No-show

Tyson skips news conference to focus on Lewis

TUNICA, Miss. -- Mike Tyson failed to show for a news conference Tuesday to hype his title fight with Lennox Lewis. His camp portrayed Tyson as too focused on the fight to field questions, but speculation is promoters feared an ugly tirade that could jeopardize the huge payday.

Tyson's handlers appeared an hour late for the scheduled conference, held at the hotel where the team is staying here. Later in the afternoon, after a private one-hour workout, Tyson alled the media into the makeshift gym where he's been going through final training.

He worked out for about 10 minutes after his six-round sparring exercise Tuesday afternoon, but left without taking questions.

Most of the noise Tuesday around the Tyson camp was made by his paid cheerleader, Steve "Crocodile" Fitch, and disgraced former trainer Panama Lewis. Dressed in fatigues and lugging around his 2-year-old son, "Crocodile" kept the banter loud with lines like: "Can a monkey beat a man? No, no ... no."

CNNSI.com's Mike Fish Conventional wisdom has Mike Tyson wanting no part of Lennox Lewis. If you buy the talk, Iron Mike is s-c-a-r-e-d. That ugly press conference in January where the menacing ex-champ nibbled on Lewis’ left thigh? Well, that was just Mike being crazy. Just hold on a second. Before labeling Tyson a crazy chump, let’s turn to Evander Holyfield -- a man more qualified than anyone to speak about either pug. Complete story, click here.

Panama Lewis is no mystery to Team Tyson, even though he's been banned by several boxing organizations because of earlier violations in fight corners. He was also around the camp during an earlier fight with Razor Ruddock, while also later training Frans Botha for a 1999 bout that ended in a fifth-round knockout by Tyson.

"He has the looks of the old Mike Tyson," said Lewis, who has no official role. "The real quick hands."

Asked about his dodging the media, Lewis said: "A lot of fighters talk, but when they get in the ring they go into a shell."

Co-trainer Stacey McKinley said it was solely Tyson's decision to avoid the media, denying that the promoters or the camp had decided to shield him.

"The man fights in four days," McKinley said. "Mike Tyson does what he wants to do. He runs the show."

Like good salesmen, McKinley and co-trainer Ronnie Shields sold Tyson as being in the best shape of his career. They said he'd sparred 150 rounds the past two months, which is a significant number for a heavyweight.

"We were talking and Mike said, 'I quit fighting 10 years ago. I'm ready to fight again,'" McKinley said. "Mike Tyson wants this fight."

McKinley characterized Lennox Lewis as a fighter who could dish it out, but couldn't take it. He questioned his heart. Then, joked that Lewis has no following, saying he couldn't draw 4,000 fans to a fight in his hometown of London.

And so, it's no shock that Team Tyson is predicting an early knockout for their guy.

"I got a trained killer," McKinley said. "When he fought Razor Ruddock, he broke his ribs, broke his jaw and everything.

"If you got a fighter who can break bones, you tell him to go out and hurt somebody. Inside the ring, it is a hurt business. I want him to hurt him. I want him to break his ribs. I want him to break his jaw, everything. I want them to take him out on a stretcher."

With those fighting words, Tyson was barely missed.

 

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