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Home » Jaws drop as Roy Jones Jr. gets professional boxing license at 54

Jaws drop as Roy Jones Jr. gets professional boxing license at 54

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Roy Jones Jr. has been handed a professional license to box at the age of 54, in a move that further adds to the current plight of boxing.

Jones Jr. will compete in the ropes again this weekend, two and a half years after his exhibition with heavyweight legend Mike Tyson.

Tyson vs Jones broke Pay Per View records for a non-professional boxing bout, landing over 1.5m buys on the Triller platform.

Back then, a wave of former world champions got linked to comebacks. However, that fad gladly died off after a few months.

However, Jones isn’t going anywhere, much like his career in the paid ranks. The former Pound for Pound king didn’t walk away until 2018.

Even then, he never officially made a formal retirement statement.

Roy Jones Jr gets professional boxing license

Somehow, at 54, Jones was given a license by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. Ex-UFC star Jorge Masvidal was behind the move, handling the event under his ‘Gamebred Boxing’ moniker.

Facing Anthony Pettis, another MMA star wanting to box, Jones explained his decision to participate in a 76th pro outing.

“I wanted to fight Anderson Silva back in the day, but it kept getting pushed to the side. “It was intriguing when they told me about the Pettis fight,” said Jones.

“He’s done things in MMA that no one has ever done. I couldn’t say no to facing someone else with the same kind of creative mind.”

On what kind of challenge Pettis will bring, Jones added: “He’s different. He’s very creative with his style and knows what he’s doing.

“Pettis is sparring with guys like former world champion Caleb Plant. That’s the right kind of sparring. He’s not playing boxing. He’s serious about it.”

Despite Masvidal promoting Jones, who himself has a promotional company, “RJJ” feels he had much to do with the inception of crossovers.

“I was the first to come up with the crossover boxing vs. MMA fight idea, but I never got to do it. This was the perfect opportunity,” outlined the Florida native.

“I know he’s going to go hard with his boxing because he’s facing one of the greats. If I were playing Michael Jordan one-on-one, I’d put everything into it.”

Why is Roy Jones Jr returning?

Concluding on why he chose to return after five years, Jones stated: “My game is to help put on an excellent card for the people.

“My goal in boxing has always been to give people what they want to see. I love that I fight in a place I’ve never been [the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee].

“They have the Greek Freak [Giannis Antetokounmpo] there. We’re both freaks in the ring, so why not make it happen?

“When you get the opportunity, you’ve got to shoot your shot, and that’s what we do.

“I’m older, but I’m still wise. What better way for him to learn boxing than against someone who knows everything about the sport?”

He may know how to handle himself inside the squared circle, even in his mid-fifties. But licensing aging fighters is a can of worms nobody wants to open up long term.

It will only take one severe injury for the uproar to ensue.

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