Lennox Lewis's personal security will be provided by members of the controversial Nation of Islam group in the build-up to his fight against Mike Tyson and on the night itself.
Tyson's outburst that he would have "killed" Lewis at the chaotic New York press conference if he had "been with the right crew" has put Lewis's camp on high alert that attempts may be made by Tyson's paid followers to physically intimidate the champion.
But Lewis's choice of minders has raised eyebrows. Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader since 1977, is barred from entering Britain and was the target of criticism this week after referring to Jews as "bloodsuckers" who prayed in "synagogues of Satan".
Lewis's advisers have tried to force the promoters to pay for his bodyguards and the onus was put on the Tyson camp to find the $250,000 Lewis was asking, a demand which was rejected.
Minders from the Nation of Islam, otherwise known as the Black Muslims, were with Lewis when he was involved in the New York brawl and rumours persist that funds provided by the group helped conclude the deal for the contest itself.
Insiders close to the promotion insist that the television companies are calling the shots and that Farrakhan's speech has not improved his acceptability as a figure close to the fight. But his influence is clear, not least in that his son Mustafa has become a regular fixture within the Tyson camp since 1999 and Farrakhan himself was at ringside as far back as 1997 for Tyson's second fight against Evander Holyfield.
Farrakhan is regarded as a spiritual guru by many hip-hop stars and there are suggestions that money from influential figures on that wing of the music business may have helped underwrite the estimated $12 million required as a site fee in Memphis before the fight could go ahead on June 8th.
Meanwhile, Tyson has issued an even more chilling warning to Lewis than Wednesday's threat that he wants to kill him.
"I feel rejuvenated here. I am like a 20-year-old. I feel like I did when I first became a champion at 20," he said.
That boast is backed up by Tyson's trainer Stacey McKinley, who reports the 35-year-old in great shape, mentally and physically, at his Miami training base.
"He is like a baby in the gym. Nobody kisses ass, Mike knows what he has to do and listens real well. He loves looking at his body and seeing the definition - the conditioning does that.
"Mike loves to train but he loves to box better. When the bell rings Lewis will not be able to go five rounds without getting hit on the chin. As soon as Mike lands on that weak chin, Lewis is gone. It's over."
