Couser defends Tyson in strip-club ‘incident’

Dean Juipe

Thursday, May 11, 2000 | 10:03 a.m.

Among those in the crowd Monday at Cheetah's when Mike Tyson allegedly pushed a topless dancer was another professional fighter from Las Vegas, Cliff Couser.

Couser, a visual dead ringer for Tyson, said he was sitting across the bar from Tyson when Victoria Bianco, a dancer at the club, approached the former heavyweight champion.

"I was there and I can tell you what she said happened, didn't happen," Couser said Wednesday. "She said Mike pushed her but that didn't happen at all.

"It was nothing like what she said."

Bianco, 24, alleges she was shoved by Tyson and police were summoned to the club. A report was filed and the investigation continues, although a police spokesman has called the allegations "unfounded."

So has Couser, who maintains he is Tyson's half brother; he believes his father is also Tyson's father.

While the fighters were once at odds, Couser and Tyson have since reconciled and have come to a common understanding.

"We've just started talking," Couser said. "Mike said he can hardly trust anybody and said 'Can we just be like friends?' and I said 'yes,' of course."

That budding relationship led to Couser accompanying Tyson to Cheetah's Monday afternoon; reports indicate Tyson has become a regular at the club since resuming training in Las Vegas for a June 24 fight -- likely in Milan, Italy -- with Lou Savarese.

Couser said the incident at Cheetah's was nothing more than Tyson rebuffing the dancer's advances.

"She came up to him and tried to sit on his lap," Couser said. "She asked 'Can I dance for you?' and he said he wasn't interested.

"She got up and said something about how cold he was, and then she walked away.

"Next thing we know the police were there.

"She was just trying to get some money out of it."

Couser called his account of the scenario "the true story" and remarked that "all the women in these places crowd around Mike like a bunch of bees going to honey."

He also said Tyson has been frequenting the club as the result "of going through a divorce" with his wife, Monica Turner. "He says it's hard to take," Couser added.

As for his professional career, Couser leaves today for a Friday fight in Tulsa, although he wasn't sure of his opponent's identity.

"But my promoter, Tony Holden, wants to keep me winning and wants to get me a fight with (former champion) Michael Moorer, who's supposed to be there Friday," Couser said.