Norris takes a knee

Dean Juipe

Monday, Oct. 25, 1999 | 10:39 a.m.

With a saddened expression that appeared to be a possible forerunner to a teary sermon, Mike Tyson's voice cracked.

Attempting to explain himself and the anguish he felt at having his Saturday fight with Orlin Norris at the MGM Grand Garden stopped after the first round, Tyson looked and sounded surprisingly vulnerable.

The mixture of frustration and distress left the two-time former heavyweight champion a candidate for a good cry.

"I'm tired of everybody and everything," he said. "I don't want to do this s-- anymore."

Half out of anger and half out of helplessness, Tyson boldly stated that he would just as soon get out of the fight game. But before he could make that final commitment to retire, his promoter, Dan Goossen, invariably lassoed the conversation and said a monumental decision like that calls for further study.

Yet Tyson's postfight demeanor reflected his belief that his best effort was undercut by his opponent's lack of fortitude. His fight with Norris was stopped and ruled a no contest when Tyson struck Norris one second after the bell to end the first round, and Norris later complained that an injured right knee prevented him from carrying on.

Given the fact Norris walked without a limp and without aid to his corner following the end-of-the-round mishap, Tyson in particular wasn't buying the excuse or the explanation for the fight's stoppage.

"I put the heat on him and he didn't want to continue," Tyson said. "I heard he was coming to fight, but the way he conducted himself he should feel disgraced.

"In reality, he could have gotten up and fought. A real fighter fights until he can't fight no more."

It was at this point that Tyson's emotions were on the verge of bubbling over. Recalling how he lost to Buster Douglas (and later Evander Holyfield) had Tyson questioning Norris' manhood.

"Against Buster Douglas, I could have quit," he said. "Against Evander the first time, I could have quit.

"But I took my beating like a man."

The implication, of course, is that Norris did not. And those around Tyson were certain Norris had taken the easy way out in a fight that teased the crowd of 12,081 without satisfying any of them.

"The bottom line is that Norris didn't want to go back out there and fight," Goossen said. "He was perfectly capable of fighting. It was caught on camera that his corner instructed him to stay down on his stool and let the fight be stopped."

Norris went along with that advice, offered by trainer Abel Sanchez and co-manager Mike Marley, and, for whatever reason, his knee began drawing considerable attention. Sanchez wrapped it and Norris, limping badly, exited the ring to a wide array of catcalls and derisive comments from the stands.

Later, backstage in his dressing room, Norris agreed to be transported by stretcher to an ambulance that took him to Valley Hospital. An MRI was performed on the knee and Norris left the hospital without spending the night.

A nursing supervisor Sunday would not comment on the injury or the result of the MRI. Later, ringside physician Dr. Flip Homansky said the MRI showed that Norris may have temporarily dislocated his knee.

Tyson's $10 million purse was withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, pending a video review of the incident today.

Those who bet the fight were at the mercy of individual sports books in determining whether their money would be refunded or accepted. It appears as if many of the city's books were going to treat bets on the over/under round proposition as valid, while refunding other action.

All future plans relating to the 33-year-old Tyson have been put on hold, at least in part because of his newly stated lack of desire. While he is tentatively scheduled to fight again Dec. 11 at the Grand Garden, nothing has been resolved, including whether he'll fight on that date or whether Norris would be considered a possible opponent.

Given the circumstances, it is unlikely Norris -- who was paid $800,000 for his three minutes of work -- will be asked back.

"I definitely think Norris was faking the whole thing," said German heavyweight Vitali Klitschko, who is 26-0 and sat ringside for the fight. And many shared his assessment, including all who lined the tunnel and shouted insults Norris' way as he limped to his dressing room.

"I didn't hear the bell go off," Tyson said of hitting Norris with a solid left a second after the end-of-the-round signal. "I don't know what happened ... but he walked back to his corner.

"He must have hurt (his knee) when he sat down on his stool."

Tyson won the competitive first -- and only -- round on the judges' scorecards, although referee Richard Steele deducted two points from him for the late punch. Asked later why he thought two points were deducted instead of the usual one, Tyson said "Because my name is Mike Tyson."

That victim-of-circumstances approach weighed heavily on him as he replayed the fight in his mind.

"I'm really tired," he said. "I don't even want to fight anymore."