City sues boxer in tax claim
BOXER James ''Buster'' Douglas is finding his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, no easy match.
The former world heavyweight champion faces trial today in a civil lawsuit over taxes. The city claims he owes US$293,163 (HK$2.27 million) in taxes, penalties and interest from his October 1990 championship fight with Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas.
Douglas said he owes nothing to Columbus, where he lived until becoming champion in 1990. He still has a home in the city.
Douglas said he lived in Las Vegas at the time of the fight. City officials said he claimed residency in Nevada, where there is no income tax, to avoid the city's two per cent wage tax.
Douglas paid Columbus taxes on the money he won when he took the heavyweight title from Mike Tyson in February 1990 in Tokyo.
Eight months later, Douglas earned US$24.1 million in losing to Holyfield in three rounds.
