By Mark Vester
Making Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson was easier than what promoters are having to go through to put together a fight between New Zealand heavyweight rivals David Tua and Shane Cameron. After weeks of bickering over money, dates and the venue, David Higgins of Dutco [the event company trying to put the fight together] tells the Sunday Star Times that a deal is close.
Higgins tells the paper that $1 million dollars is in the pot and there will be a 50-50 split between both fighters. For weeks, Higgins refused to agree to Cameron's demand to take a March tuneup fight in Gisborne. Higgins has now backed off, allowing Cameron to fight in March. The Tua fight would take place in May. Higgins warned that if Cameron is beat in Gisborne, his company is pulling the plug on the Tua fight.
"We have a better understanding of how that fits with their lead-up ... I think we can work through it," said Higgins. "I would say the `fight of the century' has never been closer. We are just working through a few things with Team Cameron but hopefully we can resolve those things over the coming week or so. But Higgins also warned: "If Shane loses in Gisborne, then Duco will pull the plug."
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