experience. McGregor didn’t,” Jones Jr. told MMA Fighting (transcript by BJPenn.com).
Now It’s The Time
The 51-year-old actually believes it’s a good thing that they both got older, because the match would be much more competitive.
“So, this is much more of a competitive fight, especially with us being older,” Jones Jr. said. “Now, because he has experience it is much easier for him to survive. He doesn’t have to deal with the young tiger Roy Jones. He gets to deal with the older Roy Jones where he may have a chance to deal with because I’m much older than what I once was.
“But, that still is a big event and it would’ve been a big event if it happened back then. As Mike shows you now, never say never, the opportunity may come along now. Who knows”
Gentleman’s Agreement
Jones Jr. explained that the contractual obligations which Silva had (and still has) with the UFC have been a major obstacle in making the fight happen.
However, he also revealed that they made a gentleman’s agreement, which is there until the circumstances align for them to sign a dotted line.
“He is a great friend of mine, he’s a good person,” Jones Jr. said. “Doesn’t speak good English but he always wanted to make a fight with me, they just never allowed him the opportunity to do it, or they never had the right time to do it.
“We both gave our words that if we ever got the opportunity, we would. If the opportunity comes along, I’m sure that maybe one of the other fights I entertain. I did give him my word that if the opportunity came, I would. So if I’m healthy and cool after this fight, he could get it.”
Would you like to see Roy Jones Jr. fight Anderson Silva after he’s fought Mike Tyson?
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