After his rematch with Ryan Bader earlier this year, Fedor Emelianenko publicly announced his retirement from MMA.
The rematch ended in a first-round stoppage, just as it had four years earlier against Bader. Emelianenko lost the main event at Bellator 290 by first-round knockout. True to his word, the Russian icon chose to retire amidst the arena’s spotlight, concluding a storied career that left an indelible mark on MMA.
With the exception of training videos with people like Vadim Nemkov and others, Fedor Emelianenko has been mostly silent since then. Recently, the MMA world witnessed an unforeseen twist as Fedor Emelianenko extended a callout, not to a fellow combatant from the octagon but to the realm of boxing.
Emelianenko called out legendary boxer Mike Tyson, who had impressed Fedor with his 2020 exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr.
Even though Mike Tyson hasn’t responded to the call out, someone else did. In an exclusive interview with Russian News Agency TASS, Roy Jones Jr. acknowledged the challenge. Instead of advocating for a showdown with Tyson, he offered a different proposition—an enticing match between himself and Fedor Emelianenko.
In a candid exchange, Roy Jones Jr. weighed in on the potential bout and highlighted its immense appeal. The former boxing champion also emphasized their shared Russian heritage, viewing it as a pivotal aspect that could elevate the bout’s significance.
Roy Jones Jr. affirmed: “Fedor doesn’t need to box Mike Tyson. It’s high time he had a fight with me. I’m sure that it will be an incredibly big event. We are both Russian athletes and it would be very interesting.”
An intriguing detail that emerged during Roy Jones Jr.’s response was his connection to Russia. Having obtained Russian citizenship, his ties to the nation are not purely coincidental.
Although the primary motive for acquiring citizenship was to compete within the country, this newfound status could potentially serve as a stepping stone toward an encounter with Emelianenko.