Tyson Postpones Fight, Says Flu Is the Reason

Fold up the tents, Memphis. The circus is not coming to town.

Mike Tyson, whose career has been a high-wire act, took what may have been a final, fatal plunge in credibility when he dropped out of Saturday’s fight against Clifford “the Black Rhino” Etienne.

The fight, to have been held at The Pyramid in Memphis, Tenn., was officially postponed Monday because Tyson is suffering from flu. But a press release issued by the Tyson camp and the Showtime cable network said Tyson “reportedly” had flu. Even his spokesman wasn’t sure.

And who can be sure of anything these days about the former two-time heavyweight champion, bizarre and unpredictable in the best of times, and even more so in recent days.

Tyson stopped training last week, because of flu, insisted his manager, Shelly Finkel. “He hasn’t been out of the house since last Wednesday,” Finkel said.

But earlier last week, Tyson did leave the house to get a tattoo down one side of his face, according to his trainer, Freddie Roach. Roach was dismayed that, just before a fight, Tyson would subject his skin to a procedure that could lead to serious bleeding when pounded by gloves.

Finkel flew from his New York home over the weekend to visit his fighter in Tyson’s Las Vegas home, but no decision was reached on going through with the fight.

Tyson was scheduled to fly to Memphis on Sunday morning. Sunday turned into Monday and still there was no decision.

Finally, late Monday afternoon, Tyson issued a statement.

“I’m sorry to let down all of my fans in Memphis and around the world,” he said, “but I am not at 100%, and I do not want to perform at less than that. I have been in bed with the flu for the past five days and I am hopeful that the fight can be rescheduled soon.”

If the fight is rescheduled, it may be difficult to convince skeptical fans that Tyson would show up.

And what of heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, who knocked out Tyson in the eighth round at The Pyramid last June? Lewis put off a fight with Vitali Klitschko, pledging instead to return to the ring for a Tyson rematch in June.

Don’t buy your tickets for that one just yet.