Round By Round

The round-by-round description by Ed Schuyler Jr. of the Associated Press of Mike Tyson’s heavyweight fight with Francois Botha on Saturday night at the MGM Grand:

* ROUND 1: Tyson didn’t come storming out, as some expected. They met in the center of the ring and exchanged jabs. No serious punches landed in the first 30 seconds, although Tyson missed a big right and left and then a big left hook. They clinched and referee Richard Steele broke them. Almost immediately, they clinched again. Tyson landed a right to the chest and they clinched again. Botha got in two right hands, then another. Botha missed a right and they clinched. Botha got in a right to the head and another right before Tyson tied him up. Tyson was cut over the right eye. Botha got in a jab, doing most of the punching. Botha got in a right to the head with 40 seconds left. Tyson’s punches were far off the mark. Tyson threw a wild hook, Botha landed a right to the body. Botha and Tyson fought after the bell and corner and security people filled the ring as the crowd went crazy.

The AP gives the round to Botha.

* ROUND 2: Time was called by Steele as he discussed the situation with Marc Ratner, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, in the ring. Steele warned both fighters before the start of the second round, which was held up 45 seconds.

They clinched at the start of the round. Steele warned them again 20 seconds into the round and then into another clinch. It was getting very rough and Steele called timeout, penalizing Tyson a point for elbowing. As the round passed a minute, no punches were landed as they appeared content to maul. Tyson landed a short left to the head and then another clinch. Tyson got in a jab. Botha returned a jab. Tyson tried to pin Botha on the ropes. Tyson landed a right to the head with 1:29 left. Another clinch. Tyson missed a right and Botha landed a hard right to the face. Then Botha took Tyson to the ropes and landed a right to the body. Botha landed two rights. They tried to fight again after the bell rang.

Botha’s round.

* ROUND 3: Tyson landed two good jabs and a hook to open the round. Botha landed a right, Tyson came back with a right. They tied up for several seconds before Steele broke them. Both missed big rights to the head and they clinched again. Tyson missed a big right at the minute mark, then landed a good hook to the head. Botha landed a good right to the head, then a sharp jab as Tyson came in. Tyson landed a right to the body after an exchange of jabs. Tyson landed a hook and they clinched. It was a mauling match, nothing pretty about it. Tyson got in a good left to the head, and they clinched again. Botha took Tyson to the ropes, but did no damage.

Tyson’s round

* ROUND 4: No matter the outcome, Botha showed he was clearly not intimidated. Tyson threw a left to the body, but Botha lunged away. Tyson landed a left to the head and complained to Steele about Botha butting. Tyson landed a left to the body and Botha landed a left and right to the head, then a left to the head and Tyson tied him up. There wasn’t much action. Tyson came forward and Botha was pawing him as the crowd jeered and cheered. Tyson landed a right, but it had no power behind it. There was blood on the bridge of Botha’s nose. Tyson got in a good left hook to the head at about 2:15. Both had trouble getting clean shots. Tyson landed a right to the body during a clinch, Botha got in a right to the head.

Botha’s round

* ROUND 5: Tyson got in a left to the body then another clinch. Botha got in a right to the body, Tyson a left and right to the body and a right to the head. Botha got in a right to the head. Botha got in a right to the body, Tyson came back with a jab. Botha was talking to Tyson. Tyson was having trouble getting his punches off. He certainly didn’t look like the Tyson of the 1980s or even the early 1990s. This round also was marked by more mauling than punching. Tyson landed a hook to the head, then a jab. Tyson got in a stiff jab with 40 seconds left. Both landed body shots. Botha got in a right to the body and a right to the head. Tyson dropped Botha with a right to the head at 2:59. He struggled to get up, but couldn’t. Tyson went to the ropes to help him up.