DENVER -- Mike Tyson will not fight Lennox Lewis for the heavyweight title in Colorado, officials said Thursday.

Josef Mason, director of Colorado's Office of Boxing, denied a request by promoter Marty Garafalo for a permit for the fight, citing Tyson's violent reputation.

"Really, what made the decision was a little bit of everything, especially his record inside the ring. With that kind of record, we wouldn't know what would occur when he actually fought," Mason said.

Garafalo applied Monday for a permit to stage the fight June 8 at Invesco Field at Mile High.

Mason acknowledged Denver could have made millions on the fight but said it was not reason enough to accept the request. Las Vegas acknowledged it lost an estimated $100 million when Nevada rejected Tyson's application.

"Sure it's hard to turn down the money, and we would welcome most boxers, but most boxers don't have a history like this," Mason said.

Gov. Bill Owens publicly opposed holding the fight in Denver, saying it would tarnish the state's image and condone Tyson's behavior.

"This is great news," Owens' spokesman Dan Hopkins said. "It's not about money. You have to look at what is morally right. In this case, allowing someone of Mike Tyson's questionable character could have hurt Colorado's reputation."

Mason said the state will not suffer by turning down a possible Tyson-Lewis fight. Last year, Colorado hosted 25 professional bouts, a state record.

"We're not hurting for business right now," he said.

Tyson has had difficulty getting a license to fight since a melee at a news conference in New York on Jan. 22.