Mike Tyson will face Roy Jones in an 8-round exhibition

It turns out that the training videos that former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has been releasing on social media were not just for show. Yahoo Sports has learned from multiple sources that Tyson plans to return to boxing to face Roy Jones Jr. on September 12 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Andy Foster, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, confirmed that Tyson has suspended that date. Foster told Yahoo Sports that he met with Tyson and Jones via Zoom recently and that the fight will be an exhibition.

They will not wear hats, but they will wear gloves larger than normal. Foster said he believed they would wear 12-ounce gloves.

“This is not a situation where they are going to go out and try to take each other’s heads off,” Foster told Yahoo Sports. “They will just be there moving around the ring and letting fans see these legends.”

Tyson has not fought since losing to Kevin McBride on June 11, 2005. Jones has not fought since February 8, 2018. Tyson is 54 and Jones is 51.

Foster said there had been talk that there would have been a boxing match between former world champion James Toney and former UFC champion Tito Ortiz on the undercard, but said Ortiz told him it was not going to happen.

Foster confirmed to Yahoo Sports that he expects YouTube star Jake Paul to fight former NBA player Nate Robinson on the undercard.

Following the initial report of the Yahoo Sports story, Tyson posted a video on his Instagram page announcing the formation of the Legends Only league, which he says will include athletes from various sports. He did not specify how they will compete.

But interest in Tyson’s return to boxing soared earlier this year when Tyson launched training sessions with prominent MMA coach Rafael Cordeiro where he was hitting the gloves. That fueled rumors of a comeback.

However, this is not expected to lead to a regular series of fights against currently active boxers.

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