Boxing: 'Ten-day zone' explains Tyson folly

On Monday, Mike Tyson was too sick with flu; the fight was called off. On Tuesday, Mike Tyson recovered, the postponement was postponed, but then the opponent, Clifford Etienne, said "I'm not Mike Tyson's bitch," and he pulled out. On Wednesday, Etienne was back in and both fighters were on the scene for Saturday's fight in Memphis.

"Yes, but it's only Wednesday," said an employee for Showtime, the American subscription cable television company underwriting the bout.

Even in the wacky world of Mike Tyson, the last two weeks have been as peculiar as the weird tattoo above and below his left eye, which he had done here on 11 February, the day after he first stood up his trainer, Freddie Roach, at the gym.

Tyson, who has tattoos of Mao, Che and Arthur Ashe on his body, knows that tattooing can lead to scabbing. He also knew the dangers of an allergic reaction or infection. Then why would a 36-year-old veteran, who needed to score a spectacular victory in order to assure a rematch in June against Lennox Lewis, risk his health?

"It's the 10-day zone," said Jay Larkin, of Showtime, referring to Tyson's proclivity for getting extremely nervous and insecure in the final days before a fight.

Etienne, who had also been growing nervous about facing the once dominant former heavyweight champion, broke training big time on Sunday night when he heard the fight was going to be postponed and had to be reminded that fringe contenders get few chances at $900,000 (£560,000) pay-days. Money may also have been behind Tyson's recovery: a $5m payday will lead to at least twice that much for a Lewis rematch.

In any case, the fight has suddenly replaced war in Iraq and the economy on many TV and radio talk shows in the United States. And the tattoo, which Roach reported was "some African tribal markings," was on page one of the New York Post.