Tyson Positioning to Take Bite of Heavyweight Title

On March 13, 1999, the hand of either Evander Holyfield or Lennox Lewis will be raised in triumph in Madison Square Garden after their heavyweight unification title fight. Finally the boxing world will have an undisputed heavyweight champion.

But don’t assume that will put an end to the disputes.

As long as the shadow of Mike Tyson falls across the division, as long as he lurks in the background, whoever reigns as champion will have to deal with him. And that will surely mean controversy, as it always does with Tyson.

If Holyfield beats Lewis, as many expect, Holyfield’s next logical move should be retirement. He would have realized every goal he set, twice regained the heavyweight crown, twice beaten the once-unbeatable Tyson and made enough money to provide for not only himself and his family, but the next generation of Holyfields as well.

But he won’t walk away. Not when somebody waves $50 million in his face.

Remember the revulsion after Tyson bit Holyfield’s ears in a title rematch in 1997? Remember how people swore they would never again reach into their wallets to watch Tyson fight?

Forget it.

Time has dulled the anger toward Tyson and sharpened the anticipation. His Jan. 16 fight against Francois Botha, the type of opponent who would have elicited little interest in the past, will draw worldwide attention.

If Holyfield wins in March and Tyson wins his first two comeback fights, there will be enough interest generated in Holyfield-Tyson III to make it a $100-million fight.

Holyfield, confident his style will always prevail over Tyson’s, will see a third fight as the grand finale to his career.

Not to mention the biggest payday for any fighter in history.

If Lewis should beat Holyfield, a Tyson match would be even more lucrative for him than a rematch with Holyfield.

Either way, Tyson figures to be back in the heavyweight title picture by next June.

BUT WILL HE EVEN FIGHT?

Despite all the assurances of mental stability from those who put Tyson through an intensive mental examination as part of the process required to get back his boxing license, the two-time former heavyweight champion remains a dormant volcano who could become active and destructive at any moment.

One source in the Tyson camp says there is a question whether Tyson will be able to hold himself together long enough to even have two fights.

Yes, Tyson has severed his ties with promoter Don King and co-managers John Horne and Rory Holloway. Yes, with attorney John Branca, promoter Dan Goossen and manager Shelly Finkel, Tyson has a team capable of putting him back on a track toward financial stability and ring glory.

But ultimately, the only one who can cure Tyson of what has so long troubled him is Tyson himself.

It wasn’t King who ordered Tyson to bite Holyfield’s ears. It wasn’t Horne or Holloway who got Tyson in trouble in Maryland, where he allegedly attacked two men after a minor car accident. Tyson no longer can claim he is a victim of crooked handlers who are robbing him. He no longer can say the boxing world is denying him the chance to make a living.

He has his license back, and he has people who have made all the right moves to get his finances in order and his boxing skills back to a world-class level.

He has been there before and couldn’t handle the success. Now, he has another chance.

But without question, this is his last chance.

QUICK JABS

Fernando Vargas (14-0, 14 knockouts), the rising young prospect from Oxnard who has beaten 10 of his opponents in the first or second round, is training in Big Bear for the biggest challenge of his blossoming career, his title match against International Boxing Federation junior-middleweight champion Yory Boy Campas (72-2, 62 knockouts) on Dec. 12 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J.

Forum Boxing has a North American Boxing Organization bantamweight title fight as its main event Monday night at 7:15 at the Arrowhead Pond. Eighteen-year-old Edgar Jasso (14-2-1, 12 knockouts) will challenge champion Mauricio Martinez (12-3-1, seven knockouts).

Also on the card, Israel Vazquez (19-1, 15 knockouts) will face Agustin Lorenzo (24-4-2, 19 knockouts) in a 10-round featherweight bout, and junior-middleweight Dwain Williams (14-2, 11 knockouts) takes on Luis Vazquez (28-17, 23 knockouts) in another 10-rounder.