Tyson in final spin of the wheel

Mike Tyson, once touted as the greatest heavyweight who ever lived, teeters on the precipice of sporting oblivion when he faces…

Mike Tyson, once touted as the greatest heavyweight who ever lived, teeters on the precipice of sporting oblivion when he faces the South African Francois Botha in Las Vegas tonight. One false move and the free fall begins.

Once more the pimps and prostitutes, drug pushers, hoods and other varieties of human flotsam who gravitate towards the wouldbe "baddest man on the planet" have arrived in the world's gambling capital as Tyson begins what is surely a final spin of the wheel with his latest comeback.

Three times in the 1990s, first against Buster Douglas and twice at the fists of Evander Holyfield, he has tasted defeat. In that time victories over Donovan "Razor" Ruddock and Frank Bruno were his major triumphs. It is hardly the form line of a boxing immortal, yet Tyson continues to be the greatest draw.

Had he subsided quietly to a second defeat against Holyfield he might well have faded already into the background. But that was never going to be the Tyson way. Through the savagery of the Holyfield ear-biting fiasco he has retained notoriety and massive marketability.

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In the chaotic shambles of a life which increasingly elicits more pity than envy, boxing is perhaps his only true friend: a relationship that has produced larger heaps of money than ever before, this time $30 million. But the fragility of Tyson's mind raises doubts about his ability to scale the same peaks he reached with such ease a decade ago. Indeed a significant question mark remains against his ability to cope with any threat inside the ring, starting tonight against a committed opponent who appears to be relishing the task.

The 30-year-old Botha has spoken openly of his intention of goading Tyson: not exactly a difficult task, it would seem, to judge by Tyson's mood swings in the build-up to the fight. An irrational streak is still within the man, and another loss of temper in the ring would surely mark the end of the line.

Tyson's trainer, Tommy Brooks, is a patient, quietly spoken man. He was taught to fight by Archie Moore and has assisted in the training academies of such luminaries as Angelo Dundee and Eddie Futch.

His pedigree is impeccable, so his words merit respect when he says: "I believe absolutely that Mike Tyson has what it takes to be heavyweight champion of the world again. If that wasn't the case then I wouldn't be here.

"He had a low level of self-confidence after losing to Evander. First time he was given a good old Georgia-style beating. Man, Evander really pulled his wig. But he was getting no help in his corner. He was going back and all they were saying was `Jab, jab'. But what use was that? Evander was beating him to the punch and they had no idea what to do."

Brooks insists that he has begun the reinvention of Tyson the boxer and that Botha will be unable to cope with the smaller man's speed and movement.

"Mike will not be going looking for a quick knock-out. If he boxes his way to that point, so be it," he said, "but we are ready to go all 10 rounds and we have prepared for that."

Tyson weighed in at 15st 13lb, the heaviest of his career, but will concede reach advantage as well as 10lb to his taller opponent, who has suffered only one defeat in 40 professional contests, an International Boxing Federation title fight against Michael Moorer.

The 32-year-old former champion was upstaged at the weigh-in by the appearance of Muhammad Ali, who was mobbed by photographers as Botha and Tyson went through some ritualistic snarling. Perhaps to save embarrassment, Ali moved slowly to Tyson to embrace the man he had helped to regain his fighter's licence.

Ali whispered words of encouragement, but a wry smile had to be stifled among those of longer memory over what mind games Ali might have played on Tyson had they ever fought. The man who ridiculed and tormented Frazier, Foreman and a generation of top heavyweights would surely have found a way to unhinge Tyson long before they stepped through the ropes. Tonight it is for Botha to try to throw Tyson out of his rhythm.

The referee, Richard Steele, who has handled 151 world-title fights, knows he may have to play a crucial role in this fight, even though no title is stake. "I'm not afraid of this fight," he said.

Botha will deliver a choice verbal assault, but it seems unlikely that he has the ability to outbox Tyson. He has been hand-picked as a comeback opponent because of his durability and the fact that he is not a concussive, singlepunch knock-out merchant.

Tyson, though, needs to look good to maintain the remnants of his mystique. His handlers have already pencilled in April 24th as the date for his next fight - Axel Schultz, the light-hitting German, and Britain's Herbie Hide are being measured up as opposition - and the 50-year-old George Foreman is still talking up the possibility of taking on Tyson.

"Tell him, let's make some real money. It won't last long. One of these guys will beat him up badly, then neither the money nor I will be there," said Foreman, a perceptive fight analyst as well as the most enduring competitor around.

Foreman may have put his finger on the underlying truth: that Iron Mike is running out of time. Tyson has said he may have four fights in 1999 then quit. He is thinking seriously of life beyond boxing and of his desire to spend more time with his family. His claims that he still has the hunger to succeed have a hollow ring, and a fighter without appetite can be a vulnerable creature.