Boxing News Boxing News
| Plans by former triple world boxing champion Jeff Fenech to train former heavyweight titleholder Mike Tyson have hit a snag: as a convicted rapist, Tyson could be prevented from acquiring an Australian visa. Fenech told Nine Network television in Los Angeles that Tyson asked him to help revive his boxing career after the two trained together for five days on the West Coast of the United States. The Australian also assisted in Tyson’s corner before Tyson’s last |  |
fight, a fourth-round loss to England’s Danny Williams, in July. Fenech said he would likely bring Tyson to Australia to train. Nick McNally, from Sydney immigration lawyers Parish Patience, said 38-year-old Tyson could face a difficult time getting a visa.
“There is a character requirement under legislation,” McNally said Wednesday.
“Under migration laws, a person seeking an ordinary visa first needed to meet the criteria of being a genuine visitor and be able to support themselves financially. After that comes the character question. Normally, the (immigration) minister would write to the visa applicant and say ‘it’s come to our attention you have convictions or there are concerns with your general conduct which leaves us to believe you might not pass the character test’. In this case I think that would fail.”
Tyson served three years in prison after being convicted in 1992 of raping an 18-year-old beauty pageant contestant in Indianapolis. Tyson also bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a bout in 1997.
Fenech won the International Boxing Federation bantamweight title in 1985, followed by the World Boxing Council (WBC) junior featherweight crown in 1987 and the WBC featherweight title in 1988.
He retired in 1996 with a 28-3-1 record with 21 knockouts.
