Is Michael B. Jordan a legit boxer or does he just play one onscreen? This is a question that Roy Jones Jr, famous boxer, wants an answer to.
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Jordan stars as Adonis Johnson, son of the famous Rocky character, Apollo Creed, in the newest edition to the Rocky franchise, Creed II.
Creed II, which was released in theaters this week, is a follow up to the 2015 film, Creed, which Jordan starred in alongside Sylvester Stallone and fellow Marvel actor, Tessa Thompson (Thor: Ragnarok). (Technically, Stallone is a Marvel actor now, too, having made an appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.)
After meeting up with Jordan outside of a nightclub on Saturday night, TMZ Sports asked if there were any real boxers the actor could beat, and he was quick to respond with “Roy Jones Jr.”.
While Jordan’s answer seemed to come from a place of respect, saying “that’s my dude” about Jones Jr, the boxer did not take the comment lightly. “I’ve never ducked a fight in my life,” the boxer replied.
While the athlete definitely seems serious about the fight, he also presented his reply with an air of good-natured fun, clearly not taking real offense to Jordan’s claims that he could take him down. (Although, the actor did point out that Jones Jr. would have crushed him during the boxer’s prime.)
Despite being 49, Jones Jr. believes Jordan, 31, wouldn’t stand a chance against his vet status. “I know he can’t beat me still,” he explains, “I know he’s probably in better condition because he’s younger … but I’m an old school vet.”
Jones Jr. has been boxing professionally for about 30 years and even won a silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics when he was still considered an amateur.
Other stars have weighed in on the hypothetical match, including D.L. Hughley, comedian/actor/boxing fan. “Roy Jones Jr. ain’t what he was,” explained the actor, “but he’d still beat the shit outta Michael B. Jordan.”
We may never get to see this Hollywood vs. Pro fight, but you can still catch Michael B. Jordan donning boxing gloves in Creed II. While you may be disappointed to learn the sequel did not bring back Ryan Coogler, the first film’s director who is now known for taking the reigns on Black Panther, the movie is still garnering decent reviews.
Directed by Steven Caple Jr, Creed II is in theaters now and stars Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, and Phylicia Rashad.
