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Monday, July 23
Updated: July 28, 2:56 AM ET
 
Promoter says Tyson-Nielsen set

Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Mike Tyson could be headed to Denmark for his first fight in almost a year.

"It looks good," Shelly Finkel, Tyson's adviser, said Monday of the possibility that Tyson would fight Danish boxer Brian Nielsen on Sept. 8 in Copenhagen.

Mogens Palle, Nielsen's promoter, told Danish media that he has sent a "ready-to-be-signed contract" to Finkel.

Finkel declined further comment, but a source close to the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that talks have been going on for a few weeks, and an agreement could be reached soon.

Nielsen was originally scheduled to meet champion Hasim Rahman in China in August. But promoter Don King later chose Nigerian David Izon as Rahman's opponent after media said Nielsen was flabby and dubbed him "Danish pastry."

Showtime has a contract with Tyson, and HBO has a deal with Lennox Lewis. The networks have talked about cooperating on a non-title bout between those two fighters. HBO, however, prefers that Lewis first get a shot at regaining the WBC and IBF titles in a rematch with Rahman.

As the No. 1 WBC contender, Tyson is in line for a mandatory challenge in November. Whether that will happen is unclear.

Meanwhile, Tyson needs to get in fighting shape because he has not fought since Andrew Golota quit after two rounds Oct. 20 at Auburn Hills, Mich. In fact, Tyson's last three fights have lasted a total of only 10 minutes, 41 seconds.

Whether Nielsen can knock much ring rust off Tyson is doubtful despite the 36-year-old Dane's 62-1 record, with 43 knockouts. His best-known opponents were former champions Larry Holmes and Tim Witherspoon.

Nielsen scored a 12-round decision over Holmes in 1997, when Holmes was 47. Witherspoon was 42 when Nielsen knocked him out in the fourth round in 1999. In his only loss, Nielsen was stopped in the 10th round by journeyman Dick Ryan in 1999.

All but five of Nielsen's fights have been in Denmark.

Tyson was supposed to fight Izon on June 2, but that fell through when it appeared Tyson might get a fight against Rahman. A federal court judge ruled, however, that Rahman must fight Lewis next or not fight for 18 months. Lewis can have a bout before fighting Rahman.




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