As a Boxing Fan, Tyson Prefers the Little Guys

Mike Tyson, who spent many a night watching old fight films with the late Cus D’Amato, told the New York Times, “I’ve got a lot of those guys in me. But can I tell you something? I’m not a heavyweight fan. I like the little guys. Joe Gans. Battling Nelson. Henry Armstrong. Owen Moran. Cus always thought Armstrong was the best fighter ever.

“Cus loved Armstrong, and I’m crazy about Sugar Ray Robinson, but Armstrong could’ve gone 20, 25 rounds. I don’t know if Robinson could. Robinson was dangerous when he was hurt, but overall he’s not my style. I like the mean guys.”

He told of how Ace Hudkins stood up to the big punch of Ruby Goldstein.

“When Goldstein hit you, that was supposed to be it,” Tyson said. “But when Goldstein hit Hudkins, Hudkins not only didn’t go down, he stood there growling and snarling at Goldstein. That’s my kind of fighter.”

Add Tyson: Of John L. Sullivan, he said, “I like his confidence, his arrogance. I like the way he used to say, ‘I can beat any man in the house.’ That’s where I got my saying that I can beat any man on the planet. I’m not being egotistical, but I’m the heavyweight champion. I have no peer. I’m the only one.”Trivia time: What was the name of the sportswriter played by Robert Duvall in “The Natural?”

Now-it-can-be-told-Dept. World record-holder Butch Reynolds, upset in the Olympic 400 meters by Steve Lewis, told USA Today that he was distracted when Nigeria’s Innocent Egbunike called the runners together for a prayer before the race.

“We held hands and got down on one knee,” Reynolds said. “You’re supposed to hate your opponents before a race. I don’t think Mike Tyson would do that with Carl (the Truth) Williams.”

Yogi knew: After Johnny Bench had broken Yogi Berra’s record for most home runs by a catcher, Berra sent him the following wire: “Congratulations on breaking my record last night. I always thought the record would stand until it was broken.”

Spoilsports: Wrote Bruce Keidan of the Pittsburgh Press, in a column on the merchandising of Bo Jackson by Nike: “As part of its scheme, Nike tried to persuade the Los Angeles Kings to select Bo in the final round of last month’s National Hockey League draft. The Kings thought at first that Nike was kidding. Nike wasn’t, but the Kings turned them down.”

Liberated Cowboy: From wide receiver Michael Irvin of the Dallas Cowboys: “It was out-of-hand boring last year. The difference between this year’s team and last year’s team is like heads and tails on a coin. If you flip that coin, you will notice that there is nothing the same on either side except the silver. The only thing that will be the same about this year’s team is the colors.”

Keep ‘em guessing: From Phil Jackman of the Baltimore Evening Sun: “One reason Danny Ferry was so shocked being selected second overall in the NBA draft by the Clippers is the club had Glen Rice, Stacey King and Pervis Ellison in for individual workouts but not him. The Clips aren’t your usual run-of-the-mill NBA franchise, though.”

Trivia answer: Max Mercy.

Quotebook: Wallace Matthews of Newsday, on Mike Weaver’s split-decision victory over Phil Brown in a dull 12-rounder Thursday night in New York: “The crowd was so benumbed by the lack of action that they counted down the final 10 seconds and gave the loudest cheer of the night to the final bell.”