Mike Tyson is still the biggest name that boxing has to offer

Novelty boxing matches have a long and colorful history. Fifty years ago, The Super Fight depicted the results of a fictional contest between Muhammad Ali and Rocky Marciano, at that time the only two undefeated heavyweight champions in history. Released in 1970 at 1,500 movie theaters around the world for one night only, the film generated close to $35 million in today’s adjusted dollars.

Marciano was 45 at the time, had not fought professionally for 13 years, suffered from obesity and serious back problems, and did not feel camera-ready after losing his hair. But a cashstrapped 27-year-old Ali, caught in the middle of his exile from boxing after refusing to be drafted to the Vietnam War, signed on to participate after being offered $10,000.

A similarly peculiar spectacle will take place on Saturday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles — only with real blows being exchanged. Boxing legends Mike Tyson, 54, and Roy

Jones Jr., 51, will mount an eight-round exhibition (two minutes each) as the headliners of a $50 pay-per-view event.

Tyson hasn’t fought in 15 years, since failing to answer the bell in the seventh round against journeyman Kevin McBride. Jones Jr.’s career began a precipitous decline after his shocking 2004 loss to Antonio Tarver, the first of five knockouts he would suffer over the last 14 years of his professional career.

Still, Saturday’s showdown looms as the most marketable spectacle boxing can offer. It’s available on the streaming service Triller, which began in 2015 and is advertised as “an AI-driven music and social media experience bringing together creators, artists, and brands around the world.” It has positioned itself as the U.S. version of TikTok and, in August, tried to buy the app’s U.S. operations for $20 billion.

The site is backed by Hollywood producer Ryan Kavanaugh, a co-founder of the film studio Relativity Media. “This is a one-time, once-in-a-lifetime battle,” says Kavanaugh. “This will be an epic entertainment event with something for everyone. We are pinching ourselves right now that we actually brought this to life and believe it will be one of the iconic moments of the year.”

Exactly what the viewing public’s expectations are for the event remain in question. The undercard features a lineup that includes Jake Paul (20.2 million subscribers on YouTube) going headto-head for six rounds against Nate Robinson, a former basketball player for the New York Knicks.

Since the fight was announced, Andy Foster, the executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, which is sanctioning the bout, has been adamant that there will be no judges, no cumulative score, and no winner will be announced for the main event.