LEWIS vs. TYSON IS ON!

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION LENNOX LEWIS TO DEFEND HEAVYWEIGHT CROWN AGAINST FORMER UNDISPUTED CHAMPION MIKE TYSON LIVE ON PAY PER VIEW, SATURDAY, JUNE 8, FROM THE PYRAMID ARENA IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

25.03 - June 8th. It i s on. Lewis vs. Tyson, the match-up the whole world has been waiting to see is on. The wait will be over when reigning three-time world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis defends his crown against former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson live on pay per view, Saturday, June 8, from The Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tenn. The fight card will start live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

These two ring-warriors have loomed large over the heavyweight division for much of the past two decades. During the course of their careers, Lewis and Tyson have each held the most prestigious title in sports - undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. In the past, their championship reigns have overlapped and the debate over who is this generation’s true heavyweight champion raged, but the issue was never settled in the ring…until now. When they meet in the ring on June 8th, Lewis will put on the line his World Boxing Council (WBC), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) heavyweight titles.

"Lewis-Tyson is the match up the whole world has been waiting for. I am confident I will cement my legacy when I dispose of Tyson on June 8," said Lewis.

Tyson said, “On June 8, I guarantee I will knock Lewis out and regain my heavyweight championship.”

“Memphis is elated to be the host city of this great sporting event,” said Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton.

Lewis (39-2-1, 30 KOs), of London, England, is 13-2-1 in world title fights. He regained the IBF/WBC/IBO heavyweight titles in his last start by flattening Hasim Rahman in the fourth round of their rematch on Nov. 17, 2001, in Las Vegas. The sensational knockout victory was sweet revenge for Lewis, who had been stopped in the fifth round by Rahman on April 22, 2001, in Brakpak, South Africa. Lewis had made three successful defenses of the IBF/WBC titles prior to the loss to Rahman.

A three-time WBC champion, Lewis won his initial 25 starts. He captured the WBC title the first time with a 12-round decision over Tony Tucker on May 8, 1993, in Las Vegas. Lewis made two successful defenses before Oliver McCall dethroned the champion with a shocking second-round TKO on Sept. 24, 1994, in London. Lewis regained the title by scoring a fifth-round TKO over McCall in their rematch on Feb. 7, 1997, in Las Vegas.

Lewis made four successful defenses before taking on then-World Boxing Association (WBA)/IBF heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield on March 13, 1999, in New York. The majority of those watching felt Lewis had triumphed easily, but the bout ended in a controversial 12-round draw. Undeterred, Lewis won a 12-round decision in the rematch the following Nov. 13 in Las Vegas. Lewis successfully defended the titles three times before falling to Rahman and won the rematch with Rahman in devastating fashion on November 17, 2001.

Tyson (49-3, 2 NC, 43 KOs), of Catskill, N.Y., is 11-3 in world title fights. In his last start, he dominated Brian Nielsen, registering an impressive seventh-round TKO over the hometown favorite on Oct. 13, 2001, in Copenhagen, Demark. On Oct. 20, 2000, Tyson seemed headed for certain victory after knocking down Andrew Golota in the first round and having his way for most of the second. Golota, however, abruptly bolted from the ring before the bell sounded to start round three. The bout in Auburn Hills, Mich., was later ruled a no contest. On June 24, 2000, Tyson knocked out Lou Savarese just 38 seconds into the first round at National Stadium - Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the second fastest knockout of Tyson’s career (the quickest was 30 seconds against Marvis Frazier on July 26, 1986). Nearly five months earlier on Jan. 29, 2000, Tyson made his European debut with a second-round knockout over Julius Francis before a capacity crowd of 22,000 in Manchester, England.

Tyson was the youngest man in history to capture the heavyweight championship when, at the age of 20, he knocked out Trevor Berbick on Nov. 22, 1986, to win his first WBC title. The following year in Las Vegas, he unified the heavyweight division by capturing both the World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) belts. He won the WBA crown with a 12-round decision over James “Bonecrusher” Smith on March 7 and the IBF belt with a 12-round decision over Tony Tucker the following Aug, 1.

The former undisputed heavyweight champion suffered his first loss when James “Buster” Douglas dethroned him on a shocking 10th-round knockout on Feb. 11, 1990, in Tokyo. Tyson regained the WBC heavyweight title with a third-round knockout over Frank Bruno on March 16, 1996, in Las Vegas, and he regained the WBA title with a first-round TKO over Bruce Seldon on Sept. 7, 1996. Since back-to-back losses to Holyfield, Tyson is 4-0 with four knockouts with two no-contests.

The Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tenn., is one of the most uniquely designed structures on earth. The 32-story facility is the third largest pyramid in the world and soars even taller than the Statue of Liberty or the Taj Mahal. Managed and operated by SMG, the 21,000-seat sports and entertainment facility is home to the NBA Memphis Grizzlies and the University of Memphis Men’s Basketball program, and is well known for hosting national basketball tournaments, concerts and family shows. The Pyramid Arena is located a short distance away from the Tunica area, home of nine casino hotels and among the fastest-growing gaming resort areas in the world.

Lewis-Tyson is presented by Lion Promotions, Main Events and Mike Tyson Enterprises. The historic heavyweight showdown will be co-produced and co-distributed by HBO and SHOWTIME. The Executive Producers of the telecast will be Rick Bernstein and Jay Larkin.