Sælir..

eftirfarandi tók ég af einhverri “sport news” síðu…
hvað finnst ykkur um þetta?

_____________________________________________ ___________


Biting isn't permitted in Mike Tyson's newest unconventional endeavor, either, but at least the embattled former champion can kick to his heart's content.

The real kicker, of course, is that the organizers of K-1, a martial arts combat sport, have signed Tyson to a $4 million contract to participate in multiple matches. The cash-strapped Tyson signed the contract on Aug. 22 in Beverly Hills, Calif., and received a $200,000 signing bonus. Scott Coker, K-1's primary promoter in North America, hopes Tyson will make his debut for the company on Dec. 7, perhaps against K-1 superstar Bob Sapp.

“Mike has accomplished so much in the sport of boxing,” Coker said in a statement released Friday, “and we are confident that he will help bring great attention to the sport of K-1 here in America and throughout the world.”

Extremely popular in Japan, K-1 combines numerous forms of martial arts, including karate, kickboxing and kung-fu. The sport differs from Ultimate Fighting in that submission holds and wrestling are against its rules. His affinity for Asian history notwithstanding, the 37-year-old Tyson has never been formerly trained in any martial arts disciplines.

Tyson started seriously considering participating after the popular Sapp publicly berated him following a recent knockout win at Las Vegas' Bellagio Hotel & Casino. Tyson attended the show as a guest, but grew angry after Sapp spotted Tyson and started taunting him. The ever-volatile Tyson stormed the ring and challenged Sapp to a fight.

A former offensive lineman for three NFL teams, Sapp stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 356 pounds. Tyson, who always struggles against taller boxers, is 5-10 and usually weighs between 220 and 230 pounds for fights.

The lack of zeroes on his bank statements are the more important missing numbers to Tyson, though. He filed for bankruptcy earlier this month and must wait until next year to learn whether he'll win $100 million in a lawsuit against former promoter Don King, whom Tyson claims stole at least that much money from him during their nine-year partnership. Tyson was scheduled to go to court against King late next month in New York City, but the trial was postponed.

His K-1 debut could be postponed, too, if a group of deep-pocketed Louisville investors can persuade Tyson (50-4, 44 KOs, 2 NC) to oppose Oleg Maskaev (23-5, 18 KOs) there sometime in January. The investors intend to bring boxing back to the northern Kentucky hometown of Muhammad Ali on a regular basis, and think Tyson is the perfect person to draw immediate attention to their cause.

Tyson has not fought since his ferocious first-round knockout victory over Clifford “The Black Rhino” Etienne (24-2-1, 17 KOs) on Feb. 22 in Memphis, Tenn.

Tyson is still under contract with Showtime, but has worked without a promoter since Las Vegas-based America Presents went out of business three years ago. He has not been in contact with trusted advisor Shelly Finkel recently, either.

Since stopping Etienne, Tyson has repeatedly stated that he needs at least two or three tune-up bouts before he'll even consider a rematch with Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 KOs). Lewis scored an emphatic eighth-round knockout against Tyson on June 8, 2002, also in Memphis. The Etienne encounter marked Tyson's only action since the Lewis loss - inside the ring, anyway.

Tyson pled innocent on July 24 in New York to third-degree assault and disorderly conduct charges, stemming from a June 21 altercation with two men outside a Brooklyn hotel. Tyson is scheduled to appear in court to face those charges on Sept. 30. Tyson claims he was provoked by the two supposed supporters.