[ Editor's Note:  contrary to statements being made in the press by members of Team Tyson, BoxingScene.com was told by Ed Brophy, executive director of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, that Tyson is not eligible to enter the Hall until the 2011 class].

By Frank Warren

Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is set to join the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

His inclusion, which will formally take place later this year, has proved a controversial one.

On boxing achievements, Tyson is a cert. 

The youngest-ever world heavyweight champion, he tore through the division in the mid 1980s.

Not only was Iron Mike the most famous name in boxing, there weren’t many sportsmen anywhere bigger than him.  His baddest man on the planet tagline wasn’t hyperbole.
When Tyson came out of prison, he became one of only a handful of men to regain the heavyweight title.

Win or lose, his fights have been some of the biggest in boxing.

Few will forget his two showdowns with Evander Holyfield – for good and bad reasons – while his defeat against James Buster Douglas truly rocked the world.

A cultural phenomena, Tyson has lifted the profile of the sport both good and bad more than almost anyone else in recent times.

Yet his behaviour outside of the ring – much of it low life – has prompted people to question whether he deserves recognition by the IBHOF. 

I’ve had my run-ins with Tyson.  Sometimes he’s charming, sometimes he’s a nightmare.

But there are a few choice characters in the Hall of Fame – Sonny Liston was hardly an angel – and Tyson should be inaugurated.

The debate over Tyson reflects a wider one at the moment about what sportsmen get up to in their private lives, and their status as role models.

John Terry, Ashley Cole and Tiger Woods have hit the headlines for the wrong reasons in recent weeks after they got caught up in sex scandals.

You can make a judgement on someone’s sporting ability though without necessarily approving of their morals.  Tyson isn’t a great human being, but at his prime he was one hell of a boxer.

***

Rumour has that it Haroon Khan, the talented younger brother of Amir, might end up boxing for Pakistan at the 2012 Olympics. It’s been alleged that Haroon is unhappy with the ABA.

***

Ricky Hatton is supposed to be fighting at the end of May, but looking at pictures of him this week, that date must be in jeopardy.

In fact Hatton looks so out of shape that I’d be surprised if he fought again full stop, and it certainly won’t be at 10 stone.

Hatton’s trainer, Lee Beard, went off to the States to train Joan Guzman, which tells you what he thought about Ricky’s future.

***

Kell Brook fights in Liverpool next month in an eliminator for the WBO welterweight title.

Manny Pacquiao holds the belt at the moment, and I wouldn’t suggest for a moment that Brook is ready to step into his class.

But I expect the Filipino to vacate in the near future, and Kell can fill the void by fighting for his world title.

A winner of the Lonsdale belt in just 12 months and a handful of rounds, Brook is one of the country’s most exciting fighters.

He has just signed a new promotional deal with me.

On that note, there will be no more gentleman’s agreements from me – they are not worth the paper they are written on!

***

Audley Harrison said this week that if he beats Albert Sonowski and wins the European heavyweight title, he’ll by-pass David Haye and go straight for the Klitschko brothers.
He says Haye isn’t a big enough name.

What planet is he on?

Anyway, he’s got his title shot, and good luck to him.

I don’t believe he is even the best heavyweight in Great Britain.  I wouldn’t fancy him a fight with young prospects Sam Sexton and Derek Chisora, or in a rematch with Martin Rogan, let alone Haye.

As for the Klitschkos - forget about it!

***

Joe Calzaghe has given up on promoting – and says that it is a pain in the arse.
That sounds like the only medical complaint he didn’t have when he was fighting.

What is a pain in the arse is promoting a fighter and you don’t know whether or not he’s going to pull out of a fight.

BoixngScene.com welcomes the debut of Frank Warren's "Frankly Speaking" column to our rotation.