Best friends: How Newcastle star is key to Mike Tyson appearing at NRL opener

Former boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson may be in attendance at Allegiant Stadium this weekend if all goes to plan with Jeff Fenech, Bradman Best's father-in-law. 

The Australian three-division champion is travelling to Las Vegas to watch Best play in the season opener, and will visit long-term associate Mike Tyson, who resides in Nevada, and request that he come to the NRL double-header.

It will see Tyson be one of the first A-list American celebrities to attend the fixture live, with Fenech telling the Daily Telegraph he will be doing what he can to get 'Iron Mike' at the footy.

“I have already sent a couple of emails to his wife,” Fenech said.

“I'd love for him to watch, not just Bradman, but just to be a part of everything with the game. He would love it, I just know it.”

Fenech and Tyson spent the prime of their careers in the 1980's, and have trained together during fight camps.

Notoriously known as one of the scariest men on the planet, Tyson would admire the high-octane, fierce nature that the NRL brings. 

The exposure of having one of the most fearsome men in global sport exposed to the code would be a dream for NRL CEO Andrew Abdo and ARL Chairman Peter V'Landys.

It has been no secret how ambitious the front office duo have been at pushing for the NRL on an international scale. 

Mr. V'Landys reached out to USA President Donald Trump last year in a bid to get him to come visit Las Vegas to watch the NRL fixtures. 

While that proved to be ineffective, Knights centre Best may hold the key to getting the most high-profile celebrity available into the stadium.

“With Mike, you never know where he is,” he added.

“Mikes driver is picking me up when I'm in Vegas. I'd love for him to come and watch the footy with me, but just getting to see him is a highlight, and you can guarantee, we'll be talking about it.”

Fenech and Tyson's relationship grew so strong that it saw the Australian champion coach 'Iron Mike' in his 2005 final pro bout against Kevin McBride.

The pair lived in Las Vegas while preparing for the fight, where he ended up throwing in the towel in the sixth round for Tyson, handing Irishman McBride the victory. 

The boxing duo will hopefully be in the stands cheering on Fenech's son-in-law, Best, as the Newcastle Knights take on the North Queensland Cowboys on March 1.