`Bad-boy' Tyson may make it to Malaysia, not Hong Kong

`Bad-boy' Tyson may make it to Malaysia, not Hong Kong

DETRIOT, AUGUST 11: The bad-boy appeal of Mike Tyson fighting Poland's Andrew Golota appears to have scuttled plans for Tyson to fight in Hong Kong and pushed a planned September bout with David Izon to January in Malaysia.

That would also set up a January 20 matchup in Kuala Lumpur against Izon while Hong Kong, a reported candidate to host a Golota-Tyson matchup, would miss its chance to put the ear-biting rapist on display.

Tyson and Golota are known as two of boxing's biggest rule-breakers, with ring misdeeds including bites, punching to the groin, head-butts and arm twists.

Tyson was banished from the sport for a year after twice biting Evander Holyfield's ears in a 1997 fight. He nearly broke South African Francois Botha's arm in his return and hit Orlin Norris after the bell last October. The latter infraction convinced Las Vegas officials to scourage Tyson from fighting there.

He has fought twice in Britain since, stopping fellow American Lou Savarese in 38 seconds in June at Glasgow, Scotland, in his most recent outing, which ended with Tyson punching after the bell and elbowing referee John Coyle.

Golota was twice disqualified in 1996 for repeated low blows to Riddick Bowe and bit Tonga's Samson Po'uha on the shoulder in a 1995 bout.

Instead of boxing one week before the Olympics and one night before World title fights in three other US cities, controversial former World heavyweight champion Tyson would fight on the eve of Major League Baseball's World Series.

If the deal is finalised, Golota's planned September 24 bout in Poland against compatriot Przemyslav Saleta would also be scrubbed.

Tyson has said he wanted two or three more tuneup fights before challenging reigning World heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis of Britain, who plans to face New Zealand's David Tua in November in either Las Vegas or Toronto.

Hearing rescheduled

LONDON: Former undisputed World heavyweight champion Mike Tyson's British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) hearing has been rescheduled for August 22, it was confirmed on Thursday.

It was originally set for August 9 but then adjourned and the Board has been told Tyson will be legally represented on the new date.

The ruling body have not been told whether Tyson himself will appear following his one-round victory over Lou Savarese in Glasgow on June 24.

Tyson was called before BBBC for throwing punches after referee John Coyle had stopped his fight against fellow American Savarese at Hampden Park, and for comments aimed at Lennox Lewis following his victory.

The board has kept in touch with the Tyson camp through his advisor Shelley Finkel and his lawyers.

Tyson is looking to continue his comeback with a fight against Poland's Andrew Golota in the autumn.

f3Ridiculed rivals fight for tarnished title

LAS VEGAS: Evander Holyfield will try to become the first four-time World heavyweight champion here on Saturday when he faces John Ruiz in an all-American fight for the vacant World Boxing Association crown.

But whoever wins, there is no doubt that the prize is a tarnished throne.

The WBA crown was not taken in the ring but instead stripped from Britain's Lennox Lewis by a New York judge when Lewis ignored WBA mandatory challenger Ruiz in favour of more respected and unbeaten Michael Grant.

``I don't feel this is tainted,'' Holyfield said of having the WBA title up for grabs. ``Lewis didn't follow the regulations. He forfeited his belt.''

World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation champion Lewis won a unanimous 12-round decision from Holyfield for the undisputed heavyweight title here last November in Holyfield's most recent outing.

Holyfield has not won a fight since September of 1998, suffering a disputed draw and a decision loss in two fights against Lewis last year. Holyfield also suffered a rib injury in training that postponed the Ruiz fight from June 10.

And of course, no man has ever won the heavyweight title four times because no other man ever lost it three times in the ring, as Holyfield did to Lewis last year, Riddick Bowe in 1992 and Michael Moorer in 1994.