Tyson training injury delays second bout with Holyfield

     This is getting to be a habit with Mike Tyson.
     Tyson's scheduled rematch May 3 with Evander Holyfield at the MGM Grand Garden was postponed Tuesday because Tyson suffered a cut over his left eyebrow while training.
     "Mike sustained a cut that will prevent him from fighting on May 3," MGM Grand Inc. president and chief operating officer Alex Yemenidjian said Tuesday at a news conference at the MGM.
     Yemenidjian said the heavyweight title fight, which has long been a sellout, was rescheduled June 28 at the MGM.
     It was the third Tyson fight that has been postponed since he began his comeback less than two years ago.
     It was the sixth time an injury to Tyson has caused a postponement of one of his fights since 1989.
     Dr. Barry Markman, a Las Vegas plastic surgeon, said the cut over Tyson's left eye was caused March 17 by a head butt when Tyson was sparring in Boca Raton, Fla.
     Markman said the injury required multiple sutures.
     Markman and Richie Giachetti, Tyson's chief trainer, said Tyson did not spar for about two weeks after suffering the wound.
     However, Markman said the injury was reaggravated Wednesday in sparring after Tyson moved his training sessions to Las Vegas.
     Markman said Tyson started bleeding again while sparring Monday.
     "The ultimate decision was to hold him off from the fight," Markman said.
     Tyson lost the World Boxing Association portion of the heavyweight championship when he was stopped in the 11th round by Holyfield on Nov. 9 at the MGM.
     Tyson, not surprisingly, said he was disappointed in the postponement.
     "I'm in great shape," he said. But Tyson seemed resigned to the delay.
     "I'm just following the instructions of the doctors. This is not a health-threatening injury. I'll just wait," he said. "What the heck, what can I do? These things happen."
     Tyson said the postponement might be a "blessing in disguise" that would allow him time to "clean up" some personal matters.
     The former undisputed heavyweight champion would not elaborate.
     "Just certain things personally," he said. "There is nothing that needs airing publicly."
     Holyfield was training in Houston and did not attend the news conference.
     Holyfield's attorney, Jim Thomas of Atlanta, said promoter Don King called him Tuesday.
     "Unfortunately, yes, he did. All I know is what Don told me. Don very considerately called me and informed me that Mike Tyson had incurred a cut in his training," Thomas said.
     Thomas said the postponement would not make a difference in the result of the rematch.
     "It isn't going to deter him from beating Mike Tyson again. He is just going to have to do it a little later," he said.
     Thomas said Holyfield will receive a record purse of $35 million. Tyson will receive a reported purse of $20 million.
     Markman said the cut over Tyson's left eye was not the same cut he sustained in the Holyfield fight, but was in the same area.
     Markman said the cut required "approximately 10 to 12" stitches.
     It was the second time a Tyson-Holyfield fight has been postponed. Holyfield, then the undisputed champion, was scheduled to defend against Tyson on Nov. 8, 1991, at Caesars Palace.
     But the fight was called off because of a rib injury to Tyson. Tyson was later convicted of rape and started serving a prison sentence before the fight could be rescheduled.
     During his comeback, which started in August 1995, Tyson also had a fight with Buster Mathis Jr. postponed because of a broken thumb and a title defense against Bruce Seldon postponed because of bronchitis.
     MGM officials said tickets for the May 3 fight will be honored June 28.