Tyson corner comes out fighting

Frank Warren says Jack Straw was right

Boxing promoter Frank Warren has defended the controversial Mike Tyson fight due to take place in Glasgow next month.

Speaking at Hampden Park, where the fight is set to be staged, Mr Warren welcomed the decision to grant Tyson, a convicted rapist, a visa to enter the UK.

In the Commons, Home Secretary Jack Straw defended his decision when pressed by Glasgow Labour MP Maria Fyfe.

Mr Straw said he had considered a number of issues before approving the application.

Jack Straw: Held private meeting

At a news conference, Mr Warren said the fight against Lou Savarese on 24 June would bring great commercial success to Glasgow.

He also hinted that Tyson could be back in the city before the year is out to face reigning heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in the ring.

"The policy of the government won't change - at the end of the day Mike Tyson has been granted permission to box here," he told BBC Scotland.

"We have put tickets on sale, we are now spending and incurring a lot of costs.

"Commercially this is great for Glasgow. The promotion in Manchester generated £20m in the city, the local chamber of trade told us that."

Licences requirement

The fight still needs two licences - one for public entertainment, the other for safety - from Glasgow City Council, before it can go ahead.

Mr Warren added: "Glasgow city council can't withdraw the licence only on safety grounds. The city council can't start moralising on this."

Tickets, costing between £30 and £500, go on sale on Wednesday and the Tyson backers are expecting a sell-out crowd of 58,000.

Mr Warren says 20,000 ticket applications have already been received.

The decision to grant the visa has caused indignation among Labour and opposition politicians at Westminster and in the Scottish Parliament.

Tyson: Fight inside and outside ring

Maria Fyfe and fellow Labour backbencher Jimmy Wray, a former boxer, publicly clashed over the issue on Monday.

Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme, Mrs Fyfe said the government had not consulted adequately before the visa decision was made.

But the Baillieston MP Jimmy Wray insisted: "We are getting a lot of rubbish about public opinion - the Daily Record is saying 62% of people are against him coming and now we see the News of the World saying 59% are in favour."

He went on to accuse MSPs of acting like a "bunch of cackling geese".

Strong public opinion

Mrs Fyfe hit back by saying: "As one of those cackling geese, it is quite obvious that a majority of opinion in the Scottish Parliament is opposed, it is obvious that a large number of backbench MPs are opposed and it is obvious that public opinion is strongly against.

"We even have the STUC saying they plan to hold a demonstration over the matter."

Jimmy Wray: "Jack Straw was right"

"Mr Straw told us in January that the Tyson fight was a one-off because of particular circumstances. I would like to hear what the reasons are this time."

But Mr Wray pursued his criticisms of his Labour colleagues at Westminster and Holyrood.

He said: "There has been a lot of questions and a lot of phoney talk. I read some of the newspapers today and they were an absolute disgrace - Labour MPs accusing the home secretary of making a decision before he had heard everyone's views.

"He can't be dictated to by MSPs in the Scottish Parliament, they have no say, they have no jurisdiction. I think he has made an honest and fair decision."

Under devolution arrangements, the home secretary has reserved powers over immigration decisions.