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Wednesday, June 28
 
Jewelry bill for $630,000 settled amicably

Associated Press

LONDON -- Mike Tyson and British promoter Frank Warren finally settled a $630,000 jewelry bill.

The former heavyweight champion bought a diamond watch and bracelet from a jeweler in London five months ago. The jeweler took the pair to court when he had not been paid.

A judge was told Wednesday the matter had been "amicably" settled, with payment to come by July 7. Another issue, involving two more watches allegedly bought from the same jeweler for $227,500, was still outstanding.

The jewelry sale took place before Tyson's two-round victory over Julius Francis in January. The dispute became public when Tyson returned to Britain to fight Lou Savarese. Tyson knocked him out in 38 seconds in Glasgow, Scotland.

There were reports leading to the fight that Tyson attacked Warren in an argument over who should have paid for the jewelry. Both men denied the reports, although Warren had a bloodshot eye when he appeared at the fight.

Shirley Boothroyd, lawyer for jeweler David Gillow, said that Warren, Tyson and an entourage of six bodyguards arrived at the New Bond Street store in a fashionable part of London on Jan. 20 and the boxer asked managing director Laurence Graff to "show me something."

Tyson selected a diamond watch with a sapphire dial for which he agreed to pay $200,000. Tyson then agreed to pay $250,000 for an emerald and diamond bracelet if it was altered to fit his wrist.

When asked who was going to pay, Tyson said Warren would deal with it and, according to court papers, the promoter agreed.

Tyson then left the store and showed off his new watch to the media and fans outside.

According to Boothroyd, the same party returned to the shop with Tyson's sister five days later looking for presents for his children. He could not agree on a price for two pocket watches, but later telephoned the jewelers offering $180,000, which was accepted.

Warren later telephoned the store asking to collect the pocket watches and agreed to pay the total $630,000, the judge was told. When nothing arrived for five months, the company took Tyson and Warren to court.

"The matter has been amicably resolved. The purchases from Graff & Co. will be paid in full on July 7 this year," Boothroyd said.

The second claim involves two watches that were lent to Warren by Gillow to show Tyson.

The judge was told the watches were now being held by a neutral party as security, together with $100,000 from Tyson who "hotly contested" the claim that he had bought them.




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