The former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson says he hopes New Zealand immigration officials grant him a visa, but he's not going to beg for it.
Tyson held a telephone media conference from Las Vegas to discuss his upcoming speaking tour of New Zealand and Australia in November.
Tyson was convicted of rape in 1992 and spent three years in prison serving half of a six year sentence.
Immigration New Zealand has said Tyson will have to go through the normal visa application process and may not be granted access to New Zealand but Tyson says he's unconcerned.
