Holmes, Holyfield Set To Fight In June For $25 Million Purse

NEW YORK - What's next for Evander Holyfield?

Larry Holmes in June.

Holyfield, the heavyweight champion, will defend his title against former champ Holmes in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Holyfield's manager, Shelly Finkel, said yesterday.

"In the next day or two, it will all be together, and we'll make a formal announcement," Finkel said. "We're meeting with people from Caesar's and TVKO (today) to wrap things up."

TVKO is a monthly pay-per-view boxing series that will televise the bout. Discussions scheduled for today also were to focus on a fight date.

Holyfield's management favors June 8, but TVKO would prefer to televise the fight June 19, according to Mike Boorman, a spokesman for Main Events, Holyfield's promoter.

All sides refused comment on the purses of the fighters.

Holmes reportedly will get approximately $7 million for the fight, while Holyfield will receive about $18 million.

Kathy Duva, a spokeswoman for Main Events Inc., said promoters Dan Duva and Bob Arum met yesterday in New York to work on the proposed fight. "They're close to a deal, but as far as we're concerned, there is no deal until there is a signed contract," Kathy Duva said.

Tyson bribery probe -- INDIANAPOLIS - U.S. Attorney Deborah J. Daniels says she will review allegations that the beauty pageant contestant Mike Tyson was convicted of raping was offered $1 million to drop charges against the boxer.

Daniels and other officials noted this week that Indiana law may govern the alleged bribe to Desiree Washington.

Tyson was convicted Feb. 10 of raping Washington in an Indianapolis hotel room last summer while she was a contestant in the Miss Black America pageant.

In an interview broadcast on ABC-TV's "20/20" last Friday, Washington said she was offered more than $1 million to recant her complaint. She would not say who made the offer.

Daniels said her review of the witness bribery investigation would have to answer several questions: "Is there a crime here? Secondly, does the federal government have jurisdiction? Who does? And thirdly, if there's a crime and if there's jurisdiction, who has venue?"

Daniels said a decision on those questions - including venue, or where prosecution should occur - is not expected for a couple of weeks.

-- The Marion County (Ind.) prosecutors office said Tyson will be sentenced in the case a day earlier than the March 27 date originally set.

Superior Court Judge Patricia Gifford moved the sentencing to March 26 because of the prosecution's scheduling problems, spokesman Rob Smith said.

Tyson could face up to 60 years in prison, but is expected to receive 12 years or fewer.