HBO Deal With Tyson Still Good; Douglas Fight Replay on Friday

HBO announced that its two-hour program on the Buster Douglas-Mike Tyson fight, which will include a complete replay of the bout, will be shown Friday at 9:30 p.m.

The pay-cable network also said its $26.5-million contract with Tyson is still in effect.

Seth Abraham, HBO senior vice president, told reporters on Sunday that Tyson’s loss voided the contract.

But HBO lawyers told Abraham on Monday that he was wrong. “It was pointed out to me quite clearly that the contract is not over,” Abraham said.

The contract with Tyson called for eight fights, seven live. The one non-live fight was Tyson and Michael Spinks, which HBO showed on tape-delay.

Tyson has filled his HBO commitment for all but two fights.

The contract allowed Tyson to fight on pay-per-view twice during its duration. The Spinks fight was one time, and a proposed June 18 fight between Tyson and Evander Holyfield was supposed to be the other, until Saturday’s outcome in Tokyo put that fight in doubt.

HBO was negotiating for the tape-delay rights to Tyson-Holyfield as a separate deal.

Now, if Tyson fights anyone besides Holyfield, including a rematch with Douglas, Abraham said, “They have to knock on our door first.”

That isn’t to say a Tyson-Douglas rematch would be televised on HBO. Surely, it would end up on pay-per-view TV, but HBO would be able to demand certain concessions.

That could be a cut of the gate, or the promise of another Tyson fight in the future.

Abraham said he will meet with promoter Don King today.

Abraham said all three major networks made inquiries about purchasing the Tyson-Douglas replay. “They were interested in airing the fight in prime time,” he said.