UK: LONDON HEATHROW: ARRIVAL OF BOXER MIKE TYSON (2)

English/Nat

Mike Tyson landed in Britain on Sunday and cleared immigration after being given the green light to enter the country by Home Secretary Jack Straw.

The former world heavyweight champion is in the country to fight Julius Francis on the 19th of January in Manchester before a 21-thousand sellout crowd.

Tyson won his first battle on Thursday when U-K government officials decided to let him into the country despite protests over a 1992 rape conviction.

However, anti-rape campaigners are reported ready to ask the High Court for a judicial review of the government's decision with hopes of stopping the fight.

Security at Heathrow Airport was stepped up for Tyson's 5:25 p.m. arrival (1725 GMT) on the Concorde.

Police officers were assigned to greet the former champion and escort him to a London hotel.

Tyson is in the country for his latest fight, but his visit has sparked another battle.

As his plane landed, anti-rape campaigners said they were ready to ask the High Court to review
the government's decision with hopes of stopping the fight.

Justice for Women, a group which campaigns against domestic violence and sexual assault, was reported ready to ask the High Court for a judicial review of the government's decision to allow Tyson into the country.

It is expected to argue that Home Secretary Jack Straw acted beyond his powers by overriding immigration rules.

Fight promoter Frank Warren shrugged off the latest protest as he met the Tyson flight.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I'm unhappy with what we had to go through but you know it's obviously it's great for the fight, but it's not caused us to sell anymore tickets because we were sold out before Christmas."
SUPER CAPTION: Frank Warren, Fight promoter

Tyson was allowed into Britain after Home Secretary Jack Straw cited "special circumstances" in admitting him.

He said he was moved by small businessmen in Manchester who stood to lose money, and ordinary fight fans hoping to see Tyson's first fight in Europe.

Anyone convicted of a crime that would carry a 12-month jail sentence in Britain is deemed unfit to enter the country unless they can show "compassionate reasons."

The controversy didn't stop hundreds of fans from turned up to greet the boxer on his arrival.

And despite the heavy security, Tyson was engulfed by a crowd of some 400 fans as he was swept through the airport and stepped into a black Mercedes.

The crush around Tyson was so intense that one man was shoved into the boxer's limousine.

Another women was knocked to the floor but was reported uninjured.

Tyson is reported to be receiving between 5-to-7 (m) million pounds (dlrs 8-11 million) for the fight.

Francis will pick up his biggest payday of 350-thousand pounds (dlrs 560,000).

If the fight were called off, Francis said he faced bankruptcy after spending between 50-thousand and 75-thousand pounds (dlrs 80,000-120,000) for sparring partners and training costs since the fight was announced a month ago.

Tyson was whisked from the airport to the capital's plush Grosvenor Hotel on Park Lane.
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