Tyson-Botha rematch talks temporarily on hold

Dean Juipe

Thursday, July 17, 2003 | 9:36 a.m.

A proposed Mike Tyson vs. Frans Botha rematch appears to be on hold, but the delay is fine with Botha's manager and promoter, Sterling McPherson.

"This could work out to Botha's benefit," he said Wednesday.

Tyson has two lingering court cases that may need to be resolved before his handlers can move forward with any serious plans. He is accused of assaulting two men in a New York hotel, as well as a former security guard for promoter Don King in West Palm Beach, Fla.

"Let them feel their way through those problems first," McPherson said. "If things work out OK, the fight could be made for October or even early next year."

Botha is scheduled to face journeyman George Linberger Aug. 30 in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and McPherson is discussing a Botha vs. Lawrence Clay-Bey fight for Oct. 4 at a site to be determined.

"I'm proceeding as scheduled," McPherson said. "There's nothing new (in the negotiations), but I know Tyson's people are serious about fighting Botha.

"It wasn't like I called them or I tried to orchestrate the fight. We never discussed money but I know they were serious about it."

As McPherson told the Sun in an exclusive story last week, he was approached by Showtime's Jay Larkin and Tyson manager Shelly Finkel about a Tyson vs. Botha rematch that was tentative for Sept. 13 in South Africa.

"I've talked to Shelly a couple of times (in the past week)," McPherson updated. "But I think these legal issues that Tyson has make it hard for them to commit to anything."

Tyson defeated Botha by fifth-round knockout Jan. 16, 1999, at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. Botha had been winning the fight until getting caught by a right hand.

"Botha's been around long enough to know that if he gets another shot at Tyson, it's a bonus," McPherson said. "Right now we're just going with a bird in the hand. We'll fight Linberger and then see what happens."