"While the mass melee doesn't do anything to help the sports appeal, I would make the point that incidents like this do not only occur in the sport of boxing.

"One only has to look at our recent parliamentary elections to see a member of the government throwing a punch in self-defence."
Audley Harrison.

"They should make them fight. They should have press conferences with cops on one side and cops on the other. They should keep them apart until they come together for the fight."
Former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes.

"Definitely it should go ahead. When two fighters know they are going to get into a hard fight these things happen, but I think they should definitely fight."
Danny Williams
British heavyweight champion.

"A lot of people, often unconsciously, find ways of getting out of things they don't really want to do. It could be [Tyson] just doesn't want to get in the ring with this guy."
Professor Cary Cooper head of organisational psychology at the University of Manchester analyses Tyson's behaviour.

"My motivation for approaching Lennox was to stage a face off, which I was told both camps had agreed to."
Mike Tyson.

"I wasn't surprised. It was something that was waiting to happen. Tyson's very unstable and the people around Lewis don't know what they are doing."
Lewis' former manager Frank Maloney

"I think he should be banned. A fine would be just a drop in the ocean for him, as he has money, but a two-year ban would probably finish his career."
British promoter Frank Warren on Tyson

"As a result of today's event, I will evaluate my options after the relative boxing commissions have ruled."
Lennox Lewis' official statement