Tyson Looks to Be in Fighting Shape

By TIM KAWAKAMI

May 24, 1997 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

LAS VEGAS — Mike Tyson jumped rope, whomped on a poor, padded assistant trainer for three rounds in an MGM Grand ballroom Friday, did some sit-ups, then wandered over to the side of the ring, with a scowl and a message:

As rumors continue to swirl about an injured or unprepared Tyson looking to postpone his rematch with Evander Holyfield for a second time, by physical presence and words, Tyson reasserted his strong desire to fight and defeat Holyfield in their scheduled June 28 bout.

Is the fight on?

“As far as I know, it’s going on,” said Tyson, in his first public comments since the Holyfield rematch was postponed early last month. “It’s going on. I’m in great shape.

“I hear people say ‘in shape,’ ‘out of shape.’ I don’t know. I’m just looking forward to the fight.”

But, as is his recent, fascinating habit, Tyson managed to sound alternately vicious and vulnerable during the 15-minute ask-and-answer session, with promoter Don King and Tyson’s camp members standing alongside. While dismissing any challenges to his boxing invincibility he still managed to raise plenty of intriguing questions of his own.

Several times, when asked to reflect on his knockout loss to Holyfield last November, Tyson referred to his personal life, made reference to his fallibility, and implied that his own house was not in order at that particular time.

“Every now and then I slip,” Tyson said. “Because I take a great deal of emphasis off of it, because maybe I’ve been successful for so long. . . .

“It’s all about me putting the pieces back together.”

Given plenty of opportunities and all evidence, Tyson would not define this as the most important fight of his career, as the first time he has faced a win-or-else moment.

With a casual shrug, Tyson said, win or lose, life goes on.

“I don’t get too personally involved in my fights,” Tyson said, “because if I let stuff interfere with my personal life, I’d be a nut.

“Most of those guys, their sense of security is their career. One should be living your life. This is something I love to do, and I do well.”

Losing to Holyfield the way he did, Tyson suggested, was a reminder for him.

“It opens your eyes,” Tyson said. “People accomplish great feats, but we’re not great. We make mistakes. Your everyday actions are never perfect.”

But when asked about references he made after the postponement about clearing up some personal matters, Tyson refused to elaborate.

“I’m OK,” Tyson said. “That’s not a concern of yourself. It doesn’t concern you. But I’m fine, as I’ve stated.”

Recently, Tyson reportedly married his girlfriend, Monica Turner, who also reportedly is pregnant with their second child together. Tyson sported two new tattoos on his arms during the workout, one of a tiger and one apparently of Turner, joining his existing tattoos of Mao Tse-tung and Arthur Ashe.

Also, Tyson has rehired the rambunctious Richie Giachetti, his main trainer in his fights before his three-year jail term, and dispatched Jay Bright, who had been his lead man from the first day of his comeback through the Holyfield loss.

“Professionally, it’s just get back to the drawing board,” Tyson said. “I was trained by Cus D’Amato, [who said,] ‘Don’t get involved, don’t let your business get involved in your personal life.’ And that’s the way I’ve been living my life.

“Some people go off the deep end. This is just something that we do, and do for a short amount of time, and do very successfully.

“But you have families, you have a life to live, and you have to separate your business from your personal life. I have my family and I have my business in the ring.”

More and more, with each time Tyson talks to the media, he brings up his maturing process--and the knowledge that the 25-year-old fearless demon is gone forever.

“You know, as you get older, it becomes more difficult,” said Tyson, now 30. “You have to put a great deal of focus on it.”

Though some of it might have been done for effect, Tyson appeared to relish Giachetti’s instructions during the workout, and was pummeling away with power combinations--hard jabs, straight rights and hooks to the stomach--instead of the one-punch lunging he displayed in November.

“I just feel better psychologically and mentally,” said Tyson, who added the cut over his left eye that forced the first postponement (from May 3) hasn’t bothered him so far. “I know what I have to deal with at this particular time.

“[Giachetti has brought] just a great deal of camaraderie, friendship. It’s just more like a diligence, it’s really hard to define, it’s respect.

“I’m glad to have Richie. Not that he pushes me, but I can accept him pushing me more.”

Referring to Bright, a longtime Tyson associate who had not trained a fighter before, Tyson said: “We had strong difficulties together. We have a great deal of love, but it’s just very tough for us together. Maybe because of our personal relationship.”

Against Holyfield, who absorbed Tyson’s bull charge and punched back, Tyson said he fought a bad fight the first time around, which led to the 11th-round knockout.

Does he doubt himself against Holyfield in a bout that will take place in the same MGM Grand Garden arena as the first monumental upset?

“My confidence has never been shaken by anything,” Tyson said. “I’m just going in fighting like I knocked him out the first time.

“I have a great deal of respect for Evander’s skills, and from that respect alone, I’ll be more intense and properly train for this engagement. It should be a very interesting fight.

“I’m ready. It’s coming. You run hard every day and sometimes you don’t see it coming. But it’s here, it’s reality, it’s around the corner.”