Lewis to Fight Tyson in Memphis

Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson will meet June 8 in Memphis, Tenn., for the heavyweight championship, under a deal wrapped up Monday night after weeks of on-again off-again negotiations.

Lewis will defend his World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation heavyweight titles against Tyson in one of the most anticipated fights in recent years, although one that might have lost some of its appeal as the two camps argued for years over whether they would actually fight.

The scheduled 12-round bout will be held at the Pyramid arena, which will seat about 20,000 and where ringside seats will go for $2,500. It could be one of the richest fights, with revenues approaching $100 million and each fighter due at least $17.5 million.

“We now have close to 11 weeks before the fight and I believe everything is fine,” Tyson adviser Shelly Finkel said. “Mike is ready to fight.”

The fight that was rejected by Nevada boxing officials after Tyson misbehaved at a January news conference ended up in Memphis after a road show in which it was shopped to various cities around the country.

In some cities--including Washington and Detroit--it was welcomed. In others, politicians gave Tyson a chilly reception and suggested promoters look elsewhere.

Memphis landed it with promises of a $12.5-million site fee--not to mention a willingness to overlook Tyson’s antics that have included a brawl and outburst at the January news conference first announcing the fight.

In return, the city hopes to gain a reputation as a major player in big-time sports.

Jurisprudence

Oakland Raider defensive tackle Darrell Russell pleaded innocent to sexual assault charges.

Russell and two friends were arrested early last month after a 27-year-old woman claimed she was drugged and raped in an Alameda home on Jan. 31. Russell was charged with 25 felonies as an accomplice. He has been free since posting bail on Feb. 7.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested former NFL star Dexter Manley at a Houston hospital, where he had checked in after missing a court-ordered meeting in the wake of his conviction for evidence tampering.

Manley was found guilty Wednesday after a jury determined he tried to swallow less than a gram of cocaine during a 2001 drug bust at a Houston motel.

Sentencing is set for April 5, but Manley did not show up for a required meeting with a probation officer. His attorney, Jonathan Munier, said Manley checked into Riverside General Hospital last weekend for depression.

Pro Football

Offensive lineman Willie Roaf is headed from the New Orleans Saints to the Kansas City Chiefs, pending NFL approval of the trade.

The Saints would not release any details on the trade, but ESPN.com reported the Saints would get a conditional fourth-round draft choice in 2003 that could become a third-rounder, depending on Roaf’s performance with the Chiefs.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed free-agent running backs Michael Pittman and Byron Hanspard. Pittman, who played the last four seasons for the Arizona Cardinals, agreed to a five-year contract. Hanspard, a former second-round draft pick who hasn’t played in the NFL since 1999, received a one-year deal.... The Carolina Panthers brought back former special teams standout Michael Bates, signing him to a one-year deal worth $750,000.... Free-agent kicker Kris Brown joined the Houston Texans after the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t match a four-year, $4.7 million offer sheet. The Steelers, who will receive a seventh-round draft pick, signed kicker Todd Peterson, who had been with the Chiefs, to a three-year, $2.5 million contract. In turn, the Chiefs signed 41-year-old Morten Andersen to a one-year contract.

Miscellany

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon were fined a total of $30,000 by NASCAR for their postrace antics at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.

Harvick was fined $15,000 and put on probation until Aug. 28 for grabbing Greg Biffle after Saturday’s Busch series race.

Gordon loses $10,000 and also goes on probation until the same date for spinning out Earnhardt on pit road after Sunday’s Winston Cup race. Earnhardt Jr. was fined $5,000, but was not put on probation, for banging into Gordon’s car on the cool-down lap.

Radio talk-show host Dave Smith, who has been at KXTA (1150) since it went all sports on March 10, 1997, was released by the station, along with Steve Carbone, who did updates and served as host of the UCLA basketball post-game shows.

Station manager Greg Ashlock and Smith declined to comment, but sources said the dismissals were the result of profanity used by Carbone in a column he wrote for a Web site controlled by Smith.

Smith was heard weekdays 3-7 p.m. with Arnie Spanier, who will continue alone in that time slot. Carbone came to KXTA about three years ago after working as a phone screener for Jim Rome.

Robert Pires, one of France’s top soccer players, said he had “no hope” of being able to play in the World Cup after tearing a right knee ligament playing for Arsenal over the weekend in the English Premier League.... German forward Alexander Zickler will miss Wednesday’s game against the United States and the World Cup because of a calf injury.

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American skipper John Kostecki held a slim lead over two rivals as the Volvo Ocean Race approached Miami, the first of two U.S. ports in the round-the-world race.