Boxing: Mike Tyson knocks sparring partner's teeth out ahead of Roy Jones Jr fight, confusion over rules

Mike Tyson's training partner claims the heavyweight boxing great knocked out the tooth of a sparring opponent in preparation to face Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition bout this weekend. 

Tyson, 54, will enter the ring for the first time in 15 years when he faces former four-weight world champ Jones in Los Angeles across eight two-minute rounds.

The fight has already broken pay-per-view records on US broadcaster Triller. 

That is despite there being lots of confusion around the rules for the bout after California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) executive director Andy Foster told MMA Fighting that there will be no winner and no knockdowns.

But those rules have been disputed by Triller co-owner Ryan Kavanaugh, who called them "false rumours". 

Former undisputed welterweight boxer Zab Judah, who has been working with Tyson up close in his training camp, says it's good that the knockdown rule will be in place as he claims 'Iron Mike' will not be able to refrain from trying to knock Jones Jr out.

Speaking on Instagram, Judah then revealed Tyson knocked somebody's tooth out in a recent sparring session. 

"I understand they're playing around and throwing the rulebook around, but my bro [is] coming to hurt something," said Judah. 

"So I want everybody to know that this is not going to be a game. The Mike Tyson you know from the past, I think he's back.

"Let me tell you why: there was a guy who came to the training camp and he came with a full set of teeth but he left with one tooth missing. So that's back to the intensity of what Mike is doing again.

"It's going to be crazy."

While Tyson may be going for a knockout, if either fighter suffers a bad cut or injury, the contest will be called off.

Kavanaugh says the fight will be sanctioned by the World Boxing Council (WBC) while Christy Martin, Vinny Pazienza, and Chad Dawson will score the bout remotely, although the result will not go down on their professional records.

"Know there have been some false rumours swirling, so to be crystal clear - the WBC is scoring the fight," says Kavanaugh. 

"There could be a knockout and there will be one winner. Anyone who says there is going to be no judging or no winner either does not understand the rules or has their own agenda. 

"The only difference in this fight is the gloves are 12 ounces, there are eight rounds and the rounds are two minutes rather than three. That is it."

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