Boxing: Big fight in doubt as Lewis claims Tyson bit him

Boxing's richest fight was in further doubt last night after Lennox Lewis claimed Mike Tyson had bitten a chunk out of his leg during their brawl in New York last week.

The world heavyweight champion bared his left thigh in London yesterday to show a welt he claimed was an ugly reminder of his tussle with Tyson at the US press conference, now being called the "grapple in the Apple."

London-born Lewis spoke about the wound after boxing officials in Nevada voted against Tyson being given a licence for the £70m fight, which was due to have taken place in Las Vegas on 6 April.

Lewis revealed he later had a tetanus jab for the wound.

In a somewhat comic moment, journalists learned of Lewis's wound in a prepared statement read out by his advisor, Adrian Ogun, who employed a degree of increasing drama in his theatrical voice.

Just at the point when the 300 gathered members of the world's boxing media waited in anticipation-filled silence for what many believed would be an amazing declaration, Mr Ogun lifted his eyes and said: "The fact is that Mike Tyson bit through my trousers and took a significant piece of flesh out of my thigh.

Assembled journalists found it hard not to laugh.

Attorneys in New York working for Lewis are considering asking Tyson's dentist for an imprint of the boxer's teeth for use in a forensic examination of the bite wound in Lewis's left thigh.

At first Lewis was coy about the bite – and the scuffle – but later become more robust. "If he comes near me in or out of the ring I'm firing first. I'd rather get paid for it but I'm not gonna let him bite me again."

Tyson, meanwhile, countered the threat with one of his own and said: "Lewis is a coward and I'm going to fight him anytime I see him in the street."

If the attorneys can match the wound with Tyson's molars and if the proposed fight, which was expected to generate more than $150m (£105m), never takes place, then Lewis is likely to sue the enfant terrible of modern boxing.

However, at yesterday's press conference, the British boxer and his advisors tried to remain upbeat and present the refusal on Tuesday of the boxing commissioners in Nevada to grant Tyson a licence as a small setback to their plans.

"I believe this fight will still happen," said Lewis. "I fear for Mike Tyson if he doesn't have boxing. I'm confident the fight will take place." He is probably right. A boxing promoter in Denmark and one in South Africa immediately declared an interest in staging the fight.

In London yesterday, Lewis refused to accept that his non-appearance at Tyson's hearing in Las Vegas had in any way influenced the final 4-1 vote against the boxer returning. He also denied that he had asked for $300,000 to compensate for the attack and, at the same time, secure his presence at the hearing.

"I don't think I could have changed the mind of the commission," said Lewis whose ice-cool and extremely laid back demeanour suddenly deserted him when the question of the cash was raised.

Now Lewis and his attorneys will convene during the next week and examine carefully the contract for the planned fight. It is thought that both boxers will find it difficult to walk away from what their signatures have guaranteed them and, in any case, there are no alternatives that will pay as much. Lewis stood to earn in excess of £25m and Tyson a meagre £14m.

In addition to the clash last week and the grim reality of Tyson's hearing in Las Vegas, the fighter also is on the verge of being charged with a sexual assault that allegedly took place at his palatial Las Vegas home last September.

Even the reserved Lewis admitted he had a degree of sympathy for Tyson after watching the hearing. He said: "Tyson said he had no friends, I felt sorry for him because it really is a sorry state of affairs."

Then, on cue, the big man reached down and rubbed his thigh gently, like a war veteran tenderly caressing an old shrapnel wound.