In our exclusive interview, the boxing legend reviews Bivol v Beterbiev and looks ahead to some of the biggest fights in the upcoming months.
Roy Jones Jr says Mike Tyson will teach Jake Paul about boxing in their upcoming fight.
Paul is the favourite in the boxing betting to win the bout on Saturday 16 November, but Jones Jr believes the 58-year-old Tyson is capable of an early stoppage victory.
In our exclusive interview, the American also discussed the potential showdown between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn as well as Anthony Joshua’s defeat to Daniel Dubois and Ben Whittaker’s performance against Liam Cameron, which ended in a draw after both fighters fell out of the ring.
What did you make of Bivol v Beterbiev?
People have got to realise there are judges who like boxing and judges who like stalking. I think the first judge had it right, the second judge – 114-114 – I can understand, but the third judge I didn’t understand it because it was not an 8-4 fight. That was completely ridiculous, and it ruined the whole thing.
Artur Beterbiev impressed me more because I’ve never seen him box a whole fight like that. He was basically boxing throughout with no power punches, and he is known for his power. To go a whole 12-round fight without power punches says a lot. He didn’t overcommit and that impressed me. Not many punchers can do that.
The rematch has to happen, but I don’t know if it will happen. What’s going to be most important is what one learnt about the other. Artur Beterbiev already seemed like he knew Dmitry Bivol, but Bivol didn’t bring anything to the table outside of the early rounds of the fight. He had a great plan but let Artur come back and dominate.
You can’t do that. It’s about who has learned more from the fight. Artur knew what he had to do, and he didn’t go to knock Bivol out but to outbox him down the stretch. Beterbiev stuck to the gameplan. That’s why I wasn’t mad he gave it to him, but the 116-112 card, that’s why they should have the rematch.
Eubank Jr v Benn – who do you think wins?
It’s a great fight. I get that Chris Eubank Jr is the bigger fighter, but that’s a really good fight. It all depends.
I do think Eubank’s style and size will be effective but that’s not the only thing, because Conor Benn, like his father, is a puncher and he will do whatever he can when that fight starts, and when that bell rings anything can happen.
I like Eubank for his style and size, but you cannot rule out Conor Benn in that fight. Conor is a live fighter just like his father was. I know Conor Benn is a live dog in that fight so size may not be the biggest factor in it.
Would you train Chris Eubank Jr again?
I think Chris should stay with the guy who trained him for this fight. He looked good with him and should stay with him.
How do you see Mike Tyson v Jake Paul going?
Mike Tyson can beat anybody he wants to when he feels like it. Jake Paul on the other hand needs to make some adjustments and learn to do things he hasn’t done before.
I think Mike will teach him a lesson and teach him as he goes and teach him about boxing, because Mike knows all the ins and outs of boxing. I think with that being said, Mike could win the fight early and will do that.
If Jake can hang around long enough to tire Mike out, because he’s a 58-year-old man so that’s possible, then he has a great chance.
Anthony Joshua – can he win the rematch against Daniel Dubois?
I think Joshua wins the rematch because he will box smarter, I hope. He should’ve won the first one, but he didn’t fight smart. But I think he wins the rematch. If he doesn’t box smart, then Daniel Dubois knocks him out again.
He is one hell of a puncher and is not afraid of Joshua. If Anthony Joshua boxes dumb with his hands down, then he will get beat. I know he got told to roll the dice but at that point, when a guy has knocked you down and is throwing heavy punches at you, you can’t roll the dice with a guy like that.
When Dubois knocks you down two or three times you can’t keep your hands down. You have to box smart if you want to win.
How do you see Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury 2 going?
Tyson Fury can make adjustments and win the fight, but it depends on what adjustments Oleksandr Usyk makes because he was pretty much in control of that fight for most of it. You should never let a small man push you back like that. I think Usyk had the right gameplan and Fury didn’t realise he was as technical as he was, and that’s what went down on the night.
What do you make of Ben Whittaker?
I didn’t see the fight, but I like him. You know why? He does something people are afraid to do and that’s to entertain the fans. When you think of the Beterbiev-Bivol fight, it was a great technical fight but nobody will remember it forever. It was the first time the division fought for all four titles, but there were no knockdowns, no knockouts, there was nothing crazy that happened in the fight and people were saying ‘this fight is out of this world’. No, it was a great technical fight, but who went out their way to make sure the fans got their money for it? Nobody.
Ben Whittaker does try to entertain where most guys don’t, and that’s what hurts boxing. I applaud Ben for what he is trying to do and that’s what I did. If you watch a Roy Jones Jr fight then you know I’m going to do something different for people to remember. Ben is trying to do the same thing.
Of course I would be open to helping Ben. I am open to helping anyone who wants to learn. When you’re flamboyant like Ben, you have to be able to walk the walk and if you don’t then you can’t play that game. That’s why most guys don’t do it because they know they can’t walk the walk.
