Tyson bout is back on again

SPORTS/Digest

• BOXING: Mike Tyson will fight Clifford Etienne in Memphis on Saturday after all, capping a week of bizarre behaviour by the former undisputed heavyweight champion that had led to the fight being called off. Tyson, who had been declared too ill from flu to fight when the 10-round bout was cancelled on Monday night, woke up yesterday and wanted to fight, said adviser Shelly Finkel. "Mike called me this morning and told me he's ready to go," Finkel said. "He told me 'I can beat Etienne,' and that's what he intends to do." With Tyson reportedly millions of dollars in debt to Showtime over missed fights from prior contracts, and the weight of a second divorce hanging over his income from subsequent bouts, there was great pressure on him to fight. Tyson needs an impressive showing against his fellow American on Saturday to give him any chance of earning a big-money rematch against British heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, who stopped Tyson in the eighth round at the same venue last June. Neither man has fought since that showdown, with World Boxing Council king Lewis bypassing World Boxing Association champion Chris Byrd and WBC mandatory challenger Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine in hopes of a big-money Tyson rematch. Tyson enters with a 49-4 record that includes 43 knockouts while Etienne is 24-1 with one draw and 17 knockouts. Tyson (36), is a 7 to 1 betting favourite over Etienne, but a loss or even a poor showing in triumph could mark the end of his career. But Tyson, who takes anti-depression medications, began bizarre behaviour last week, walking out on three work-out sessions with trainer Freddie Roach and getting himself a tattoo on the left side of his face, an obvious target for Etienne.
• FORMULA ONE: Italy's Giorgio Pantano is in the frame to become Jordan's Formula One test driver after an agreement with the Super Nova Formula 3000 team. Super Nova, the most successful team in F3000 history, were announced as Jordan's official junior team on Monday. Minardi's Australian boss Paul Stoddart has been told he would not get engines for his Formula One team before the Australian Grand Prix next month if he did not come up with the cash. The Minardi team, which on Monday sealed its tyre deal with Bridgestone, faces a race against time to be on the Melbourne starting grid in just three weeks.
• ATHLETICS: Indoor 60 metre world record-holder Maurice Greene will miss next month's World Indoor Championships in Birmingham after suffering a calf injury. The 28-year-old world and Olympic 100 metre champion picked up the injury in a US meeting where he finished third in 6.50 seconds.