Mayor Anthony Williams on Wednesday guaranteed the owner of Washington’s MCI Center “a safe environment” for a Mike Tyson-Lennox Lewis fight, clearing a hurdle that had threatened to derail the bout.
The meeting between Williams and Abe Pollin came one day after Tyson met with several doctors–medical and psychiatric–and was interviewed by the D.C. Boxing and Wrestling Commission during a visit to the city. Commission officials gave no details about the boxer’s appearance before the panel and declined to say what kind of tests the doctors gave Tyson.
The commission will hold a public hearing Tuesday on Tyson’s application for a boxing license. If the panel grants the license, a Tyson-Lewis bout could be held June 8 at the MCI Center.
Pollin had said he would consider allowing his arena to be used only if the mayor could guarantee its security.
– Angel Manfredy of Hobart, Ind., who trains at Chicago’s Windy City gym, gets his fourth shot at a lightweight title Saturday when he challenges International Boxing Federation champion Paul Spadafora. The scheduled 12-round bout (8:45 p.m. on HBO) will highlight a card in Spadafora’s hometown of Pittsburgh.
