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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Trump Announces Tyson-Mathis Jr. Bout Scheduled For Dec. 16

Compiled From Wire Services

Mike Tyson will fight Buster Mathis Jr. in Atlantic City, N.J., on Dec. 16, pending approval of promoter Don King by New Jersey gaming authorities, Donald Trump told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

“We’ll know within 48 hours,” Trump said. The live site promoter for the bout at the Convention Center would be Trump’s three casinos and the two Bally’s casinos in Atlantic City.

The former undisputed heavyweight champion will fight on free television (Fox) as he was supposed to have done against Mathis on Nov. 4 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, a source close to King told the AP.

“Any reports of us broadcasting the fight are premature at this time,” said Vince Wladika, vice president of media relations for Fox Sports.

King was barred from doing business in the state by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission in July 1994 after he was indicted on wire fraud charges. His trial ended in a mistrial last week, but gambling regulators said the ban remains in place.

Tyson is scheduled to challenge WBC champion Frank Bruno of Britain on March 16 at the MGM Grand in a fight on SET, the pay-per-view arm of Showtime, which has a three-year contract with Tyson. It’s too late for Showtime to be involved in a December Tyson fight.