"Iron Mike" to meet with Chechen boxers

Famous American boxer Mike Tyson has arrived in Chechnya today

Mike Tyson accepted the invitation of Chechnya's first deputy Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov to take part in the opening of the all-Russian boxing tournament as an honorable guest. The competition is held in memory of the president Ahmad Kadyrov who was killed in the explosion at the Dynamo stadium in Groznyy on 9 May 2004. The tournament will be held in Gudermes, which is the second largest city in Chechnya, and will last till 20 September. Tyson will also visit a sports club in Gudermes and will meet with young boxers.

The competition that is to open today is the second this year in Chechnya. A month ago boxing championships took place at the Ramzan stadium in Groznyy. They were also held in memory of president Kadyrov. At that time the Ministry of Sport of Chechnya did not succeed in attracting the stars of boxing ring. Sportsmen from Dynamo society competed with officers from Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs for the champion's title. All of the memorial activities were organized in a big way and included the opening of new monuments, renaming of the main streets and squares in many cities of the republic, competition in drawing for children etc. The only thing that legged behind was sport. This time the organizers of the event decided to make up for the previous blunder. According to the press secretary of the Chechen leader, Muslim Huchiev, tournament will host champions of the world, Europe and different regions of Russia. 

Strangely enough, but looks like “Iron Mike”, who claimed recently that he was leaving big-time sports once and for all, decided to go in for Russian PR-industry. Having arrived in Moscow ten days ago he immediately set an appointment with the leader of Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who is known as a really controversial politician. The two never met, anyway. Yesterday Tyson took part in the presentation of the clothes for the Russian national team for the coming Olympics 2006 in Turin. Today he is going to honor sporting political event in Chechnya with his presence. No one knows where the unpredictable boxer will appear next time.

Mike Tyson started his professional career as a boxer in 1985. A year later he became the youngest world champion in great heavyweight boxing in the history of boxing. “Iron Mike” had 50 victories in his career as well as 44 knockouts. Nevertheless he is famous not only for his sport achievements but for the row of scandals as well. This year in June after being knocked out by an Irish boxer Kevin McBride who is not that popular, 39-year-old Tyson decided to withdraw from sport.