Throwback: Mike Tyson blasted UFC president Dana White for interfering with Roy Jones Jr. fight

Mike Tyson wasn't happy with Dana White for talking down his comeback fight with Roy Jones Jr. 'Iron Mike' retired from professional boxing in 2005 following a loss to Kevin McBride. At the time, the legendary heavyweight stated that he had lost his love for the sport. For 15 years, that fire was gone from Tyson.

However, in 2020, the former boxer got back to training thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tyson found himself hitting the pads and felt confident that he could have one more fight. He eventually signed with Triller Fight Club to announce his Legends Only League.

Ultimately, the league only held one event in November 2020. The card was headlined by Tyson and fellow legend Roy Jones Jr. The two fought in an eight-round exhibition contest that was well-received by fans. The event was also a massive success, doing 1.6 million pay-per-view.

However, not everyone was excited about the event prior to fight night. One of those that falls into that category is UFC president Dana White. In the lead-up to the fight, the MMA promoter stated that Tyson should stay retired, and he didn't want to see it.

Those comments led to Mike Tyson ripping the UFC executive in a phone conversation. Recalling the conversation on his podcast, White stated:

“Then he called me and was like: ‘Listen man, we’ve been friends for a long time but I’m a grown ass man, if I wanna fight I’m gonna f***ing fight! Don’t be f***ing negative about my fight.' And I said ‘you know what, you’re right. You won’t hear a f***ing peep out of me again.’"

See his comments (17:50):

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Did Mike Tyson defeat Roy Jones Jr.?

As it turns out, Dana White was wrong to be worried about Mike Tyson. While the two are close friends, Tyson's fight with Roy Jones Jr. was more akin to a sparring session than a full-blown fight. That's generally the case with exhibitions, which have been popularized by names such as Floyd Mayweather.

During the November 2020 clash between the former champions, it was Tyson who did much of the better work. Despite Jones Jr. retiring just a few years prior to the fight, it was the heavyweight legend who instead seemed fresh and had better stamina.

After eight rounds, the bout was scored a split-draw by the WBC. While Mike Tyson didn't earn a win on his boxing return, he was praised for his performance after 15 years away from the ring.