Mike Tyson event cancelled after UK entry refusal

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has been forced to cancel promotional appearances for his new book Undisputed Truth: My Autobiography (HarperSport) after being banned from entering the UK.

HarperCollins said in a statement it was not aware of the immigration law changes which meant that Tyson, who has a criminal record, would not be allowed in to Britain.

Tyson, 47, was convicted of rape in 1992, and served three years of a six-year jail sentence.

Under immigration rules introduced in December 2012 anyone sentenced to more than four years in prison is barred from entering the UK. A spokesman for HarperCollins said: "There was a change in the UK immigration law in December 2012 of which we were unaware.

“For this reason Mike had to change location to Paris to salvage his press obligations for the UK."

Tyson also tweeted after his appearances were moved: “I want to thank the British press for being so accommodating by doing press in Paris until I am able to gain reentry into the UK.”

The former boxer was due to attend a signing at Waterstones in Leadenhall Market late yesterday afternoon (10th) to promote his autobiography. A Waterstones spokesperson said: "The market at Leadenhall is very much geared to sports signings and Tyson would have fitted in well with that. The book is selling well in that shop, as it is elsewhere, and there was definitely interest in seeing him. Unfortunately for reasons outside our control the signing had to be cancelled."

Tickets are still being sold to the one-man show "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth", which is due to be performed by Tyson in London, Manchester and Glasgow next March.