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Tyson can give himself an early birthday present
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Mike Tyson will mark his birthday Monday either as heavyweight champion or as a 31-year-old fighter with a cloudy future in the violent sport he once dominated.No matter what happens, however, in the Evander Holyfield-Tyson rematch tonight in the MGM Grand Garden, neither man has indicated he will retire.
"Boxing is the best sport in the world," said Tyson, who will try to regain the WBA title he lost when he was stopped in the 11th round by Holyfield Nov. 9.
"What motivates a man who has money and family and is happy?" said the 34-year-old Holyfield, who has been boxing as an amateur and professional for 26 years. "If the love of the sport is there, it doesn't get old. He loves what he is doing."
Since becoming the youngest heavyweight champion at age 20 by stopping Trevor Berbick in the second round for the WBC title in 1986, Tyson has been boxing's major attraction, except for the three years he served in prison on a rape conviction before being released March 25, 1995.
He quickly resumed his role as the Big Fighter, and in five fights since his release, he has made more than $100 million. His purse for the rematch is $30 million.
Should Tyson, who is a 9-5 favorite -- compared to being a 7-1 choice in the first fight -- lose the rematch, he would remain an attraction, but at considerably lower purses. An exception might be a fight against George Foreman.
A lot of people think Holyfield, who is getting $35 million tonight, should retire -- win or lose. He has nothing left to prove and he has been in many tough fights.
"At any time this game can end for you, and I pray and ask the Lord when it's time he let me know," Holyfield said. "I used to be afraid because people talk about me staying too long or not knowing how to quit. But every time I retire, I want to go to the gym again. Maybe when the whole world says I'm the best around, that will be it."
A possible source of controversy was removed from the rematch when Mitch Halpern withdrew as referee and was replaced by Mills Lane.
John Horne and Rory Holloway, Tyson's managers, protested that their fighter didn't think he could be treated fairly by Halpern, although he was generally praised for his work in the first fight. The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted 4-1 Thursday to keep Halpern as referee.
Thursday night, Halpern called Marc Ratner, executive director of the commission and told him he didn't want to be the focal point of the fight and that he was withdrawing.
Holyfield weighed in at 218 pounds, three pounds more than he weighed for the first fight. Tyson also weighed 218, four pounds less than his weight for the first fight.
The rematch before a sellout crowd of 16,331, paying up to $1,500 for a ticket, will begin between 11:30 p.m. EDT and midnight. In Canada, the match can be watched on pay-per-view TV for $69.95 Cdn.
There will be three other fights on the pay-per-view show.
The most competitive of the three could be a bout of 10 2-minute rounds between Christy Martin of Orlando, Fla., and Andrea Deshong of Cambridge, Ohio. It is for Martin's WBC women's lightweight championship.
Julio Cesar Chavez of Mexico, a former champion in three weight classes, will try for his 100th victory in a 10-round super lightweight match against Larry Daniel La Coursiere of Hastings, Minn.
Miguel Angel Gonzalez of Mexico, a former WBC lightweight champion, will box Bert Roberto Granciosa of Honolulu in another 10-round junior lightweight bout.
Also on the card, Lonnie Bradley of New York will defend the WBO middleweight title against John Williams of Bradenton, Fla.