If Commission Helps, Tyson-Ruddock Is Back

Only a favorable review of promoter Murad Muhammad’s suspension seemed to be in the way of putting the June 28 Mike Tyson-Razor Ruddock rematch back together, Las Vegas sources agreed Tuesday.

On May 8, Muhammad, Ruddock’s promoter, was fined $25,000 and suspended for one year by the Nevada Athletic Commission for his role in a melee after the Tyson-Ruddock fight March 18. Video cameras caught him kicking Tyson trainer Richie Giachetti, who had been knocked to the floor.

Ruddock has said he will not fight Tyson June 28 if the suspension prevents Muhammad from participating. It’s expected that the commission next week will at least grant Muhammad a stay, pending review of his case.

Muhammad filed an appeal Monday. The five-member commission will consider it next Tuesday or Wednesday.

“It’s all up to the commission,” said spokesman Alan Feldman for the Mirage, which hopes to play host to the fight.

Advisers to heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield said Tuesday that the announcement last week by promoter Don King that Tyson-Ruddock II was off had nothing to do with a talked-about Tyson-Holyfield fight in the fall.

King’s announcement indicated that Ruddock had “stepped aside” to allow Tyson to go directly to a Holyfield match.

“Holyfield’s next fight never had anything to do with Tyson-Ruddock,” said Dan Duva, Holyfield’s promoter. He said Holyfield’s next fight probably will be in the fall. “If Mike Tyson is available, fine. If not, we’ll find somebody else.”

Any major boxing show in Las Vegas brings with it a multimillion-dollar impact on the hotel industry, but Nevada Athletic Commission chairman James Nave indicated that the commission would not bow to pressure.

“In the past, the attitude of this commission has been to help bring big fights here,” he said. “But this commission believes there will always be more big fights, and plenty will be coming in if this commission is honest, fair and impartial.”