Showtime to Offer Tyson PPV Fight

Showtime Event Television will distribute a July 30 pay-per-view event from Louisville, Ky., featuring former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.

The embattled Tyson, who hasn't fought since January 2003, will fight unknown Danny Williams, according to Showtime. The bout will retail at a suggested price of $44.95.

Despite his inactivity and out-of-the-ring troubles over the years, industry observers said Tyson still has PPV drawing power.

His fights represent seven of the top-10 most-lucrative PPV events of all time, including the June 2002 Tyson-Lennox Lewis matchup, which drew a record $103 million in PPV revenue.

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.