Mike Tyson for a more lucrative box-office venue, but the Nevada Boxing Commission refused him a license to box as he was facing possible sexual assault charges at the time. Two years prior to the bout, Tyson had made several inflammatory remarks to Lewis in an interview following the Savarese fight. The remarks included the statement "I want your heart, I want to eat your children." On January 22, 2002, the two boxers and their entourages were involved in a brawl at a New York press conference to publicize the planned event. A few weeks later, the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused
Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas title, "Rocky Lives!" after the popular film series about a similarly underestimated boxing hero. For Tyson, though he retained a menacing aura for years afterwards, "the mystique of the untouchable, invincible 'Baddest Man on the Planet' had been shattered." The fight is often ranked among the biggest upsets in sports history. The fight appeared in the "Mike Tyson Mysteries" episode "Help a Brother Out." The fight is referenced in The Killers song "Tyson vs. Douglas", which also features audio of the commentators for the fight. Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas, billed as "Tyson Is Back!",