Boxing: Lawyers will explore Tyson's options

Mike Tyson’s lawyers will pore over the legal implications of the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s decision to deny the former world heavyweight champion a licence to fight in Las Vegas.

Tyson was refused a licence by a 4-1 majority verdict of the five-strong panel in confusing circumstances in the city where he hoped to be fighting Lennox Lewis on April 6 in the biggest grossing fight of all time.

After two panel members said they would not sanction Tyson’s application for an annual licence, the fighter’s lawyer requested a motion for Tyson to be allowed to withdraw his application.

That action in itself suggests the Tyson camp are worried a refusal in Nevada could limit the chances of his getting a licence to fight in a different state.

But that motion failed to be seconded and moments later another motion, that Tyson be refused a licence, was carried 4-1, with only Commission chairman Luther Mack voting in favour of Tyson.

It is understood that other state commissions would still be able to licence Tyson because his request in Nevada was merely rejected rather than his having any existing licence revoked.

But many States and countries, including Britain, will stand by Nevada and not allow Tyson to box within their jurisdiction.

All of which puts a massive question mark over the huge fight, for which the MGM Grand in Las Vegas had already paid a 10million US dollars fee, just for the privilege of staging the contest.

The Vegas casino industries had pleaded for the fight to bolster their ailing economies after September 11 and Tyson was expected to be given another last warning along with his licence.

Tyson had been ordered to appear in person at this hearing and heard the panel express their concerns both about his conduct during the January 22 press conference clash with Lewis and about other recent aspects of his personal life.

It appeared to be the fears over his future outside the ring which drove the majority of the decisions, rather than the distasteful bust-up in New York.