Court Denies Foreman’s Bid to Hold Up Tyson-Holyfield Fight

A state district judge in Houston Thursday denied a temporary restraining order sought by George Foreman that could have held up the Nov. 8 heavyweight title fight between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson.

But Judge Richard Millard said Foreman’s $100-million lawsuit, in which the 42-year-old boxer claims that Holyfield broke a contract to defend his title against him for a second time, instead of against Tyson, will go to trial July 29.

Millard set the trial date after testimony from rival boxing promoters Bob Arum and Dan Duva.

Arum, a plaintiff in the suit, claimed that Duva and Holyfield made an inviable agreement to stage a bout with Foreman in November and that the winner would fight Tyson.

“It was a firm, binding deal and everybody shook hands,” Arum told the judge.

But Duva insisted that no formal agreement was struck and said Foreman even turned down an offer for a rematch with Holyfield, the undefeated heavyweight champion who beat Foreman in a 12-round decision last April.