Promoters holding up Holyfield-Lewis II

Dean Juipe

Thursday, May 20, 1999 | 10:43 a.m.

The deal is in place except for one sticking point: Who will be the promoter of record?

Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield have agreed to a Nov. 18 rematch at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, yet what's holding up the formal announcement is the still-contested question of whether Don King or Panos Eliades will be in the promotional driver's seat.

King handles Holyfield and promoted the first Holyfield-Lewis fight, March 13 in New York, which was scored a draw. Eliades handles Lewis.

"I believe all the issues have been settled except between the two promoters as to who ultimately will be the promotional figurehead," said attorney John Caluwaert from Elmhurst, Ill., on Wednesday. He's the legal representative for Eliades in the United States.

"Don King is under some serious scrutiny (because of the scoring of the March 13 fight) and (pay-per-view outlet) HBO has some reservations," Caluwaert said. "Panos is ready, willing and able to assume responsibilities to promote the fight and we hope that's how it comes down."

Caluwaert confirmed that Mandalay Bay is paying a $10 million site fee to host the bout, which would be for the unified heavyweight title. Holyfield has the IBF and WBA belts, while Lewis is the WBC champion.

Asked if King's ongoing negotiations with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum for an Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad fight Sept. 18 at Mandalay Bay is interfering with King working out a settlement with Eliades, Caluwaert said "no, that's not part of it."

Nonetheless, the formal announcement of the Lewis vs. Holyfield rematch has been unexpectedly delayed. Initially, the fight was scheduled to be announced this week.

"We were thinking it would be announced by now, too," Caluwaert said, "but we think it'll still fall into place. Lennox is ready to fight, regardless of the circumstances, but we're looking for the proper relationship between Panos and King and HBO."

Caluwaert added that King will not have an option to promote Lewis' following fight, in the event Lewis dethrones Holyfield.