Columnist Dean Juipe: WrestleMania will showcase Tyson fondly

Dean Juipe

Friday, March 27, 1998 | 9:01 a.m.

HE'LL BE PROWLING along the perimeter of the ring, checking for trouble and intervening when necessary.

As the "special enforcer" for WrestleMania XIV Sunday in Boston, former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson will do his share of posing and undoubtedly be drawn into an occasional scrap. For sure he'll mix it up a bit during a main event in which a new buddy, Shawn Michaels, takes on an emerging Tyson nemesis, Stone Cold Steve Austin -- or "Cold Stone Steve Austin" as a bewildered Tyson called him during an orchestrated confrontation a few weeks ago.

Tyson is getting $3 million for lending his name and brawn to a pay-per-view event that figures to reap a gold mine of profits for the sponsoring World Wrestling Federation.

He's not being paid that handsome sum merely to serve as a decoy or sideshow attraction. The script for the three-hour show will feature Tyson in repeated cameos.

It'll be manipulated to get Tyson on camera as often as possible and in potential showdown situations more often than not. The WWF wants to -- and will -- get its money's worth out of him.

He's complying for a variety of reasons: boredom with his boxing-less life, what with his license revoked until at least July; a need or desire to bolster his bank account; a fondness for professional wrestling; a huckster's penchant for the spotlight; and, perhaps, to add his name to the historical ledger of boxers who took a fling with pro wrestling.

By the time Tyson gets Stone Cold Steve in a headlock, he'll be the 12th boxer to have made the leap from pugilist to grappler. Like Iron Mike, the previous 11 were all heavyweights.

Two -- Joe Louis and Primo Carnera -- threw their hats in the wrestling ring because they were broke. Louis lasted a year before 320-pound Rocky Lee deviated from the prearranged plan and jumped on the Brown Bomber, breaking two of his ribs. Carnera wrestled for 14 years throughout the world before retiring in 1959.

Other fighters who have wrestled or refereed pro wrestling bouts include Jack Dempsey, Max Baer, Gene Tunney, Jack Sharkey, Rocky Marciano, Jersey Joe Walcott, Muhammad Ali, Buster Douglas and Butterbean Esch.

Dempsey and Ali took part in boxer vs. wrestler scraps in which the boxers wore gloves and the wrestlers tried to counter with devious tactics. Dempsey knocked Cowboy Luttrell out of the ring in the second round to end their 1940 skirmish, while Ali was involved in a somewhat notorious 15-round marathon with Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki in 1976 in Tokyo. The latter match was declared a draw when Inoki persisted in a single strategy, prone on the mat in a crab-like position and kicking at a circling Ali's legs.

It was awful.

Tyson, at least, will have an element of humor working on his side. The WWF will exploit his macho characteristics and rogue persona, and Tyson will play along in exchange for being portrayed as a "good guy." Those paying the $35 telecast fee will see him restore order when need be, keep the bad guys like Austin in check and leave the arena to thunderous cheers.

It should be an evening where levity -- if not truth, justice and the American way -- prevails.