COMMENTARY : Holyfield Faces Iffy Vegas Odds

There are concerns in the camp of Evander Holyfield, concerns not for the fighter’s condition nor about his ability to beat Buster Douglas when the two finally step into the ring for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Oct. 25. The concerns are over whether Holyfield can win a decision in Las Vegas.

The concerns become understandable once you become aware of what seems like a cozy relationship between the Nevada Athletic Commission and the Mirage Hotel, the bout’s site, and its owner, Steve Wynn.

Newsday, among other newspapers, has documented the often overlapping relationships in Nevada. And this is not meant to imply that any of the gentlemen named herein are anything less than honorable or are guilty of anything. However, that old bugaboo--appearance of impropriety--is probably more prevalent here than in any other boxing jurisdiction in the United States.

“I get tired of hearing about perceptions,” said the commission’s executive director, Chuck Minker. “Let’s deal with realities.”

For starters, Dr. Elias Ghanem, one of the commissioners and a former chairman, is a close friend of Wynn’s. He was on the list of prospective witnesses submitted by Wynn’s side in the lawsuit that pitted Wynn and Douglas against Don King. Most boxing fans know he is also the personal physician of Mike Tyson, which did not stop him from serving as the WBC supervisor for at least two of Tyson’s title defenses.

Then there is the case of Richard Steele, one of boxing’s finest referees. The problem is, he works as a pit boss at the Golden Nugget, Wynn’s No. 2 hotel. You would think that would automatically preclude Steele from working the fight, and it probably will. But then again, this is Vegas.

So what has all this to do with Douglas-Holyfield, you might ask. Only this: If Douglas wins, he is already signed to fight Tyson at the Mirage in his next defense for a published purse of $35 million. Wynn tried to procure a similar agreement from Holyfield, but was rebuffed when he offered a guaranteed purse of only $15 million. And Holyfield’s promoters, Dan Duva and Co., have said they prefer a fight with George Foreman as Holyfield’s first defense. Simply put, if Douglas wins, Wynn and Vegas win. If Holyfield wins, there’s no guarantee. And strange decisions have happened out in the desert. Remember Spinks-Holmes II?

“That’s a bunch of crap,” Minker said. “If (Holyfield’s) good enough to win, he’ll win. The fight will be fair and square. Will the Mirage have any effect on the judging? It better not, I’ll tell you that.”