Tyson Files $100-Million Lawsuit Against Don King

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson filed a $100-million lawsuit Thursday against Don King, alleging that the promoter cheated him out of tens of millions of dollars over more than a decade.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in New York named King and his companies as defendants, alleging they acted as one entity to enrich King at the expense of a vulnerable, unsophisticated boxer who could not understand contracts.

“Despite his gross conflicts of interest, King approved one-sided, unconscionable and oppressive agreements” between his companies and a boxing industry that wanted to benefit from the huge value of Tyson’s fights, the lawsuit alleged.

Peter Fleming Jr., a lawyer for King, said he had no comment on the lawsuit.

The boxer has been cheated out of fair participation in deals worth more than $100 million and has been subjected to “a pattern of fraudulent conduct” that has been “financially devastating to Tyson,” the suit says.

According to the suit, when Tyson recently separated himself from the King camp, a new accountant asked Tyson’s former bookkeeper for Tyson’s records.

“I can’t [hand them over] because the files are in cabinets owned by Don King,” the lawsuit alleges the new accountant was told.

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Pernell Whitaker has entered a drug- and alcohol-rehabilitation center after reportedly testing positive for drugs last week.

The rehabilitation has forced postponement of Whitaker’s title fight against World Boxing Assn. welterweight champion Ike Quartey in Las Vegas on April 25.

Whitaker made no statement in a press release issued in Totowa, N.J., by Main Events, promoter Dino Duva’s company. He faces an automatic six-month suspension from boxing for a positive test.

Whitaker was suspended after a positive test for cocaine after his victory over Andrei Pestriaev on Oct. 17. Whitaker and his lawyer argued that the test was flawed and persuaded the WBA not to recognize the suspension.

Whitaker submitted to a random drug test last week under terms of the settlement that lifted that suspension.

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World Boxing Council middleweight champion Keith Holmes was arrested in suburban Washington D.C. for allegedly trying to assault a police officer after being pulled over during a traffic stop in Hyattsville, Md. More details were not available.

Pro Football

Fullback Sam Gash signed a three-year contract worth $3.3 million with the Bills, including a $750,000 signing bonus.

Six-time pro-bowl cornerback Eric Allen was traded by the New Orleans Saints to the Oakland Raiders for a 1998 draft pick. Allen, who had said he would retire if he wasn’t traded to a contender, immediately said the Raiders were not one.

San Francisco offensive lineman Kirk Scrafford has retired because of a neck injury that bothered him most of last season, the Oakland Tribune reported. . . . The Miami Dolphins re-signed quarterback Craig Erickson, 28, to a $2.2 million, two-year contract, including a $1.1 million signing bonus.

Miscellany

Third-seeded Greg Rusedski and No. 5 Richard Krajicek powered their way to second-round straight-set victories in the ABN AMRO indoor tennis tournament at Rotterdam, Netherlands, setting up a quarterfinal match.

Rusedski, of Britain, defeated Richey Reneberg, 6-3, 6-2, and Krajicek, of the Netherlands, lost only four games against Romanian Adrian Voinea in winning, 6-2, 6-2.

Tommy Haas upset top-seeded Mark Philippoussis 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic at Scottsdale, Ariz. Also, Andrea Gaudenzi beat Jeff Tarango, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 and Jason Stoltenberg defeated Carlos Costa of Spain 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

Olympic champion Katja Seizinger clinched the women’s World Cup downhill and super-giant slalom champion for this season when the International Ski Federation canceled the downhill and super-G races at Morzine, France, because of warm temperatures and heavy rain. It was a record fifth super-G title for Seizinger and her fourth downhill title.

Blaine Wilson of Columbus, Ohio, won five of six gymnastic events in starting his defense of his American Cup all-around championship at Fort Worth, Tex.

Steve Wilstein won his third Grimsley Award for an overall body of work, and Ed Schuyler Jr. won story of the year for coverage of the Tyson-Holyfield bite fight in the Associated Press Sports Editors awards for AP staffers.

Randy Harvey is on vacation.