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The chances of seeing two of the biggest names in heavyweight boxing, Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson, together in a head to head battle is starting to look like less of a real possibility. In a match that was originally set up to happen as early as July, when and if it will happen at all is now the question on the mind of everyone in the boxing world.
Mike Tyson, who will turn 35 years old on July 30, is serving a three-month suspension for not supplying a urine test before his Oct. 20 bout against Andrew Golota. He also said before that fight that he would need three or four more fights before a matchup with Lewis. But now all of a sudden his manager, Shelly Finkel was quoted as saying on Feb. 11 that “Mike Tyson is very set on getting back into the ring and fighting and beating Lennox Lewis . He will take one fight, probably in April and then be ready for Lewis,” said Finkel.
Lennox Lewis, who holds both the IBF and WBC title belts, has been out in the media saying he wants this fight to happen much more than Tyson. Personally calling Mike Tyson “out of hiding” to fight, Lewis’ business manager Adrian Ogun backed this up by saying “Lennox is ready, willing and able to fight at any time in any place. Mike now wants the fight, Lennox wants the fight, and the public is demanding it.”
With all of this talk going back and forth though, the real end all for the chance of a fight between the two fighters is whether an agreement can be made between the two television networks, Showtime and HBO.
While Lewis has a contract with HBO, Tyson’s contract is with Showtime. If the two networks cannot come to an agreement then there isn’t going to be a fight and both are fighting for the rights to what is looking to be the biggest pay-per-view event of all time.
Showtime executive producer Jay Larkin has said that Showtime has “drawn a line with a big fat stick” and that “the fight cannot happen on HBO without a significant compelling reason for us to make it happen.” HBO spokesman Ray Stallone has said that HBO is also willing to discuss the fight with Showtime. “Our door is open and we will take any phone call and any meeting,” said Stallone
Another factor is the amount of money that Tyson and Lewis are each looking for. In a fight that could make over $100 million, both fighters would come out with around $30 million apiece, but both are also looking to have the bigger purse than their opponent. Tyson’s people say he should get more because “Mike is the biggest attraction here,” Finkel said. While Lewis’ people say that he should get the bigger payday.
The latest in this story is the proposal that Lewis’ camp made to Tyson’s on Thursday. This suggests that the contest simply be shown on HBO and all money that Tyson would make from the fight would have to be given to Showtime in compensation. Shelly Finkel replied to this proposal as “laughable” and that it showed “Lennox does not want the fight.”
This most recent turn in the story is what threatens the chance of the fight happening most. If both fighters aren’t going to be willing to give a little and if the two networks involved can’t work something out, then the chance of seeing Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson in the same ring anytime soon is not probable.
