Mike Tyson turned a few heads as he touched down in Memphis ahead of his off-on bout with Clifford Etienne sporting a bizarre facial tattoo. Tyson's arrival alone was somewhat unexpected following his decision on Monday to pull out of the proposed warm-up for a summer rematch with Lennox Lewis saying he was suffering from flu and a stomach illness.
However, Tyson made an amazing U-turn last night, although the latest addition to the former world heavyweight champion's body art meant the photographers at least were more concerned with tattoos than titles. But there was fighting talk from his trainer Freddie Roach after 'Iron Mike' flew in from Las Vegas this morning.
Roach told the Memphis Commercial Appeal: "Mike told me this morning, 'I'm a fighter and fighters fight'. He felt better and he ran this morning. We're going to go after this guy. We're going to back him up and we're going to try to take him out early."
It has been suggested Tyson only agreed to fight after last-minute pay talks with US cable network Showtime. However, Roach dismissed claims that his charge was being forced into action against his will. He insisted: "I don't think he was pressured. He just felt better this morning."
Promoter Brian Young has also played down fears that the fight could still be in jeopardy as a result of Etienne's discontent at being treated like a 'yo-yo'. Etienne's manager Les Bonano said last night: "Well, we're back on but we've got a major problem: Clifford doesn't want to fight now. He said Tyson doesn't call the shots and tell him when he's going to fight and when he ain't going to fight. He said, 'The world doesn't revolve around Mike Tyson'. "
However, Young declared this morning: "I think they're going to work it out (with Etienne). If not, there's going to be a fight. They'll just replace him. If Clifford doesn't fight, there will be somebody else that will. I can have it done in 15 minutes. I've got my brother working on it right now."
Filed by Shane Murray
