Tyson fight officially called off

sbp · 02-18-2003, 03:03 AM

http://foxsports.lycos.com/content/v...ntentId=909256

Mike Tyson's fight with Clifford Etienne was called off Monday, following a week of erratic behavior that once again raised questions about the boxing future of the 36-year-old former heavyweight champion.

After waiting days for Tyson to give them some sort of signal on his willingness to fight, Tyson's handlers finally pulled the plug on the scheduled Saturday fight after the fighter missed a flight to Memphis for the second day in a row.

The official word was that Tyson was too sick to fight. But even before he became ill Friday, Tyson had left his trainer waiting for him at the gym for three straight days and had gotten a large tattoo on the left side of his face.

Tyson's manager, Shelly Finkel, still held out hope earlier Monday that Tyson would get on a plane to Memphis, but after Tyson missed the plane again he and the Showtime cable network had little choice but to cancel the fight.

There were no immediate plans to reschedule the bout.

The cancellation came even as local promoters in Memphis were waiting for Etienne to arrive Monday night and hopeful that Tyson would soon follow. They weren't alone in being kept in the dark about the fight, with Tyson's own trainer left out of the decision.

Trainer Freddie Roach said he talked briefly to Tyson on the phone Monday, who told him a doctor was at his house examining him. Roach has not seen Tyson since he began skipping workouts last Wednesday, the day after he got his new tattoo.

Tyson's handlers issued a statement quoting the former champion as saying he has been bedridden for five days with the flu.

"I'm sorry to let down all of my fans in Memphis and around the world, but I am not at 100 percent and I do not want to perform at less than that," the statement quoted Tyson as saying.

Once the most fearsome heavyweight around, Tyson has shown little inclination to fight in recent years and has lost three of his last nine fights, two by knockout.

Tyson has fought an average of only five rounds a year in the last 5 years - and eight of those came while he was taking a beating in his fight last June against heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

"Everybody should just throw up their hands and let this guy live whatever life he has. Forget about putting him in the ring," rival promoter Bob Arum said. "It's almost cruel now."

But Finkel said Tyson remains a big attraction, though he conceded Showtime may lose interest in him because of the fight being canceled. Still, he said, there will always be a market for Tyson.

"In the crazy world of Mike Tyson one thing you have to know is Mike Tyson will always be in demand," Finkel said. "He's still a star - he's the star. He won't be hurting for places to fight."

The bout with Etienne was supposed to be both a comeback fight and a tuneup fight for a possible June 21 rematch with Lewis. But unless Tyson's fight with Etienne is quickly rescheduled, Lewis would likely look elsewhere for a June opponent.

"You can't analyze it on a rational basis," Arum said. "If he's displeased with what he was getting paid he should have let someone know early on. First of all, you don't tattoo your face."

Jay Larkin, who heads boxing for the Showtime cable network, said on Sunday that it might be possible to reschedule a Tyson fight for late March.

Showtime had planned an elaborate night of entertainment and was planning to sell the entire evening of events on pay-per-view for nonsubscribers.

Ticket sales in Memphis had reportedly been decent, though they were helped by a 2-for-1 sale on many of the seats.

Brian Young, one of the local promoters, said 10,700 tickets had been sold for the fight, but that ticket sales dried up over the weekend as speculation mounted that Tyson would not fight.

Just hours before the fight was officially called off, Young was still optimistic it would happen. Etienne was due into town Monday night, and Young said he was hopeful Tyson would arrive soon after.

"Memphis loves Mike Tyson," he said. "We're expecting 14-15,000 people dying to see Mike Tyson on Saturday."

sbp · 02-18-2003, 03:44 AM

All washed up indeed.

"Rematch with Lewis" Another payday to get his ass kicked.

Tyson has had so many chances its ridiculous. He's going to go back into jail eventually. Hell, he should have been there long ago.

"had gotten a large tattoo on the left side of his face."

Its an understatement Tyson has issues.

This is also plain sad.

"Everybody should just throw up their hands and let this guy live whatever life he has. Forget about putting him in the ring," rival promoter Bob Arum said. "It's almost cruel now." Indeed.

But Finkel said Tyson remains a big attraction, though he conceded Showtime may lose interest in him because of the fight being canceled. Still, he said, there will always be a market for Tyson.

