Tyson nets $21m in legal battle

Mike Tyson has been paid $21m (£13.5m) by his former lawyers in the United States, Sidley and Austin, because the firm represented Don King at the same time. Tyson is suing his former promoter for $100m in lost earnings from the fights he took part in after his release from prison in 1995. Tyson is also suing John Horne, who worked for King but was one of Tyson's managers, for the same amount.

Horne has had liens placed against his property by Tyson's lawyers and is now bankrupt. It is thought that Horne will now give evidence against King when the case with Tyson finally reaches court.

The payment from Sidley and Austin was agreed this week because of a conflict of interest when the firm represented both the fighter and the promoter.

Last summer the FBI raided King's offices in Florida as part of its investigation into the International Boxing Federation and the potentially damaging litigation with Tyson is just part of the legal difficulties facing King. Tyson and King split in January 1998 after a brawl outside a hotel in Los Angeles.

Tyson, who last fought in January in Manchester, will box again in Milan on 20 May against New York's Lou Savarese. "Mike just wants to get on with his boxing career and establish himself once again as the best heavyweight in the world," a Team Tyson spokesman said.

If Tyson beats Savarese and avoids a long trial against King, he will box in Britain at an outdoor venue in the summer. That is now unlikely to be Ibrox stadium in Glasgow after a suitable date for the event could not be arranged.

Representatives of the fighter's European promoter, Frank Warren, visited Rangers' home last week to view the facilities at the 50,000-seater stadium. But talks between the two sides came to a halt when the date for the proposed fight, scheduled for around July, could not be agreed.