Columnist Dean Juipe: Upset puts Tyson back in picture

Dean Juipe

Wednesday, April 25, 2001 | 10:38 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or 259-4084.

Let's see, Mike Tyson can fight David Izon as scheduled June 2 in Washington D.C. and get a couple of million dollars out of it, or he can fight Hasim Rahman for the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation heavyweight championships in August or September and make something like $15 million.

What do you think he'll do?

Even if Tyson wasn't unduly influenced by money -- and seemingly always in need of it -- the decision on his doorstep seems like an easy one. Although he has been training daily at the Golden Gloves Gym for a fight with Izon, look for that to be canceled and one with Rahman announced in its place.

Tyson vs. Rahman is a big fight and is apt to find its way to one of the mega-resorts in Las Vegas. While Tyson has had licensing difficulties with the Nevada State Athletic Commission in the past, those issues will be set aside and he'll accept a stern warning from the commission as the remainder of his penance.

He'll be approved for the fight, no question about it.

And when the bout arrives, it'll be greeted with a great deal of excitement. It's Tyson, it's for two of the three valid world titles, and it's no sure thing which man will win.

In terms of hoopla, it will be the fight of the year in Las Vegas.

That's why Tyson can't afford an interim fight with Izon, even though he badly needs the rounds. The risk of losing that fight makes taking it unacceptable.

And Tyson vs. Rahman should fall into place soon, given that discussions were held Tuesday in New York on the subject. Rahman's promoter, Cedric Kushner, and Tyson's manager, Shelly Finkel, can take their proposed fight to the Showtime cable network and get it done, although HBO will offer alternative plans that include Rahman but exclude Tyson.

While there are other variables on the table, Tyson vs. Rahman on Showtime's pay-per-view outlet makes the most sense.

If that fight does, in fact, get signed, Tyson owes Rahman a big kiss (or something). Because if Rahman hadn't upset WBC and IBF champ Lennox Lewis last Saturday in South Africa, Tyson would be stuck with his Izon-ish opponents indefinitely, the result of his inability to work out a deal for a fight with Lewis as well as his reluctance to climb into the ring with World Boxing Association champ John Ruiz for the simple reason the latter is promoted by Don King, who is now a Tyson nemesis.

A small sticking point in the negotiations is the fact the Lewis-Rahman contract contained a clause that stated Rahman, if he won, would have to agree to a rematch with Lewis within 150 days. They'll get around that proviso by offering Lewis a rematch within the 150 days but take a fight with Tyson in the interim.

If Rahman beats Tyson, which might well happen given Tyson's lack of activity in recent years, then he'll honor the rematch agreement and a second fight with Lewis will follow.

One never knows what to fully expect in boxing but this scenario is doable and has the fewest strings attached.

It's no foregone conclusion, but it has the blessing of all the key players and it's the type of fight a Las Vegas casino will pay dearly to land.