JOHANNESBURG, Jan 31: Boxing-mad South Africa wants to host the Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson world heavyweight title fight after Nevada refused the American a boxing licence.

The $150 million April 6 fight is in doubt following the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s rejection on Tuesday of Tyson’s application to fight Britain’s defending champion Lewis in Las Vegas.

But Lewis said on Wednesday that he was prepared to take on “Iron Mike” anywhere and South African Rodney Berman, who promoted a title fight between Lewis and Hasim Rahman last year, is eager to bring him back to South Africa.

“I am talking to the Lewis camp and plan to give them an offer (for the fight),” Berman told Reuters.

Lewis lost to Rahman in a shock fifth-round knockout but bounced back to reclaim his title in a November rematch in awesome fashion.

“It would be a great thing if the Lewis-Tyson fight was staged here,” said Phil Nyamane, a veteran boxing writer and commentator with the Johannesburg-based Star newspaper.

“Just the name Tyson conjures up pictures of violence. If he came, mobs would greet him at the airport,” he said.

Boxing is second only to soccer in popularity among South Africa’s black majority and is seen as a path from the poverty and squalor of South Africa’s crime-ridden townships and inner cities.

“For South Africa this would be an unbelievable event. Tyson is the ultimate all-round warrior,” said local boxing trainer and manager Nick Durandt. “You have to respect him for what he has done in the ring.”

Tyson’s antics outside the ring are a different matter.

A convicted rapist, Tyson would be sure to court hostility and controversy in South Africa, which has one of the highest incidence of rape in the world.

His troubled life outside the ring may also torpedo his chances of fighting Lewis anywhere.

Las Vegas police said on Wednesday thay will ask prosecutors this week to charge Tyson with sexual assault and were investigating allegations by a second woman that the former heavyweight champion raped her.—Reuters