Lou DiBella Thinks Mike Tyson v Roy Jones Jr Could be Biggest PPV of the Year
With boxing continuing to get its sea-legs beneath it, the next big step apparently is going to see how pay-per-view shows fare. Despite the fact that no fans will be in attendance, promoters are still going to try their hands at seeing what kind of revenue these events will produce.
At the present time we already know that regular WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis (23-0, 22 KO’s) will take on WBA super junior lightweight champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KO’s) on pay-per-view.
The PBC will offer a unique double PPV feature where the Charlo brothers will headline separate cards in the same day for one price. Then there is the upcoming mega-exhibition bout between former world champions “Iron” Mike Tyson (50-6, 44 KO’s) and Roy Jones Jr (66-9, 47 KO’s).
But how will these cards do?
BIGGEST FISH
Veteran boxing promoter Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment believes that there could potentially be a market for all of the upcoming bouts. Yet, he is skeptical that all the would-be events coming down the pipe are going to thrive in the boxing office.
Out of all the events, however, he is most optimistic about Tyson v Jones as he explained to SecondsOut.
“I am actually a little but surprised at how much pay-per-view between Mike Tyson fighting Roy Jones, FOX pay-per-views, SHOWTIME pay-per-views and if Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez happens on pay-per-view.
“There’s going to be pay-per-views here constantly in the fall. I am wondering [if] we discussed this before [knowing] what people’s tolerance [is] for writing checks.”
“You know what, it’s possible that could be the most successful pay-per-view in the states this fall. Because there is certainly no one with more name recognition than Mike Tyson and Roy Jones.
“You know they are prideful men, so I’m going to guess that they are going to mix it up in the ring whether or not it’s purely an exhibition.
“I don’t know that they’re going to trying to take each other’s heads off. I tend to doubt it. It’s going to be questionable if they can take each other’s heads off with headgear and bigger gloves.”
WHO YOU GOT?!
Naturally, there was no way to get out of talking about this upcoming match-up without weighing in on who DiBella thought would prevail. Never one to hold his tongue, he did not fail to supply a response!
“If they’re not holding their punches, I don’t know the size of this headgear, what kind of headgear they are using. I don’t know the size of the gloves. I don’t know the size of the ring.
“You know, if it was no headgear and normal gloves as this point I think that power maintains itself better than speed and movement. I would go with Tyson.
“If the fight would have happened way back when Roy beat [former WBA world heavyweight champion John “The Quiet Man”] Ruiz, unless Tyson caught him and knocked him out, Mike would lose.
“I don’t know. If they are holding their punches and they are going to dance around you got to favor Roy a little bit.
“If these guys are going to show pride and stand there and start trading with each other then you probably still have to favor Tyson.”
By: Bakari Simpson
