Hearing on Tyson ordered

      The Nevada Athletic Commission took the first step Tuesday toward disciplining Mike Tyson for his actions in the ring Saturday night against Evander Hollyfield.
      The commission voted 5-0 in a meeting at Las Vegas City Hall to have a disciplinary hearing on Tyson, who was disqualified for biting Holyfield on both ears in the third round of their World Boxing Association heavyweight championship fight at the MGM Grand Garden.
      No hearing date was set, but commission executive director Marc Ratner said Tuesday night the commission is hoping for July 9. He said the date should be finalized today.
      Tyson, who did not attend the meeting, waived his right of 30 days' notice for the hearing, said his Las Vegas attorney, Eckley "Marty" Keach.
      The commission has a variety of options with Tyson, according to commission member James Nave.
      "The commission could do nothing next week, or it can suspend, it can revoke or it can ban for life," he said.
      The only way the commission can impose the highest possible fine, 10 percent of Tyson's purse from the fight, is to revoke his license, commission legal adviser Gordy Fink said.
      Tyson's purse of $30 million was actually $29,824,600 after sanction fees by the WBA and the anti-doping fee to the commission were subtracted.
      According to state law, if the commission suspends Tyson, no matter the length, the most it can fine the former heavyweight champion is $250,000, Fink said. There is no set length for a suspension.
      Tyson, who turned 31 Monday, apologized for his actions Monday, and said he expected a serious penalty. He asked that he not be banned for life.
      "Mike knows what happened in the ring," Keach said. "He knows he is going to be punished. He said this yesterday (Monday). Our intention is to abide by what the commission deems is fair."
      What that means remains to be seen.
      "The bite was bad in the ring," commission chairman Dr. Elias Ghanem said. "I said it (the apology) doesn't take the bite back. The damage is done. I think the commission will do the right thing in our next commission meeting. We have to put this behind us so we can get on with our lives."
      Holyfield said he didn't think a one-year suspension was enough.
      "Most boxers only fight one time a year," Holyfield told The Associated Press. "He (Tyson) probably needs a year off to get himself better anyway. He probably needs the rest. The penalty is probably going to have to be a little more extensive than that."
      For a lifetime?
      "A lifetime ban wouldn't be too much," said Holyfield, who will leave for a tour of South Africa on Saturday and will not attend next week's hearing, "but the commission will have to make that decision."
      Keach said Tyson's specific position regarding possible penalties would be made known at the hearing. Tyson is expected to testify.
      "He will place his faith in their hands," Keach said. "What is fair? Whatever the commission says is fair."
      Nave made the motion for the complaint to be prepared against Tyson.
      The commission voted Tuesday to suspend Tyson pending the hearing and to go ahead with a formal complaint, which Tyson said he would not contest. His $29,824,600 paycheck remains in the hands of the commission.
      Mike Marley, a spokesman for King, said King would have no comment on Tuesday's meeting.
      But rival promoter Bob Arum did, calling for the harshest of penalties against Tyson.
      "The commission should ban him for life," Arum said. "What he did did more to demean and bring down boxing than any act I can remember for my 30 years in boxing.
      "If you suspend him for a year, that sends a horrible message. It takes eight months between fights for him anyway. You've got to throw the book at him. You've got to suspend him for life. Maybe after three or four years, he can apply to have them lift the ban."
      Arum referred to the comments of President Clinton, who said he was "horrified" by Tyson's actions.
      "The Nevada Athletic Commission has got to do the right thing," Arum said. "It holds the future of the sport of boxing in its hands."
      Promoter Cedric Kushner disagreed with Arum.
      "What he (Tyson) did was wrong, there is no doubt about that, and there is also no doubt in my mind that it was not premeditated," Kushner said.
      "It was done in the heat of the moment, which certainly doesn't make it correct. But to talk about banning him for life is absolutely unfair."
      In other action, the commission postponed a disciplinary hearing on Oliver McCall. He started crying and quit fighting in the fifth round against World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis on Feb. 7 at the Las Vegas Hilton.
      The commission also granted a professional boxing promoter's license to BAM Promotions Inc. of Las Vegas and approved the date of July 11 for a BAM Promotions card at the Tropicana.