Hundreds of fans, many of whom had been waiting for several hours, gave Mike Tyson a hero's welcome when he arrived in Manchester last night for Saturday's fight against the British heavyweight champion Julius Francis at the MEN Arena.

His presidential-style motorcade had made its way from the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, where the former world heavyweight champion has spent the last 10 days, to Manchester's most famous hotel, the Midland, where he will stay until leaving Britain on Sunday.

The original plan had been for Tyson to travel north by rail or air, but the chaotic scenes on his arrival at Heathrow along with worries over railway security, persuaded promoters that the long road journey was the preferred option.

The 33-year-old fighter has been told by local community leaders, as he was in Brixton, that he will be given no official welcome if he carries out his intention to visit Moss Side. But last night's reception seems certain to persuade him to include the inner city area in his itinerary over the next two days.

Francis, 35, also arrived last night and will face the first important test of his temperament and nerve today when he meets Tyson in a face-to-face press conference in front of a huge press corps at the fight arena.