Handlers like fighter's weight

      Wearing only a pair of boxer shorts and a grimace, Mike Tyson stepped on a scale at the MGM Grand Garden on Thursday afternoon.
      The scale tipped at a taut 218 pounds, prompting cheers from Tyson's ever-vociferous entourage.
      "That's a great weight for Mike, a perfect weight," said Don King, the promoter of Saturday's World Boxing Association title bout between Tyson and WBA champion Evander Holyfield. "The world will see the best of Mike Tyson on Saturday night."
      Tyson and Holyfield each checked in at 218 pounds. Tyson trainer Richie Giachetti said Tyson is in peak condition.
      "We said six months ago we'd come in in shape, and we have," Giachetti said. "Mike is really ready to go. He's looked great during the whole training camp."
      Fans will have to take Giachetti to his word. Tyson's workouts, unlike Holyfield's, have been closed to the public. But there is one certainty: Tyson is lighter for the second Holyfield bout than when he lost Nov. 9. Tyson weighed 222 for that fight, and was expected to enter Saturday's bout at 220.
      "That shows you his commitment to conditioning," King said. "The scale never lies."
      -- STILL FAVORED -- Though the betting line for Saturday's fight still shows Tyson as the favorite, more money has been coming in for Holyfield this week.
      Tyson opened as a better than 2-to-1 favorite at minus-250 at the MGM sports book. But as of Thursday afternoon, he was down to minus-200. Tyson was a 6-to-1 favorite in the first fight after opening at 25-to-1.
      -- BACKING HALPERN -- Veteran trainer Emanuel Steward offered biting criticism of Team Tyson's attempt to have referee Mitch Halpern removed from Saturday's bout.
      Halpern officiated the first Holyfield-Tyson fight and has been widely praised for his handling of it.
      "I think it's extremely unfair to come in at this point and complain about the referee," Steward said. "I think (Halpern) should have won the referee of the year award for that fight."
      Steward said he was particularly impressed with Halpern's work in the 10th and 11th rounds, when Holyfield seized control. Halpern stopped the fight early in the 11th.
      -- WHAT A CROC -- He's known simply as "Crocodile," and outside of Don King he's the loudest member of Tyson's camp.
      Crocodile's purpose seems to be to loudly extol the talents of Tyson, most often at news conferences and weigh-ins. On Wednesday, Crocodile wore Vietnam War-style combat fatigues. On Thursday, he switched to a more Gulf War-era ensemble.
      Crocodile's messages are clear. Among his more frequent chants:
      "Saturday's going to be the wake-up! Saturday's going to be the wake-up."
      And ...
      "It's going to be guerilla warfare! It's going to be guerilla warfare!"
      Crocodile was on the podium during Thursday's weigh-in and shouted at Holyfield, who seemed bemused by the performance.