Andre The Giant vs. Tyson Gone Mad! Roy Jones Calls Out UFC Star Nick
Diaz
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
When Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts collide, the resulting clash is going to be insane.We all remember what happened in 1998 when Iron Mike Tyson and Stone Cold Steve Austin and Stone Cold Steve Austin were put into the same ring. The Bowe-Golota riot was past us, and Tyson and Stone Cold proceeded to create yet another ring ruckus. Only the mix between the two professional sports was lunacy with a capital L, and promoter Don King was seriously considering staging a spectacle between the two of them, whichever sport evidently not relevant if the boxing versus MMA circus show could be successfully sold.
Iron Mike Tyson versus Stone Cold Steve Austin! YouTube Highlights on the Clash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvESrXQejZg
Riddick Bowe, at 300 pounds and five years past his last professional boxing bout, decided to turn professional into Mixed Martial Arts in Pattaya, Thailand last June 2013, and got knocked out two minutes into the second round by Russian MMA fighter LevgenGolovkin after getting knocked off of his feet five times. Old and fat, the blubbery out-of-shape Bowe could not get up, getting ten counted out for a paycheck in a sport other than boxing.
Shocker! Russian MMA Fighter Levgen Golovkin Knocks Out Riddick ‘Big Daddy’ Bowe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3obYvgFllxo 14 minutes commentary in Thai language.
It was madness at Shea Stadium in New York City in 1976 when former number one heavyweight contender Chuck Wepner, standing nearly 6’7” and weighing 225 pounds, slugged it out freestyle with Andre The Giant, all 7’4” and 520 pounds of him. The strange bout disintegrated into uncontrollable chaos inside and outside the ring, with Gorilla Monsoon joining the melee.
Heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner versus Wrestler Andre the Giant on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozRTSSaP6p4Is it boxing, wrestling, or what is it???
Roy Jones Jr. wanted to fight Anderson Silva, who’s unfortunately nursing a broken leg.
Jones, 57-8 with 40 knockouts, who turns 45 years old in two weeks, is calling out retired UFC fighter Nick Diaz, 27-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC, the former Strikeforce, WEC and IEC MMA Welterweight world champion, for a boxing match in the Spring of 2014. If it happens, the unique sporting worlds of boxing and MMA will plunge into a greater combined madness.The television networks, who dared to broadcast the 14 second Kimbo Slice fiasco loss Seth Petruzelli, might be nuts enough to broadcast Roy Jones Jr. versus Nick Diaz due to the anticipated ratings bonanza sure to result from staging such a stunt.
After his UFC title loss to George St. Pierre at UFC 158 in March, Diaz would be cannon fodder for Jones at a higher weight. Diaz already turned down an offer to rematch Carlos Condit at UFC 171. However, it was Diaz who called out Roy Jones to fight him in UFC or boxing before, and now Jones is answering the wolf call. If the money’s right, Roy Jones Jr. versus Nick Diaz may be coming your way as the preliminary to some main event at a Pay-Per-View near you soon. At 30, Diaz is younger than Jones. Jones may be stronger and wiser.
Muhammad Ali versus Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki took place at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, on June 26, 1976. Despite serious rules restrictions placed on Inoki, Ali ‘s left leg was bleeding, infected and swollen after the 15 round exhibition match, and also suffered two blood clots to his legs as a result of the insane match. At one point amputation was discussed. Ali’s mobility was affected for the remainder of his boxing career.
Muhammad Ali versus Antonio Inoki, Draw, YouTube Bout, Commentary in Japanese
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd3yxQ6oLUI
Then, to make matters worse, Leon Spinks, after beating Ali, accepted a strange payday to go to Japan to fight Antonio Inoki, who won by submission under more open rules
Leon Spinks versus Antonio Inoki, YouTube Bout from the 1980s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyPsgTW_q7Y
At what point glory to mix warriors from different sports into the same ring? Ali versus Inoki is rarely discussed. The point is when you mix boxing, wrestling and MMA, serious injuries can result. Rarely, a skilled MMA fighter or athlete from another sport tries to become a boxer.
Looking at the mix between boxing and other sports, Chris Arreola versus Seth Mitchell, Monte Barrett versus Tye Fields, Ray Mercer versus Tim Sylvia, and Riddick Bowe versus Levgen Golovkin, the cross between two sports usually doesn’t work. John Brodie (football and golf), Danny Ainge (baseball and basketball), Bo Jackson (baseball and football) and the late Corrie Sanders (boxing and golf) are the rarest of exceptions. I remember kickboxing champion Demetrius ‘Oak Tree’ Edwards also tried boxing, but had a pro boxing record of only 6-14-2. Though Edwards was never stopped or knocked out in his 22 pro bouts, ten of his losses were to cruiserweight and heavyweight opponents with a combined record of 54-0-2, including future WBO world cruiserweight champion Boone Pultz, future WBC Continental Americas champion Michael Greer, and heavyweight Alfred Scott who retired undefeated. Edwards did upset 7-0 middleweight prospect John Paul Symonette, and drew with well-known heavyweight journeyman Leroy Boone.
If Roy Jones Jr. wants to fight Nick Diaz, boxing is in his favor, while MMA is in the favor of Diaz. As always, show the money, sell the show and make it happen. In a boring world, sports offer a convenient distraction from reality. If Jones has anything left in the tank, he would defend his the WBU World Cruiserweight title he won by defeating ZineBenmakhlouf over 12 rounds by decision last week, against Glen ‘The Road Warrior’ Johnson, who defeated Bobby Gunn by eight round decision, and you’ve got game.
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