Lewis, Tyson fight in pre-fight conference

NEW YORK -- Mike Tyson couldn't wait.

Tyson and Lennox Lewis threw punches in a melee that abruptly halted a news conference Tuesday to announce their heavyweight title fight in April.

Tyson threw a left hook and a Lewis bodyguard went down, although it wasn't clear if Tyson connected. Lewis' overhand right apparently glanced off the top of Tyson's head, and Tyson had a cut at his hairline.

The fight, scheduled for April 6 in Las Vegas, must be licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which fined Tyson $3 million and revoked his license after he bit Evander Holyfield's ears in 1997. Tyson's license later was restored, but it has since expired and the commission will hold a hearing Jan. 29 on Tyson's request to grant him another one.

Asked if what happened Tuesday might keep the fight from happening, Tyson adviser Shelly Finkel said: "It didn't help."

Marc Ratner, executive director of the Nevada body, said there should have been better security at the New York news conference.

"I thought it was completely regrettable," Ratner said. "They had an incident when it didn't need to happen."