On the eve of Creed II‘s theatrical debut (Nov. 21), actor Michael B. Jordan might take his Adonis persona off the script’s pages and into a real-life boxing ring. According to TMZ, the New Jersey native — seemingly playfully — suggested a match between him and pro-boxer Roy Jones Jr.
While Jordan admits the heavyweight champion would win the bout in his prime, he might be able to defeat Jones thanks to his rigorous training for the Creed franchise. Jones then responded to Jordan’s statements, noting that he’s ready whenever the Black Panther co-star is game.
While Jones is aware of his opponent’s stature, he rests on the fact that his decade-spanning career will help him in the long-run. “I’m an old school vet,” Jones said. “An old-school vet ain’t going out like that.” The 49-year-old has been a professional boxer since the late 80s, racking up a number of belts and KOs throughout his matches.
According to USA Today, Jordan endured a four-month training regimen ahead of filming Creed‘s sequel. His trainer, Corey Calliet, shared that his goal was to increase Jordan’s mass size.
“Michael didn’t have muscles when we met, so I’ve been watching it grow,” he said. “As his career grew, his muscles grew. So that’s what I’ve been doing the whole time.”
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