Evander Holyfield might stop Mike Tyson from regaining the world heavyweight championship, but a grand jury isn't going to stop Tyson from trying.
While a grand jury in Indianapolis continued deliberating whether Tyson should be charged with rape, the former champion and Holyfield met each other at a news conference Wednesday to formally announce their fight Nov. 8 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas."Mike Tyson's legal situation has nothing to do with this fight," promoter Dan Duva said in reiterating earlier statements that the fight will be held even if Tyson is indicted. "We don't have the right to prejudge anybody."
A grand jury decision was expected by Monday. An 18-year-old woman who competed in the Miss Black America pageant in Indianapolis told police Tyson raped her July 19 in a hotel room in that city.
Should Tyson be indicted, Duva said, "There won't be a trial before Nov. 8. There's no question about that."
"Regardless of what happens, my job is to get into the ring and win it regardless of distractions," Tyson said.
"Tyson comes off the street," said Duva's father, Lou, who helps train Holyfield. "He's had crises before and handled them. Why wouldn't he be able to handle them now?
"Now, if the shoe was on the other foot and Evander was faced with the same situation, things might be different.""At the request of Mike Tyson's attorneys, please do not ask any questions about the legal proceedings involved," Dan Duva said.
Of course, such questions were asked, but they were fielded by Duva and Don King, who is involved with the fight as Tyson's promoter.
Duva and King were caught by surprise, however, when one apparent questioner said, "Mike, I'm here to serve you a summons." With that, he threw a document toward the dais and left as Duva shouted, "Get out of here."
Duva then quipped, "Any other summonses?"
Robert Hirth, Tyson's attorney, said the summons was served in connection with a $100 million federal lawsuit filed against Tyson by Rosie Jones of Bridgeport, Conn., last month in New York. Jones, 26, Miss Black America of 1990, has accused Tyson of grabbing her waist and buttocks while being photographed with the boxer in Indianapolis.
Dan Duva said he expects some demonstration against the fight.
"There's always somebody who doesn't like what we're doing," he said. "Some people didn't like George Foreman fighting Evander Holyfield, and the AMA has been campaigning against boxing for years."
There is no denying the interest in the match, which, Duva said, will gross $100 million. The match will be shown on pay-per-view for the average price of "$40 give or take a couple of dollars," said Duva.