Columnist Jeff German: Tyson in for tough round in Nevada

Friday, Feb. 22, 2002 | 3:29 a.m.

YOU CAN ACCUSE Mike Tyson of being many things -- a sexual predator, an ear-biter, and an emotionally disturbed man.

But don't ever accuse the former heavyweight champ of not being a fighter.

Tyson's ability to stand up and fight outside the ring has attracted the most attention in recent weeks.

He has taken on the Nevada Athletic Commission and lost, and fought the Metro Police Department and won.

Now he's setting his sights on a rematch with the athletic commission.

Tyson has attorney Jim Jimmerson, a fierce fighter in legal circles, back in his corner leading the charge to win him a boxing license.

On a 4-1 vote the commission last month found Tyson unsuitable to hold a Nevada license, killing an April 6 bout with heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis at the MGM Grand. After the decision, the fight was put off until June 8 as Tyson searched for another venue. But because of the no-vote of confidence in Nevada, he hasn't exactly been welcomed with open arms elsewhere in the country, although Washington, D.C., is considering hosting the fight.

Now that District Attorney Stewart Bell has cleared the air over the sexual assault allegations clouding Tyson's licensing here, it makes sense to the troubled boxer's people to try to rehabilitate their man in the eyes of Nevada athletic officials.

Other states, after all, have pointed to Nevada's decision when turning down the Tyson-Lewis fight.

Jimmerson late last week even suggested his goal was to see Tyson licensed to fight Lewis for the heavyweight championship in Las Vegas. If he's serious, the bout surely will have to be delayed well beyond June 8.

Tyson has a lot of obstacles to overcome in Nevada. The biggest is persuading the athletic commission to give him another chance before the mandatory one-year waiting period is up for him to reapply.

In the eyes of the commission, nothing has changed as a result of Bell's decision not to prosecute Tyson. Though the rape allegations were out there prior to last month's hearing, the panel officially never considered them while debating Tyson's future.

If Tyson can win a rehearing, he'll have to make a firm commitment to do whatever it takes, including going back on anti-depressant medication, to give the commission reason to feel comfortable about licensing him.

It's clear that Tyson has a tough road ahead.

Commissioner Amy Ayoub, one of Tyson's harshest critics, said she won't back a move to reconsider Tyson's suitability until his year is up.

There wasn't much excitement about the idea coming from Commissioner John Bailey, either.

"I think it takes more than a pledge of a commitment for me," Bailey said. "I have to see the results of that commitment before he would be in position to come back before us and request a privileged license."

Even Tyson's lone supporter, Commission Chairman Luther Mack, wasn't sure if it would be right to bend the rules this time for the former champ.

But you can be sure Jimmerson will give this endeavor his best title shot. He's done wonders for Tyson in the past.

His strategy emerged last week, when he tried to reverse the public perception of Tyson as a bad man. Tyson, he said, has been preyed upon by money-grabbers and headline-seekers looking to take advantage of his unsympathetic notoriety.

Bell's decision not to file sexual assault charges against Tyson played right into Jimmerson's hands.

Jimmerson and Tyson's criminal lawyers in Phoenix could hardly contain their glee when they saw the extent to which the cautious Bell went to cover himself.

The retiring district attorney had nine of the most seasoned prosecutors in his office, including the three people seeking his job, join him in signing a letter to police explaining why it would be difficult to prove the charges in court.

It was just what a fighter like Tyson needed.