Boxing: Tyson `restrained' after traffic incident

FORMER WORLD heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was treated and released from a Maryland hospital after a minor traffic accident nearly turned into a fist fight, local police officials said.

Montgomery County police received calls from witnesses after Tyson's green Mercedes, driven by his wife, collided lightly with another vehicle in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Monday evening.

Police spokesman Derek Baliles said that callers claimed Tyson "appeared as if he wanted to fight the driver of the other car" and had to be restrained by his wife and bodyguards travelling in a vehicle behind him. The other driver was identified only as an adult male.

"After everybody cooled down, they saw that it was really just a minor traffic accident," he added.

Police arrived after Tyson had left, but pulled him over a few minutes later. While they were talking with him he complained of chest pains and was taken to Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. He was later released.

Tyson is awaiting a hearing in Nevada on his application to regain his licence to box, which was revoked after biting Evander Holyfield's ear more than a year ago.