NEW YORK, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Mike Tyson, boxing's most controversial figure, was out of control and incited a melee Tuesday at a news conference which was scheduled to announce that he and undisputed champion Lennox Lewis would fight on April 6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Determined to turn this conference into a World Wrestling Federation spectacle, Tyson took a swing at Lewis and a security guard, pointed to his crotch while yelling at Lewis and screamed profanities at some of the boxing writers in attendance.
After Tyson was introduced at the news conference, he stood on stage and stared in the direction of Lewis. When Lewis was introduced and took his place on the stage, Tyson marched towards him. One of Lewis' bodyguards got between the fighters and Tyson greeted him with a left handed punch. Lewis then swung at Tyson, both entourages began pushing and shoving and a melee ensued.
"Everything went so fast that I felt like a referee in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Lewis promoter Gary Shaw. "Mike charged Lennox and I got hit in the back and the front."
There were even reports that Tyson bit Lewis in the scuffle.
Shaw issued a terse "no comment" when asked if Tyson had indeed attempted to bite Lewis.
When order was restored, Tyson emerged with a knot on the left side of his temple and then continued to embarrass himself by clutching his crotch as he yelled at Lewis. Soon after, Tyson directed his anger at some writers near the stage by screaming profanities.
The rest of the news conference was canceled and now the April 6 fight may never come off.
The last time Tyson fought for a title at the MGM Grand on June 28, 1997, he was disqualified for biting Evander Holyfield's ears.
Tyson's adviser Shelley Finkel was in the process of getting the paperwork necessary to have the former champion licensed to fight in Nevada. That may turn into a waste of time after Tyson's display on Tuesday.
The Nevada Athletic Commission has every reason to believe Tyson may not be mentally fit to fight. The commission had scheduled a meeting for Jan. 29 to vote on whether to issue Tyson a license.
"I'm hoping the fight will still happen on April 6," Shaw said. "But that is up to the Nevada Commission and I can't speak for them. This could have been a cowardly way for Mike to avoid fighting Lennox."
Tyson, who is 49-3 with two no contests and 43 knockouts, had his eye on Lewis when he canceled his January 19 fight with Ray Mercer.
The No. 1 contender to Lewis' WBC and IBF belts, Tyson last fought on October 13, recording a seventh-round technical knockout of Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen.
Lewis is 39-2-1 with 30 knockouts and regained the WBC and IBF titles with a fourth-round knockout of Hasim Rahman on November 17. He had lost the titles when Rahman knocked him out on April 21.
