Roy Jones Jr. wants to fight UFC legend Anderson Silva after his boxing match with Mike Tyson

Anderson Silva and Roy Jones Jr. want to fight. The two combat sports legends have been sharing their wish to one day face each other for years. Now, the new Mike Tyson's project might be the solution to make their dream become a reality.

With Jones Jr returning from retirement for an exhibition fight against Tyson, and 'The Spider' Silva free from his UFC contract, it seems like a fight between the two is closer than ever before.

Roy Jones Jr. says if everything goes well on Saturday night, he's almost positive that he'll finally face Anderson Silva in a boxing match #TysonJones

— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) November 27, 2020

Silva, who has just been released from his UFC bond, is not ready to retire from fighting. He has voiced his desire to keep doing what he loves, but UFC boss Dana White wasn't convinced by 'The Spider' in his last performances.

IG post from Anderson Silva moments ago. Sounds happy to be free from the UFC and definitely intent on continuing his fighting career: https://t.co/fckEFrc5wq

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 22, 2020

Jones Jr is excited about his comeback and has engaged himself with Tyson's new venture, where the former heavyweight champion plans to give aging athletes a place to compete. Jones Jr, 51, seems to be so enthusiastic with the idea that his cornerman, Tom Yankello, is already pitching new fights for the former four division's champion.

"I know he's got a couple of guys he wants to settle scores with if they're willing to. We got [Antonio] Tarver and [Bernard] Hopkins," said Yankello about Jones Jr's intentions. "But I don't think he would come back to just fight; he wouldn't come for just anyone. It would have to be one of the guys he really wants or for a cruiserweight world championship of something like that."

Remembering Jones Jr's old hope of boxing Anderson Silva someday, Yankello said the former pugilist is still up for the challenge.

"Anderson Silva, that's another name. I can see something like that too. Roy loves to fight, he loves to train, he's the ultimate competitor, he enjoys that."

Roy Jones Jr. and Anderson Silva have been linked to a crossover fight for years

During the last years of his career, Roy Jones Jr pursued a crossover fight with UFC legend Anderson Silva. Unfortunately for the fans, it never came to be.

The Brazilian, considered by many to be the greatest fighter of all time, also expressed his wish to fight Jones Jr, even when he was at his UFC peak. But Silva's contract didn't allow him to fight outside of the promotion he represented.

Here's a Dana White interview with Ariel Helwani ahead of what would be Silva's first-ever defeat to Chris Weidman at UFC 162, where the UFC boss discusses the possibility of 'The Spider' fighting Jones Jr. The question is at 2:15.

The closest the two have been to a real fight before now was back in 2018 when Silva had problems with USADA after failing a drug test and struggled to return to the octagon. Jones Jr made the request again to White, but he never got what he wanted.