After repeated demands from Lennox Lewis that Mike Tyson should "put up or shut up" it seems the former world heavyweight champion is at last prepared to answer the challenge.
Tyson's manager Shelley Finkel said in an interview with BBC Radio: "Mike Tyson's very keen to get back in the ring to fight, and beat, Lennox Lewis." Tyson is serving a three-month suspension for failing a drug test, but would like to have a warm-up contest in April, according to Finkel.
Though Lewis must first defend his World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles against Hasim Rahman on April 21st, his business manager Adrian Ogun was quick to talk up a possible Tyson contest. "We're ready to start negotiations for a summer date," he said, "and July 21st is the date we're looking at".
However, the difficulties in completing a deal remain. It is uncertain whether any of the Las Vegas casinos would be prepared to put up enough money in hosting the event to guarantee the boxers their expected purse demands of $30 million each. Alternatives, including a Malaysian gambling consortium, have so far failed to produce anything concrete.
The question of US television also has to be resolved. Tyson is under contract to Showtime, which would require a massive inducement to cede broadcast rights to HBO, who have Lewis under contract.
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