Tyson Applies For License In N.J.

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

July 17, 1998 / 6:12 PM EDT / CBS Sportsline

Mike Tyson, who hasn't fought since Nevada revoked his license for biting Evander Holyfield's ears during a championship bout last year, has applied for a boxing license in New Jersey.

Tyson's attorney, Anthony Fusco Jr., said the former heavyweight champion has strong ties to the state,

where he once lived and made Atlantic City one of his favorite fighting venues. The state Athletic Control Board has scheduled a July 29 hearing in Trenton to consider the license application. Fusco said Tyson will attend the hearing.

Nevada officials said they expect New Jersey and other states to continue to abide by their 1997 decision to revoke Tyson's license and fine him $3 million. Tyson became eligible to apply for a new Nevada license on July 9, but has not.

"We expect all states to honor our revocation," said Marc Ratner, executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission. Ratner said his commission would consider the boxer's license revoked until Tyson reapplies in Nevada.

FUSCO, HOWEVER, SAID that although other states have abided by the revocation, they are not bound by it.

"Mike Tyson, as any other fighter, makes the decision as to where he or she wants to fight and wants to be licensed," Fusco said. "He has strong ties to New Jersey. He had some good fights there. At this point, Mike's only intention is to be licensed in New Jersey."

New Jersey officials say the state has never revoked Tyson's boxing license. However, state boxing licenses expire after one year. Tyson has not applied for a new license in many years, according to Rhonda Utley-Herring, a spokeswoman for the state Athletic Control Board.

Roger Shatzkin, a spokesman for state Attorney General Peter Verniero, acknowledged there is no federal law binding states to honor boxing license revocations in other states.

"But we are not licensing him at this point," Shatzkin said. "We're holding a hearing."

Fusco said Tyson, who once lived in Bernardsville, still owns property in New Jersey. Among locations at which Tyson owns homes are Las Vegas and Southington Township, Ohio.

Although most boxing applications are evaluated without a formal hearing, Verniero suggested such a hearing to develop a legal record to determine if Tyson satisfied the criteria.

A decision would be made within 5 days of the hearing, Shatzkin said.

Fusco said Tyson regrets biting Holyfield.

"You have to look at all of Mike's fights, and you'll never see a foul," said Fusco. "It's one moment we obviously regret. Mike Tyson has taken the necessary steps and wants to move forward."

Shelly Finkel, an adviser to Tyson, said the boxer simply hasn't fought in New Jersey in a long time and wants to fight in the state. When asked what would happen if New Jersey turns Tyson down, Finkel said: "I'll worry about that then."

More than one-quarter of Tyson's 48 professional fights have been in New Jersey. But he hasn't fought in the state since Dec. 8, 1990, when he beat Alex Stewart in Atlantic City in a non-title bout. In addition, Tyson fought in New Jersey eight times prior to winning the heavyweight championship in 1986, and made four title defenses in Atlantic City, against Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks and Carl Williams.

In 1995, Tyson was to fight Buster Mathis Jr. in Atlantic City, but the bout was moved to Philadelphia after the state Casino Control Commission upheld a ban prohibiting his promoter, Don King, from doing business with casinos.

Regulators instituted the ban in 1994 because of a pending wire fraud indictment against King. The promoter was recently cleared of the charges, and can reapply for his license in New Jersey, regulators say. But Tyson in the last year has split from King, claiming he and his former co-managers took millions of dollars from him. He is suing King.