"In the crazy world of Mike Tyson one thing you have to know is Mike Tyson will always be in demand," Finkel said. "He's still a star - he's the star. He won't be hurting for places to fight."
Translation: there's still moola to be made. When there's not the hanger ons won't give a crap about Tyson.

johnnymk · 02-18-2003, 04:02 AM

Someone should beat his head in for doing this.

eSDee · 02-18-2003, 09:29 AM

I'm dying to see that tattoo!

Nija · 02-18-2003, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by eSDeeLoco
I'm dying to see that tattoo!

I can't wait. I've heard a few varying reports... hey, maybe it will make him more pleasing to the eye.... or... not

sbp · 02-18-2003, 10:32 AM

Maybe he has an big old tattoo like badass Chakotay had. http://www.st-lcars.fsnet.co.uk/ep91.htm

Nija · 02-18-2003, 11:50 AM

I remember reading an article, I think it was by Esquire, or GQ, but it damn well could have been Maxim or FHM or Stuff , he it started out with the interviewer telling about how Mike Tyson stabbed him with a fork.

Keep Tyson around, he's the best reality series I've seen in a while

M_A_C · 02-18-2003, 01:30 PM

Well now their saying that the fight is back on!?!

Quote:

It looks like Saturday nights bout between Mike Tyson and Clifford Etienne is be back on.

Sources have told MaxBoxing that Tyson financial advisors had an emergency meeting late last night and told him of the ramifications of post-poning his bout with Etienne. The ramifications are serious enough that Tyson is going through with his bout this weekend.

Source: www.maxboxing.com

I hope it really does happen just because you know Tyson will put on a good show!

GraingerGuy · 02-18-2003, 05:26 PM

Hmmmm....looks like Tyson will be having dinner after all....

creme a la ear.....

mcs328 · 02-18-2003, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GraingerGuy
Hmmmm....looks like Tyson will be having dinner after all....

creme a la ear.....

Maybe if he has enough time he can get some face time too a la Hannibal Lechter while he's in the area anyway.

coleslaw · 02-18-2003, 05:46 PM

According to ESPN.com, even though Tyson now wants to fight and has flown to Memphis, Etienne is saying that because the fight was called off earlier, some of his camp had already left and he doesn't want to be disrespected like that by someone who is full of 'bull'.

I have to wonder, if this fight does happen or not, how Tyson's tattoo would hold up in the ring. The scab on a tattoo usually takes like a week to 10 days to fully flake off, so his face would be a bloody pulp after even one punch to the area. What a numbskull!

coleslaw · 02-18-2003, 08:49 PM

M_A_C · 02-19-2003, 01:33 PM

Well Etienne is now saying he will fight. This is going to be something else!

raimin · 02-19-2003, 04:04 PM

of course Etienne is gonna fight, he is gonna get paid 1 million bucks win or lose

M_A_C · 02-23-2003, 07:23 AM

Etienne goes down in 49 seconds!

sbp · 02-23-2003, 07:46 AM

No surprise this so-called "fight" was a joke. Maybe Tyson should have fought Tonya Harding.

So the handpicked creampuff with a weak chin stayed down and collected his $. *pat pat* Good boy.

As for Tyson, people are looking to see how bad the trainwreck of his life will get.

Fas-ligand · 02-23-2003, 08:00 AM

I saw the fight, but what happened to Tonya Harding's fight? I was disappointed, not only did it seem like Etienne just let him win, but there was all that filler show when I should have seen Tonya get smacked down.

doh.

Fas-ligand · 02-23-2003, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DarkFury
Oh I woulda been so mad if I had paid to see this...

Our local "sports pub" was sellin' tickets for $15 each for people to watch this fight. I'm sure everyone was really upset at that outcome.

You could have seen it on Showtime for "free". That's what I did. Talk about a waste of 49 seconds....well, not including the filler crap they had on before that....AND no Tonya...

M_A_C · 02-24-2003, 07:34 AM

I bought the pay-per-view, 25 bucks. My friends chipped in so it wasn't to much. I thought it was worth it to see that brutal KO.

Fas-ligand · 02-24-2003, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DarkFury

How did you already see it on cable? Did they show it right after the pay-per-view or something?

