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Friday, February 04, 2000
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
COLUMN: Royce Feour
Warm reception may prompt Tyson to fight overseas again
Mike Tyson's trip to England last week was a bigger success than anyone could have expected.
Far bigger.
The trip was such a success, and Tyson enjoyed himself so much, there is a good chance Tyson will fight abroad -- if not in England -- again.
Before Tyson's easy second-round stoppage of Julius Francis last Saturday in Manchester, England, Tyson's next fight was all but set for March 25 at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J. The opponent was expected to be Lou Savarese.
But that could change. As of Thursday, it appeared to be 50-50 whether the fight would stay in New Jersey or go to Europe.
Tyson received such a warm reception, he thoroughly enjoyed his experience in England.
"There is no question about it. I have known Mike for 15 years. I have never seen him that relaxed, that calm or that cooperative," Showtime executive Jay Larkin said. "Mike had the time of his life. He enjoyed the welcome he got."
Tyson would like to fight in England again, but the Times of London has reported that British immigration officials probably wouldn't let Tyson back in the country because he was convicted of rape in 1992.
The British government let Tyson in the country to fight Francis, but an unidentified source in the Home Office said Tyson "would be in for a rude awakening" if he tries to come back.
But Team Tyson has plenty of options.
Shelly Finkel, Tyson's adviser, said he has received offers from Copenhagen, Denmark; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Paris, among other cities.
Said Dan Goossen of America Presents, Tyson's promoter: "There are a handful of countries looking to bring Mike out there. There have been a lot of good, solid offers out there."
Tyson had the badly overmatched Francis down five times in 4:03 of action.
"I think this fight was tremendous for Mike and tremendous for the public, more importantly," Goossen said.
Savarese, meanwhile, isn't necessarily the clear-cut probable opponent any longer.
Other names surfaced this past week, including David Izon, a native of Nigeria fighting out of Pensacola, Fla. Izon, 25-2, is coming off a ninth-round stoppage of previously undefeated Derrick Jefferson after badly trailing in the fight on HBO at Radio City Music Hall in New York on Jan. 15.
Shannon Briggs and Dickie Ryan also have been mentioned as opponents for Tyson. Fighting Ryan, 47-3, of Omaha, Neb., makes some sense if the fight goes to Copenhagen because he stopped previously undefeated Brian Nielsen of Denmark in the 10th round last year in Denmark.
Although Larkin wouldn't comment on specific opponents, he did say the adversary would not be a European fighter even if the fight goes to Europe.
Not only may the Meadowlands and Savarese be out, but the March 25 date could change, especially if the Tyson fight is in East Rutherford or elsewhere in the United States.
Showtime already has a pay-per-view fight between David Reid and Felix Trinidad for Reid's World Boxing Association junior middleweight championship scheduled March 3 at Caesars Palace.
Cable networks don't like to put two pay-per-view fights on during the same month because customers get socked for two events on the same bill. If Tyson does fight in the U.S., it will probably be on pay-per-view television during the first half of April.
But if Tyson fights in Europe, the fight probably will be on regular Showtime. Pay-per-view fights for U.S. audiences are not pragmatic from Europe because of the time difference.
Tyson appeared exclusively on pay-per-view the last few years until he fought Orlin Norris in October at the MGM Grand Garden. The Norris fight was put on regular Showtime to rebuild Tyson's following, partly because he had been unimpressive in stopping Frans Botha in five rounds in January at the MGM.
After the Norris fight, Showtime planned to put Tyson back on pay-per-view. But the fight ended in a first-round no-contest when Tyson hit Norris after the bell ending the opening round. Norris injured his right knee when he was knocked to the canvas and could not continue.
Due to the quick (and controversial ending), Showtime decided to put Tyson back on regular Showtime, and the fight was scheduled in England with the home-country bloke, Francis, as the sacrificial lamb.
Royce Feour's boxing column is published Friday and Sunday. He can be reached by phone at 383-0354, by fax at 383-4676 or by e-mail at Royce_Feour@lasvegas.com.
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