A tearful Mike Tyson dedicated his win over fellow American Lou Savarese to the memory of a friend who was murdered shortly before the fight.

Darell Baum had been shot dead in New York last week, and Tyson also admitted that his demise curtailed his training programme.

"I only trained for two or three weeks for this fight because I had to bury my best friend and I dedicate this fight to him," said the winner.

Brutal

"I'm the best ever, I'm the most brutal, vicious and ruthless champion that there's ever been. There's no-one can stop me," he added.

"I'm Sonny Liston. I'm Jack Dempsey, there's no-one like me - I'm from their cloth. There's no-one that can match me."

The former heavyweight champion was in an emotional mood after the fight, twice walking away from interviews.

When asked for his thoughts on a match with world champion Lennox Lewis, Tyson was typically brief and then crude.

"I am not ready. I need more training. I have got to keep it real," said the convicted rapist.

"It will be no match for me when I am ready. I will pretty much destroy him when I am ready. I will rip his heart out and feed it to him," he added.

Controversy

A still pumped up Tyson

As ever, this Tyson fight was filled with controversy, as he punched referee John Coyle on the back of the head while attempting to land more blows on Savarese's head.

Former world champion Jim Watt said that Tyson's behaviour was "disgraceful", and that British boxing did not need the 33-year-old.

His conduct was also criticised by another former champion, Barry McGuigan, as well as Julius Francis, the man Tyson faced in Manchester earlier this year.

Coyle said he had no problem with the outcome of the fight.

Dived in

"As soon as the second left hook connected I shouted stop and dived in, but Mike said he didn't hear me and couldn't see me either - even though I was standing in between them," said Coyle.

"But as soon as I shouted stop boxing the contest was over, whatever happens after that the contest is finished at that point."

"He might be in trouble, but certainly not as far as my decision is concerned. The fight finishes at that point."