I dunno. I was just told the night when it was on and watched. I saw it approximately 7pm Friday on the 21st. Was that when it was on PPV? Also, cable showed no other fights, so the show was 1 hour long with whatever musical group performing first then going to the main event. Did anyone get to see Tonya Harding fight on PPV?

02-18-2003, 03:03 AM	#1
sbp Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 11,037	Tyson fight officially called off http://foxsports.lycos.com/content/v...ntentId=909256 Mike Tyson's fight with Clifford Etienne was called off Monday, following a week of erratic behavior that once again raised questions about the boxing future of the 36-year-old former heavyweight champion. After waiting days for Tyson to give them some sort of signal on his willingness to fight, Tyson's handlers finally pulled the plug on the scheduled Saturday fight after the fighter missed a flight to Memphis for the second day in a row. The official word was that Tyson was too sick to fight. But even before he became ill Friday, Tyson had left his trainer waiting for him at the gym for three straight days and had gotten a large tattoo on the left side of his face. Tyson's manager, Shelly Finkel, still held out hope earlier Monday that Tyson would get on a plane to Memphis, but after Tyson missed the plane again he and the Showtime cable network had little choice but to cancel the fight. There were no immediate plans to reschedule the bout. The cancellation came even as local promoters in Memphis were waiting for Etienne to arrive Monday night and hopeful that Tyson would soon follow. They weren't alone in being kept in the dark about the fight, with Tyson's own trainer left out of the decision. Trainer Freddie Roach said he talked briefly to Tyson on the phone Monday, who told him a doctor was at his house examining him. Roach has not seen Tyson since he began skipping workouts last Wednesday, the day after he got his new tattoo. Tyson's handlers issued a statement quoting the former champion as saying he has been bedridden for five days with the flu. "I'm sorry to let down all of my fans in Memphis and around the world, but I am not at 100 percent and I do not want to perform at less than that," the statement quoted Tyson as saying. Once the most fearsome heavyweight around, Tyson has shown little inclination to fight in recent years and has lost three of his last nine fights, two by knockout. Tyson has fought an average of only five rounds a year in the last 5 years - and eight of those came while he was taking a beating in his fight last June against heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. "Everybody should just throw up their hands and let this guy live whatever life he has. Forget about putting him in the ring," rival promoter Bob Arum said. "It's almost cruel now." But Finkel said Tyson remains a big attraction, though he conceded Showtime may lose interest in him because of the fight being canceled. Still, he said, there will always be a market for Tyson. "In the crazy world of Mike Tyson one thing you have to know is Mike Tyson will always be in demand," Finkel said. "He's still a star - he's the star. He won't be hurting for places to fight." The bout with Etienne was supposed to be both a comeback fight and a tuneup fight for a possible June 21 rematch with Lewis. But unless Tyson's fight with Etienne is quickly rescheduled, Lewis would likely look elsewhere for a June opponent. "You can't analyze it on a rational basis," Arum said. "If he's displeased with what he was getting paid he should have let someone know early on. First of all, you don't tattoo your face." Jay Larkin, who heads boxing for the Showtime cable network, said on Sunday that it might be possible to reschedule a Tyson fight for late March. Showtime had planned an elaborate night of entertainment and was planning to sell the entire evening of events on pay-per-view for nonsubscribers. Ticket sales in Memphis had reportedly been decent, though they were helped by a 2-for-1 sale on many of the seats. Brian Young, one of the local promoters, said 10,700 tickets had been sold for the fight, but that ticket sales dried up over the weekend as speculation mounted that Tyson would not fight. Just hours before the fight was officially called off, Young was still optimistic it would happen. Etienne was due into town Monday night, and Young said he was hopeful Tyson would arrive soon after. "Memphis loves Mike Tyson," he said. "We're expecting 14-15,000 people dying to see Mike Tyson on Saturday."

