Tyson’s Fight Put Off Because of Bad Cut

Mike Tyson suffered a cut in a sparring accident Friday afternoon at Atlantic City, N.J., that required 48 stitches to close, forcing a postponement of the former heavyweight champion’s bout with Alex Stewart Sept. 22.

Tyson, according to his promoter, Don King, had just hit sparring partner Greg Page with two punches in a spirited exchange when Page fell forward, his head striking Tyson’s head and cutting his right eye.

Both boxers were wearing headgear, and no one seemed sure how Tyson was cut, whether by the edge of Page’s headgear or his forehead.

“It was partly Greg’s head coming forward and Mike bobbing and weaving . . . and their heads just came together,” King said.

An Atlantic City plastic surgeon, Ira Trocki, treated Tyson at a hospital.

“Mike Tyson suffered a laceration over his right eye, which extended down to his upper eyelid and went through to the bone,” Trocki said.

Trocki said the healing period would be a few weeks. King said he would meet with Donald Trump and HBO executives to decide on an October or November date to reschedule Tyson-Stewart.

“It is very unfortunate that the fight has to be postponed,” Tyson told the Associated Press. “I’m in the best shape of my life and have been training very hard for this fight. I have been waiting for the chance to fight Alex Stewart, but this is a temporary setback. I’m not going anywhere, neither is Alex. I’m sure when the time comes, we’ll be ready to get it on.”

The 10-round fight had been scheduled for the Trump Plaza hotel on the same night Julio Cesar Chavez and Ahn Kyung-Duk were to meet with the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation junior-welterweight titles at stake.

Stewart said he was “terribly disappointed” when told of the postponement at his camp at Monticello, N.Y.

“I was working hard. I was ready to fight,” Stewart told AP. “This is frustrating, but it’s out of my hands. I’m going to win the fight sooner or later anyway.”

Stewart is 26-1, his only loss last November to Evander Holyfield. Stewart will return to his native Brooklyn, N.Y., until he resumes training.

Friday’s mishap forced the second postponement of a Tyson fight in less than a year. He was to have fought Razor Ruddock in Edmonton, Canada, in November, 1989, but became ill. That fight never was rescheduled.

This was to be Tyson’s second fight since losing his title to Buster Douglas at Tokyo on Feb. 11. Tyson improved his record to 38-1 with a first-round knockout of Henry Tillman on June 16.