‘Messed up’ Tyson ponders future with Lewis

Tim Dahlberg

Monday, Feb. 24, 2003 | 9:52 a.m.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Mike Tyson still suffers from doubts inside the ring, and demons on the outside.

Until he can overcome both, he'll remain more of a fascinating curiosity than a legitimate heavyweight title contender.

Tyson's 49-second destruction of Clifford Etienne on Saturday night proved little other than he can still punch at the advanced fighting age of 36. The real test is whether he can get his tumultuous life together enough to become a feared fighter once again.

Judging from the way Tyson was acting after the fight, the odds aren't good.

"I don't even know if I want to fight no more," Tyson said. "If I have to make Lennox Lewis my next fight there's no way I can continue fighting. I don't want to fight Lewis right at this moment."

In his next breath, Tyson gave perhaps the real reason why.

"I'm so messed up. I just need to get my life together."

In theory, Tyson set up a June 21 rematch with Lewis by knocking out Etienne, the so-called Black Rhino who was brought in to build Tyson's confidence by giving him a target he could easily hit.

Rhinos don't dance, but they sure hit the canvas with a thud.

It looked for a fleeting moment like the Tyson of old, but even he admitted that one devastating right hand doesn't mean he has a chance in a rematch against a bigger, quicker and mentally tougher Lewis.

"I'm not going to lie to myself and lie to the public," Tyson said. "I need more fights. I'm not interested in getting beat up again."

Tyson rambled on as only Tyson can after Saturday night's fight, touching on everything from his bad back (broken, he says) to his desire to party (it's big) and finally to his future in the ring (more Clifford Etiennes).

But there was an element of truth in his comments that was largely missing in a weird week of pre-fight nonsense that nearly obscured that the fight couldn't have been set up any better for Tyson.

Etienne had gone down seven times in one fight with soft-hitting Fres Oquendo two years ago. And the last thing that goes in an aging heavyweight is the punch, which Tyson showed.

Etienne made the mistake of trying to punch with a puncher, and as soon as Tyson's right hand landed he walked away knowing it was over.

"That's what rhinos do," Tyson said. "Rhinos don't dance."

The crowd of 15,171 at the Pyramid arena went wild at the sixth fastest knockout in Tyson's career. But the former heavyweight champion was more realistic about what it all meant.

"People are excited to see me knock guys out because that's how I made my reputation," Tyson said. "But I need more rounds. After a fight like this, 49 seconds, I can't go in there against Lewis, a confident fighter who's accurate. I need to go back to the gym."

Whether that happens depends largely on Tyson's mood at any given time. If he skipped training for a week just before the fight to get a tattoo and relax, who's to believe he has enough dedication left to get in top condition.

"I like doing other things. I like getting high, hanging out with my kids. I like drinking," Tyson said. "I have so many demons."

Tyson's handlers had hoped for a spectacular knockout to set up a fight with Lewis, who gave Tyson such a beating in the same ring eight months ago that many wrote him off as finished.

Lewis himself gave up an April fight with Vitali Klitschko to see if Tyson would impress enough to sell the rematch.

But 49 seconds proved little except that Tyson can still hit like a mule and Etienne can still fall down. And even though Tyson desperately wants -- and needs -- the money a Lewis rematch can bring, he said he needs another fight or two before risking it all against a fighter who simply may be too big and too good for him.