Lewis-Tyson rematch on cards

[madjack]

Lewis-Tyson rematch on cards
January 26, 2003

A REMATCH between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson has moved a step closer after negotiations on Lewis's proposed fight with Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko were reported to have collapsed.

The Briton had been expected to defend his WBC heavyweight title against the number one contender on April 12 in Las Vegas.

But Lewis's attorney, Judd Burnstein, said talks had broken down and that his client was now thinking about a meeting with the former undisputed heavyweight champion, Tyson.

Tyson is due to fight Clifford Etienne in Memphis on 22 February.

"Now that there will be no April fight, Lennox has a contractual obligation to consider Mike Tyson as his June opponent and looks forward to seeing how Tyson performs in his February fight against Clifford Etienne," Burnstein told BBC Sport Online.

Lewis stopped Tyson in the eighth round of their heavyweight championship fight last June in Memphis.

Until now his representatives have always insisted the bout was so one-sided there would be no public interest in a rematch - a view that now seems to have changed.

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Edited by - madjack on 29 Jan 2003 01:57:13

[madjack]

Lewis-Tyson rematch snag
From correspondents in London
January 28, 2003

BRITAIN's WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis seems destined for a major legal battle as plans emerge for a rematch with Mike Tyson.


Lewis is still due to keep his April date with No.1 challenger Vitali Klitschko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian's promoter said here.

He said should 37-year-old Lewis ignore their challenge and have a more lucrative rematch with Tyson then he could either be forced to retire or face being sued by them.

"I really believe in this fight," said Rainer Koppke.

"We don't have any problems with the deal or the fight.

"I don't think that Lennox Lewis is scared of Vitali, but I do think he wants more money.

"It's all just a question of money."

It has been reported Lewis could earn $43 million for a fight against Tyson as opposed to a third of that fee to face 31-year-old Klitschko.

Koppke said while Lewis could enjoy a richer payday against Tyson it is clear which bout is the bigger draw for the boxing fan.

"After the last Lewis-Tyson fight (Lewis stopped him in the eighth round of their June 8 bout), Tyson said he had no chance of beating him (Lewis)," said Koppke.

"So boxing fans would be much more interested in a fight with Vitali."

Koppke also said legal action had not been ruled out if Lewis reneged on the contract which will see them either fight in Las Vegas on April 12 or in New York a week later.

"We might sue, or the WBC might decide that Lewis should retire if he doesn't want to fight the top contender," said Koppke.

Koppke's claims come just two days after Lewis's lawyer, Judd Bernstein, told the BBC negotiations had broken down between his camp and Klitschko's.

"Now there will be no April fight, Lennox has a contractual obligation to consider Mike Tyson as his June opponent and looks forward to seeing how Tyson performs in his February 22 fight against Clifford "the black rhino" Etienne (in Memphis)," he said.

Lewis, the 1988 Olympic champion when he fought for Canada, has not boxed since routing Tyson which saw his record rise to 40 victories, two defeats and one draw including 31 knockouts.

However, while his trainer Emmanuel Steward has rubbished taking on Tyson again, Lewis has also been dismissive of Klitschko, who thought he had earned the right to the bout when he beat journeyman American Larry Donald in November to take his record to 32 wins in 33 fights.

[Koshy]

So if we go by what is being said Tyson is prepared to get his brains scrambled again for a big enough payday, and Lewis takes the easy option.

[madjack]

Tyson talks up chances
January 30, 2003

MIKE TYSON says his passion for fighting is back. For that, he can thank Lennox Lewis.

"It always comes back" after taking a beating, Tyson said.

Seven months after Lewis did just that to him in Memphis, Tyson sat in a small dressing room in Las Vegas yesterday and talked about why he was beaten by Lewis, why he wants to fight again and why he thinks he has a chance in a planned June 21 rematch.

He offered no excuses, and he made no promises. But it was clear that underneath it all Tyson still believes he is the baddest heavyweight around.

"If he was that dominant he should have knocked me out in the second or third round," Tyson said of Lewis. "He was still scared. He took no risks."

Lewis didn't need to take many risks the night of June 8 when he gave Tyson a beating in the richest heavyweight title fight ever.

Tyson had a solid first round, then fought the rest of the way in a sleepwalk before Lewis finally stopped him with a right hand to the jaw at 2:25 of the eighth round.

Tyson insisted he trained hard for the fight, only to come in weighing more than he had at the press conference to announce it. He had problems with sparring partners in camp, though, and felt tired after all of his workouts.

Maybe, he thought, he was trying too hard to do something which before came quite natural.

Whatever the reason, Tyson said he knew after the first round that it was not going to be his night.

"I came back to the corner and I was dead. I was dead tired," he said. "I didn't know what I'd do now."

Tyson, who fights Clifford Etienne in Memphis on February 22 in his first fight since losing to Lewis, talked for the first time publicly about why he lost as he sat getting his hands wrapped for a sparring session.

Tyson was in a good mood, but there was clearly work to be done for new trainer Freddie Roach. With his shirt off he appeared in good shape and near his expected fighting weight.

Etienne is not likely to cause Tyson many problems, but Tyson desperately needs a big knockout win not only to regain his confidence but to sell a proposed June 21 rematch with Lewis.

Lewis said through his lawyer Judd Burstein that he was skipping a planned April 12 fight with Vitali Klitschko and would likely face Tyson again in June if Tyson looks good against Etienne.