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Tyson, Mike

Lewis Delivers Monumental Snub to Tyson

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Lennox Lewis prepares to face Mike Tyson in a championship climax to their careers, which could net each of them a projected $30 million, Lewis has turned down all invitations to attend Tyson's first fight in England against British champion Julius Francis. Lewis is refusing to comment on the event, rejecting all entreaties from Sky TV to join their ringside team, and has isolated himself inside his beach house in Jamaica. This deliberate snub is seen as a calculated move by Lewis to distance himself from the media frenzy surrounding Tyson's camp.

Key Takeaways:

  • Lennox Lewis has turned down all invitations to attend Mike Tyson's fight in England against British champion Julius Francis, refusing to dignify the event with any comment.
  • Lewis is isolating himself inside his beach house in Jamaica, preferring not to watch satellite transmission of the fight.
  • Tyson is getting into his familiar tense and emotional mental state as fight night draws closer, with the tension showing in a TV interview where he said, "I think I'm going to kill Julius Francis."
  • The tension has also been evident in Tyson's behavior, with him becoming close to tears of rage when discussing a visit to a waxworks in Hollywood where a dummy of him was displayed in a cage.
  • The fight has generated significant media attention, with politicians making capital out of Tyson's visit to Brixton.
  • British champion Julius Francis has been presented with a $150,000 sponsorship deal, on top of his original $500,000 purse, making him a financial beneficiary of the high-profile fight.

Statistics:

  • $30 million: the projected amount each of Lewis and Tyson could earn in the championship fight.
  • $500,000: the original purse of British champion Julius Francis.
  • $150,000: the additional sponsorship deal presented to Francis for the fight.
  • $560,000: the total purse for Francis, making him a financial loser in Tyson's last fight.
  • $1.25m: the amount Orlin Norris is suing Tyson for, claiming he broke a verbal promise of an immediate rematch after Norris hurt a knee in their last fight.

Sources:

  • Byline: JEFF POWELL LENNOX LEWIS is delivering a monumental snub to Mike Tyson, the man against whom he hopes to bring his own career to a $30million climax (no date provided)
  • The punch Townsend - "Tyson's visit: Poison for Brixton", The Argus, April 16, 2001 (no date provided)

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