Lewis-Tyson in Britain?

Britain could stage a world title fight between reigning heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and former number one Mike Tyson this…

Britain could stage a world title fight between reigning heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and former number one Mike Tyson this year.

Promoter Frank Warren is not ruling out the chances of the Briton and the former undisputed champion locking horns on this side of the Atlantic as he prepares to take Tyson to Scotland for next month's controversial clash with Lou Savarese.

Lewis defends his crown against Francois Botha in July, but Warren admits that the prospect of a meeting with the man who once took the heavyweight division by storm is a distinct possibility.

"One of the problems is that both boxers are tied up with different American TV companies, but if that could be overcome I think that would be great," he said when asked about the possibility of a Lewis-Tyson fight in this country.

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Warren's comments came as he defended the decision by British Home Secretary Jack Straw to allow Tyson back into Britain for his fight at Hampden Park on June 24th.

Protesters argue that the convicted rapist should not be granted a visa. Rosanna Cunningham, SMP for Perth, said: "I'm basically against what seems to be a glorification of somebody who has shown such violent tendencies in the past.

"This is about violence to women - and it's about a man who effectively, I think, exhibits a kind of an uncontrolled aggression.

"We are paying him and lauding him despite the fact that we're also trying to send a message out to our young people, especially our young boys, that that kind of aggression - particularly against women - is simply not acceptable."

Cunningham furiously rejected the argument that to ban Tyson from entering the country would rob Glasgow of an economic windfall.

"Is that the bottom line?" she asked. "Is money all it's about because frankly if that's the case we may as well round up some lions and a few individuals and chuck them into a coliseum."

But Warren defended Tyson, saying he has been punished for his crime and is simply trying to earn a living.

"At the end of the day, Mike Tyson has paid the price for the crime that he was found guilty of. All he wants to do is go about lawfully making his living."