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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Martin Domin

Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr purses and prize money as heavyweights earn millions

Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr made millions as professional fighters - and they will rake it in again from their comeback.

The ring legends were multi-millionaires in their prime although Tyson at least squandered much of his fortune.

And while the former undisputed heavyweight world champion insists he's coming back for charity, he is still going to boost his bank balance.

Tyson is expected to earn £7.5milion and Jones, who last fought in 2018, £2.25m but Tyson, 54, has already said he plans to give his money away.

"It's going to be for various charities," he told TMZ Sports.

"Nobody has to ever worry about me getting rich, or getting jealous, or saying I'm doing [the comeback] for money.

"I'm not getting anything. I just feel good doing this because I can."

Tyson amassed a fortune of almost £400m during his career but squandered much of it.

His money was also mismanaged by his team and he was left struggling by the time he retired on his stool against Kevin McBride in 2015.

But he added: "I'm happy I don't have money anymore, I don't have any money.

"Cause no one can take anything from me anymore. There are no vultures. Nobody out there trying to take anything from me. So I'm just happy."

Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr weigh in (USA TODAY Sports)

Jones is believed to have earned around £50m from a career which saw him win world titles at middleweight, super-middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight.

He answered Tyson's call earlier this year and said: "I thought I was done. When I got the call from my team saying, 'Mike Tyson wants to fight you' - that's bucket-list material.

"Everywhere I go in life, people ask me 'Hey, did you ever fight Mike Tyson?' Now I don't have to say 'No' no more.

"I'm so glad to get this opportunity because now I can say, 'Yes, I did. I sure did'."

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