By: Sean Crose
“We are really excited to be distributing this fight,” says Joe Hand Jr., President of Joe Hand Promotions. He’s referring to this weekend’s Mike Tyson-Roy Jones exhibition match, one which will be available to homes, bars and other establishments. “This is such a name-driven business,” he says. “When you have superstars involved in an event, it really drives fan interest. In all my years in this industry, there hasn’t been another name as big as Mike Tyson. Fifteen years ago, I thought his run was over, but now he’s back and a lot of people want to see this event.”
Strange though it may seem, Tyson’s comeback is bringing a lot of attention, even if he’s only coming back in an exhibition. Although no one can tell for sure, this may be the rare boxing match that’s embraced by the general public. The entire event will be hosted by Mario Lopez and will be broadcast by the Triller entertainment platform. The card “will air globally on November 28 at 8 p.m. ET, with the three-hour main card beginning at 9 p.m. ET. The PPV fight card includes Tyson vs. Jones Jr., Jake Paul vs. Nate Robinson, Badou Jack vs. Blake McKernan, and Viddal Riley vs. Rashad Coulter. The memorable night will also include multi-song performances by DaBaby, Lil Wayne, French Montana, Wiz Khalifa, and YG.”
Tyson, himself is clearly quite eager to get back to boxing. “My return to the ring after a fifteen-year hiatus will be electrifying. I am looking forward to entering the ring in spectacular fashion next Saturday. It’s going to be a historic and legendary moment and I’m ready to entertain the world,” the former heavyweight kingpin is quoted as saying. “I appreciate all the partners that came together to not only make this night happen, but to give people everywhere the opportunity to watch from home!”
Content provider InDemand is particularly interested in showing the event to viewers. “Who doesn’t want to see Mike Tyson back in the ring? This is the biggest PPV event of the year,” says In Demand’s SVP, Programming & Marketing Mark Boccardi . “We’ve partnered with every major cable, satellite, and telco distributor to ensure that viewers in North America have the opportunity to easily and conveniently order the fight through their television providers.”
The fight can be ordered on Pay-Per-View through cable and satellite providers and is also available on PPV streaming at www.tysonontriller.com. The event is $49.99.
Fans looking for a sports bar or dining establishment showing Tyson vs. Jones Jr. can visit the Joe Hand Promotions Bar Finder at http://joehandpromotions.com/venue-search/