Boxing: Mayor gives Tyson fight the thumbs up

The mayor of Washington DC will not stand in the way of the controversial heavyweight showdown between Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis taking place in his city.

Washington DC looks set to be confirmed as the venue for Lewis’ long-awaited date with Tyson within the next two weeks.

Yesterday’s decision by the Washington Boxing and Wrestling Commission to hand Tyson a licence opens the door for a June 8 fight at the MCI Center, home of the city’s NBA basketball team.

Mayor Anthony Williams will not attempt to block the efforts of those wanting his city to host the event, even though he is being put under pressure to do so by women’s groups.

‘‘I think he is doing what he should do,’’ the mayor’s spokesman, Tony Bullock, said.

‘‘That decision should be left to those people who are authorised and empowered and commissioned to make that decision, and that is not the elected officials of the state or the city.

‘‘He understands his role. He doesn’t relish Mike Tyson or idolise Mike Tyson. He doesn’t plan to give MT the keys to the city or to laud him in any way. What he is saying is, if the proper authorities give him the clearances to box here, he will not oppose it.

Bullock believes it would be unfair of Washington DC to single Tyson out, saying:: ‘‘If you take this concept to its extreme you would then have to evaluate the moral conduct and behaviour and convictions of every professional athlete who wants to play a game in the city of Washington.

‘‘We have professional football players, we have professional tennis players, we have professional basketball players, many of whom have had domestic problems, have had criminal problems, have had drug use and other kinds of issues. We can’t sit here and say well I’m sorry we won’t allow this athlete to play in this city.’’

Martha Burke, of the National Council of Women’s Organisations, said she was appalled and insulted by the decision to allow Tyson to box in DC.

‘‘I’m not very impressed and I’m not very happy. The notion that we would bring a convicted rapist and open the keys to the city, the world capital, is appalling to me.

‘‘To bring a convicted rapist, who is currently under investigation for another rape, seems to me to be something that we shouldn’t even be considering.

‘‘This is an individual sport where an individual is glorified, welcomed and, in fact, lauded in the world capital. We do not think this is appropriate.

‘‘It is just not a statement we want to be making. It is an insult, not only to the women of Washington DC, but the women of the United States and the women of the world.’’

Burke believes the mayor should make a stance, and added: ‘‘The elected officials can send signals and you are clearly sending one here that is the wrong signal in our opinion, and this is not going to be the last of this as far as the women’s groups are concerned.

‘‘The major can make a statement about whether he welcomes this man to this city, or whether he has the bravery that the governor of Georgia has had, who has said this is not a statement we want our state to be making.’’

Bullock admitted: ‘‘Miss Burke speaks for a lot of women and men who very much dislike Mr Tyson and I think with good reason.

‘‘The mayor is not here to sit in judgement of Mike Tyson.

‘‘We’re not here to take the place of the judicial system and the court system that has been involved with Mr Tyson in the past, and it is actually the WBC and the DC Boxing Commission who will decide - not if Mike Tyson deserves the key to the city they are going to decide whether he should be allowed to box in a professional bout in this city.

‘‘We understand it is divisive and we also understand what the role of the elected officials is, what the role of the government is, and it’s not to say Mike Tyson has a life sentence - that he can never box again. If there is a judgement of that kind, it is not going to be made by elected officials.’’