Saturday, June 08, 2002
Tyson-Lewis spectacle sure to fascinate
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In both fighters' contracts for the Mike Tyson-Lennox Lewis bout, there is a $3 million penalty for any “onerous” foul that stops the match — something, for instance, like one fighter biting the other.
That's just one of the facets of Saturday night's heavyweight title fight at The Pyramid that makes it unique — a fascinating spectacle for fans, celebrities and other athletes alike.
Tyson's capacity for mayhem is as distinct as the sparkle from his gold teeth when he grins. No matter what happens, nobody expects this fight to be boring; even one spectacular round, it seems, wouldn't be an anticlimax.
“This is the Super Bowl of boxing,” WBC welterweight champion Vernon Forrest said. “Boxing is Mike Tyson, and Mike Tyson is boxing. Everybody can't wait to see what happens, and what Mike is going to do.”
Blues, barbecue and Elvis have yielded center stage in Memphis this weekend to the first fight between Tyson and Lewis, two of boxing's biggest stars for the past decade. The city streets are teeming with the rich, the famous and the bloodthirsty — all here to have a good time.
Lewis (39-2-1, 30 knockouts) seems to be near the top of his up-and-down form, training for months to prepare for the fight that could remove the last shadow of doubt from his greatness. He is taller and bigger than the challenger, and much more of his reputation is on the line.
“It's very important for historians and my legacy, getting rid of the last misfit in boxing,” Lewis said.
But the fight also is the next chance at redemption for Tyson (49-3-2, 43 knockouts), the debt-ridden convicted felon who still captures the imagination of millions with his charismatic anger — even though he hasn't fought a big-name contender for the heavyweight title in five tumultuous years since he bit Evander Holyfield.
The fight, a joint promotion of the HBO and Showtime cable networks, could gross $100 million if the pay-per-view sales live up to expectations. But tickets were still available for the arena itself the day before the fight, in almost all price ranges up to $2,400 at ringside.
According to adviser Shelly Finkel, a large portion of Tyson's winnings from the fight already are earmarked to take care of the reported $15 million in debt he has racked up with his impossibly lavish lifestyle.
But Tyson scoffs at the notion of using mere money or pride as a motivation.
“I already stamped my legacy in the immortal history of boxing,” Tyson said. “This is just another (part) to add to it.”
For all his faults, Tyson exudes pure competitive energy — and that's why even the world's most competitive men and women find his exploits irresistible.
The number of professional athletes who have converged on Memphis is simply stunning. Pedestrians strolling down crowded Union Avenue in the slight mid-afternoon heat could have spotted Charles Oakley, Derrick Coleman and Alonzo Mourning walking past them within 60 feet.
Corliss Williamson and his friends ate lunch at a national chain restaurant, apparently oblivious to the world-famous Rendezvous barbecue joint a half-block away. Several members of the Green Bay Packers traveled the streets of the city together in an oversized SUV limousine — one of dozens in town from as far away as Chicago.
Other luminaries included the NBA's Gary Payton, Glenn Robinson, Latrell Sprewell and Magic Johnson, to say nothing of the dozens of NFL stars, rappers, actors and wiseguys — everyone from Britney Spears to music mogul Suge Knight, whose last trip to a big fight ended in a brawl that led to his incarceration.
Like Lewiston, Maine, and Kinshasa, Zaire, before it, Memphis is embracing its position as a one-night stopover in the folklore of heavyweight title bouts. The city won it almost by default, when Las Vegas refused to play host to the bout after the melee at the fighters' January news conference in New York.
Though Tyson is generally regarded as the public's favorite, hundreds of English and Canadian fans made their way to Memphis, despite earlier reports of a lack of interest from Lewis' traditional supporters. England football jerseys abounded Friday at local bars, where many fans cheered deliriously at highlights of their nation's World Cup victory over Argentina.
The party atmosphere of the entire town was amazing to forward Robert Traylor of the NBA's New Orleans Hornets. He wore a vintage Jerry West jersey as he walked toward a restaurant for lunch Friday before a long night of partying.
“This is the only place to be this weekend,” Traylor said. “Everybody wants to be here. It should be the biggest fight for a long time — until the rematch, anyway.”
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Tyson-Lewis spectacle sure to fascinate
