Businessman eyes hosting Tyson-Lewis bout here

Businessman eyes hosting Tyson-Lewis bout here

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Few would ever have thought the words "Indonesia" and "Mike
Tyson" would ever have been mentioned in the same breath, but if
a local entrepreneur has his way the capital could be the venue
for the Tyson-Lennox Lewis fight.

Businessman Ron Muller, known among other things for his Putt-
Putt Golf and Games center here, is bidding to bring the
heavyweight championship fight between the two titans to Jakarta.

Muller told journalists here on Wednesday that he has written
to both Lewis and Tyson's management.

"When I learned Lebanon and the Philippines had expressed
their hopes (of hosting the fight), it crossed my mind, why not
Indonesia?" the 48-year-old optimistically remarked.

Without revealing who his financial backers were, Muller, who
also owns several restaurants, claimed that he had obtained
sponsorship from "four multinational companies" to put up some of
the US$150 million needed to host the event.

So far there has been no response from either Tyson's or
Lewis' camp.

Despite the stiff competition with other international
bidders, including Johannesburg and Copenhagen, Muller remained
optimistic despite conceding that he had little experience as a
boxing promoter.

It has been three decades since Indonesia hosted a marquee
heavyweight bout, the last being in 1972 when Muhammad Ali faced
Rudy Lubbers of the Netherlands in an exhibition fight.

The Tyson-Lewis fixture was to have been staged in Las Vegas
on April 6, but has been thrown into limbo following an incident
during a pre-fight conference in which the two camps were
involved a brawl.

Muller was fully aware that some may scoff at his plan, but
nevertheless remained optimistic.

"People have never labeled me as a day-dreamer," he remarked.

Who knows, some dreams do come true.