Rival calls Tyson’s man a liar

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Sept. 24, 1998 | 10:16 a.m.

The question was asked point blank to Shelly Finkel at last Saturday's Nevada State Athletic Commission hearing on relicensing Mike Tyson. Had he been negotiating on Tyson's behalf for an upcoming fight?

"No, I have not," replied Finkel, who is serving as Tyson's adviser and unofficial manager.

He made the statement after being sworn in, ostensibly taking an oath to tell the truth.

"He flat-out lied," said Las Vegan Sterling McPherson, who manages the International Boxing Federation's top-ranked heavyweight, Frans Botha of South Africa. "Finkel has called me about Botha's availability for a fight with Tyson and I have the phone records to prove it.

"I'm not exactly eager to sit down and talk with him right now, but he's called me about Botha and I know he's gone to all the European (television) networks to see what kind of offers he can get there. I know he's talked to Sky (Great Britain) and Premier (Germany) and talked about Axel Schulz as another possible opponent.

"He's shopping for the best price."

If Tyson is relicensed by the NSAC when it reconvenes to address the subject Oct. 3 -- or if he is relicensed shortly thereafter -- Finkel said he would attempt to arrange a fight with a "credible" opponent in the United States. If Tyson is denied a license, he could still fight on an Indian reservation or, if he can obtain a passport despite being on probation in Indiana, overseas.

"We're looking for a rated opponent," Finkel told the Associated Press.

Botha could be that opponent, although Schulz and Lou Savarese have also been mentioned as possible opponents for Tyson's first "comeback" fight.

"Botha is in the middle of everything," McPherson said. "Finkel wants Tyson to fight him because he has that (No. 1) IBF ranking. But I'm looking at this from all angles.

"Botha could fight Tyson -- and maybe in South Africa -- under the right terms, but there's a tremendous significance to being ranked No. 1 and we're not giving that away."