Big Underdog Looks for Small Victories

Francois Botha is a man grasping for hope.

A 7-1 underdog against Mike Tyson in Saturday’s heavyweight match at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Botha knows he is facing a man once feared for his fierceness and now for his instability.

So, after being face to face with Tyson at Thursday’s weigh-in in the MGM Grand Theatre, Botha stressed his own size advantage.

“He’s not that big,” said Botha, as if he had never met Tyson.

That may seem like a small confidence-booster for Botha, but, at this point, that is all he has.

And, as a matter of fact, Tyson is bigger than he has ever been, by one pound.

Tyson, 5 feet 11 1/2, weighed in at 223 pounds, five pounds more than he weighed for his last fight, against Evander Holyfield 19 months ago, and a pound more than he weighed for his first battle with Holyfield in 1996.

“Some people carry their weight well,” Botha said. “But I don’t know Tyson that well.”

Botha, who is 6-2, weighed in at 233 pounds, five fewer than he weighed for his last fight, a first-round TKO over David Cherry in June of last year.

The biggest cheers were reserved for former three-time heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, who greeted Tyson when he came down from the scales and wished him luck.

Tyson will receive $10 million for Saturday night’s fight, Botha $1.85 million.

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Plans already have been made for Tyson’s next step on what his handlers hope will be a journey back to the top of the heavyweight heap.

If he wins Saturday, Tyson is expected to fight again on April 24, probably against Axel Schulz of Germany.

If he wins that one, Tyson would have one more fight in early summer and then he hopes to fight Holyfield for a third time in November or December, assuming Holyfield defeats Lennox Lewis in their heavyweight unification bout March 13.

Holyfield, of course, has yet to be convinced he should fight Tyson a third time, but he’ll be offered $50 million as an inducement.

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Despite the publicity surrounding Tyson’s first appearance in the ring since the June night in 1997 when he bit Holyfield’s ears, this fight has been a tough sell.

As of Thursday, fewer than 10,000 seats had been sold in the 16,000-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The tickets are priced from $200 to $1,200.

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The money-troubled “Battle of the Aged” between former heavyweight champions George Foreman and Larry Holmes has been postponed from Jan. 23 to March 27 at the Astrodome in Houston, Astrodome USA President Mike Puryear said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Tale of the Tape

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MIKE TYSON FRANCOIS BOTHA 45-3, 39 knockouts Record 39-1, 24 knockouts 32 Age 30 223 Weight 233 5-11 1/2 Height 6-2 78 inches Reach 74 inches 42 1/2 Chest (normal) 42 inches 44 inches Chest (expanded) 46 inches 17 inches Biceps 17 inches 14 inches Forearm 14 inches 34 inches Waist 38 inches 26 1/2 inches Thigh 26 inches 17 inches Calf 17 inches 20 inches Neck 18 inches 8 inches Wrist 8 inches 12 inches Fist 13 inches

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