Matt Striker Says Boxing Match Between Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr Is ‘Good For Sports’

In an interview with Fightful, Matt Striker said that the upcoming boxing match between Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr will “good for sports” because it has “crossover appeal.”

He said: “I think what this is about is getting excited about the fact that there’s so much crossover appeal for this event. You have your boxing purists, your combat sports purists, but there are also a lot of Internet celebrities and a lot of music. I just think this is an insight into where we are going as fans and how we’re going to consume this kind of stuff. We want more of it. This event has international appeal. These are two of the more recognizable figures in a great sport. The international appeal, the allure alone is enough to draw. Now take the fact that you have a bunch of new eyes: Jake Paul, Nate Robinson. I grew up in New York. I’m a New York Knicks fan. I watched Nate Robinson SLAM DUNK. You’re going to have kids from where I grew up in Queens watching this who may not have necessarily been around when Mike Tyson was dominant or been around to appreciate how Jones’ mobility is going to make this fight or break this fight, in my opinion. Even further down the line you have MMA guys coming over. I just think this is good for sports and entertainment in one.“