James "Buster" Douglas, the man who secured the biggest upset in boxing history when he knocked out Mike Tyson in 1990, is shocked that his former foe is fighting Roy Jones on November 28 in Los Angeles.
Tyson, 54-years-old and former undisputed heavyweight champion, will fight for the first time since 2005 when he faces Jones, 51-years-old and a four division champion, in an eight round exhibition.
Back in the 90s, a prime version of Jones was considering the possibility of facing Douglas at heavyweight.
Douglas thought a deal had been reached - but Jones withdrew from their negotiations and the fight fell apart.
“He pulled out, his dad told him not to do it. It probably wasn’t in his best interests to fight me as he was biting off too much,” Douglas told DJ Vlad.
Jones would eventually go to heavyweight in 2003, to win the WBA world title from John Ruiz. He would never make a defense - instead opting to return to the light heavyweight limit of 175-pounds.
Based on their failed negotiations, Douglas is surprised that Jones actually agreed to face Tyson - and has doubts the contest will actually come off.
“I was surprised that it was even announced (at all) because I was like, wait a minute what does [Jones] see that I don’t see or, you know, because you’ve got to actually feel like you can beat somebody to expect the fight with them," Douglas said.
“That was really confusing because I know what he and I went through but then he turns around and he’s going to fight Mike, so I was like ‘wow’. He must see something or know something.
But then I see he’s really doubting it now, debating or not whether he’s going to do it. So I don’t think it’s going to happen. I think (Roy) he has a chance but it’s a slim chance. Slimmer than Buster Douglas.”