02-18-2003, 05:26 PM	#9
GraingerGuy Rear Admiral Upper Half Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Working....and working...and working some more Posts: 3,573	Hmmmm....looks like Tyson will be having dinner after all.... creme a la ear..... __________________ potato gun + marshmallow gun = FLAMING MARSHMALLOWS OF DOOM!!!!! -Welfareloser 4/13/05 Time to switch to AMD now I guess... (just kidding... ) -Darkfury 5/23/05 I don't think this'll stop anything though - the better you idiot-proof a system, the more impressive the idiot becomes. -ShawnLee 5/30/08

02-18-2003, 05:46 PM	#11
coleslaw Arrrhh! Join Date: May 2000 Location: LI NY Posts: 6,807	According to ESPN.com, even though Tyson now wants to fight and has flown to Memphis, Etienne is saying that because the fight was called off earlier, some of his camp had already left and he doesn't want to be disrespected like that by someone who is full of 'bull'. I have to wonder, if this fight does happen or not, how Tyson's tattoo would hold up in the ring. The scab on a tattoo usually takes like a week to 10 days to fully flake off, so his face would be a bloody pulp after even one punch to the area. What a numbskull! __________________ A priest, a paladin and Varimathras walk into a bar...

02-23-2003, 07:23 AM	#15
M_A_C Commander Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, CO, USA Posts: 1,391	KaBoom! Etienne goes down in 49 seconds!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

02-18-2003, 03:44 AM	#2
sbp Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 11,037	All washed up indeed. "Rematch with Lewis" Another payday to get his ass kicked. Tyson has had so many chances its ridiculous. He's going to go back into jail eventually. Hell, he should have been there long ago. "had gotten a large tattoo on the left side of his face." Its an understatement Tyson has issues. This is also plain sad. "Everybody should just throw up their hands and let this guy live whatever life he has. Forget about putting him in the ring," rival promoter Bob Arum said. "It's almost cruel now." Indeed. But Finkel said Tyson remains a big attraction, though he conceded Showtime may lose interest in him because of the fight being canceled. Still, he said, there will always be a market for Tyson. "In the crazy world of Mike Tyson one thing you have to know is Mike Tyson will always be in demand," Finkel said. "He's still a star - he's the star. He won't be hurting for places to fight." Translation: there's still moola to be made. When there's not the hanger ons won't give a crap about Tyson.

02-18-2003, 04:02 AM	#3
johnnymk Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: May 2000 Location: LEVITTOWN< PA> USA Posts: 13,621	Someone should beat his head in for doing this.

02-18-2003, 09:29 AM	#4
eSDee Old Skooler Numba 1 Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Diego Posts: 10,063	I'm dying to see that tattoo!

02-18-2003, 10:32 AM	#6
sbp Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 11,037	Maybe he has an big old tattoo like badass Chakotay had. http://www.st-lcars.fsnet.co.uk/ep91.htm

02-18-2003, 11:50 AM	#7
Nija Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: May 2001 Location: City of The Dead Posts: 13,552	I remember reading an article, I think it was by Esquire, or GQ, but it damn well could have been Maxim or FHM or Stuff , he it started out with the interviewer telling about how Mike Tyson stabbed him with a fork. Keep Tyson around, he's the best reality series I've seen in a while

02-18-2003, 08:49 PM	#12
coleslaw Arrrhh! Join Date: May 2000 Location: LI NY Posts: 6,807

02-19-2003, 01:33 PM	#13
M_A_C Commander Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, CO, USA Posts: 1,391	Well Etienne is now saying he will fight. This is going to be something else!

02-19-2003, 04:04 PM	#14
raimin Captain Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: san francisco Posts: 1,627	of course Etienne is gonna fight, he is gonna get paid 1 million bucks win or lose

02-23-2003, 07:46 AM	#16
sbp Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 11,037	No surprise this so-called "fight" was a joke. Maybe Tyson should have fought Tonya Harding. So the handpicked creampuff with a weak chin stayed down and collected his $. pat pat Good boy. As for Tyson, people are looking to see how bad the trainwreck of his life will get.

02-23-2003, 08:00 AM	#17
Fas-ligand Lieutenant Commander Join Date: May 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 581	I saw the fight, but what happened to Tonya Harding's fight? I was disappointed, not only did it seem like Etienne just let him win, but there was all that filler show when I should have seen Tonya get smacked down. doh.

User Name
Password
Remember Me?

02-24-2003, 07:34 AM	#19
M_A_C Commander Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, CO, USA Posts: 1,391	I bought the pay-per-view, 25 bucks. My friends chipped in so it wasn't to much. I thought it was worth it to see that brutal KO.