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In trouble once again Tyson sued by former topless dancer in Las Vegas
Posted: Tuesday June 27, 2000 04:46 PM
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- A former topless dancer has sued Mike Tyson, contending the boxer hit her in the chest and knocked her across the floor a month ago while she was working. Victoria Bianco filed a lawsuit Friday and is seeking unspecified damages. She said she continues to seek medical care for her injuries. She said the former heavyweight boxing champion struck her without provocation at Cheetah's, a topless club near downtown Las Vegas. "Tyson's violent and powerful blow sent Victoria across the floor and caused her to fall on her tailbone," the lawsuit states. Cheetah's general manager Rich Buonantony said club employees told him Tyson never touched the dancer. He said Bianco would not have been able to remain at the club and keep dancing had Tyson hit her. "She would have to be able to take a punch better than Savarese," he said, referring to the Saturday fight in which Tyson took just 38 seconds to defeat Lou Savarese in Scotland. Eight Las Vegas police cars responded on the afternoon of May 8 at Cheetah's. Police decided no charges were warranted. The episode at Cheetah's could potentially be raised as an issue if Tyson chooses to seek a license to fight in Nevada, said Marc Ratner, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are Cheetah's, its owners and several employees. The lawsuit states people associated with the club sought to conceal what happened. Buonantony said club officials never sought to do that. In the lawsuit, Bianco acknowledged telling police that Tyson only berated her. But she said this statement was the result of intimidating tactics by people associated with the club. Buonantony said no one associated with the club ever sought to shape Bianco's police statement. According to the lawsuit, Bianco was fired after filing a police report the day after the confrontation with Tyson. Buonantony denies Bianco was fired. He said she took her belongings from the club on her own the day after her run-in with Tyson.
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