Tyson not taking Williams lightly

There’s no way the Mike Tyson-Danny Williams fight is going the distance, that’s for sure.

Both Tyson and Williams are knockout artists. Winning on points isn’t their cup of tea. They’d rather kick ass and leave their opponents flat on the canvas. Destruction is what they live for.

Tyson is a 6-1 favorite to beat Williams in their Louisville bout this morning (Manila time). But the hulking former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion isn’t fazed by the odds.

"My thing is all about taking chances," said the 6-3 underdog who was raised in the tough south London streets. "I know 99 percent of the world thinks I’m going to lose but 99 percent of the world thought the same thing about Hasim Rahman (before he beat Lennox Lewis). I’ve been waiting 20 years to fight for the heavyweight title and ecome champion. That’s my dream."

Tyson, 38, isn’t taking Williams lightly because he can’t afford to. He’s paid dearly for his overconfidence in the past. Tyson was a 42-1 favorite when he lost to Buster Douglas and a 25-1 bet when he was stopped by Evander Holyfield in their first encounter.

What makes Williams a dangerous proposition is his grit. Williams, 31, doesn’t scare easily and has a high threshold for pain. Four years ago, he shrugged off a dislocated right shoulder and an arm hanging loose to poleax Mark Potter with a single left uppercut–his most potent weapon–in the sixth round.

"In addition to size and skill, Williams has a warrior’s heart to make John Rambo envious," wrote Eric Raskin and Joe Santoliquito of KO Magazine.

Williams also has gumption. Last year, he struck Michael Sprott with a left hook to the head as his victim turned to referee Terry O’Connor to protest a low blow in the fifth round. Sprott never recovered from the punch and lost by knockout. Williams is conscienceless–he’ll do what it takes to win.

"For a big man, Danny’s handspeed can be exceptional," said Tony Connolly of Boxing News. "As with his power, Danny’s fighting heart is unquestioned. Always a confidence fighter, he’s used his physical tools to win but not always in style. A happy Danny is a dangerous Danny."

Williams will no doubt use his eight-inch reach advantage to keep Tyson at bay with his piercing left jab. And when the shorter Tyson is within striking distance, he’ll throw the left uppercut. If Tyson fails to overpower Williams, it’ll be an uphill climb for Iron Mike.

"When he lets fly, Williams can dish out severe punishment," continued Connolly. "A puncher with either hand but a man who likes to set up things with the jab, Danny may have limitations but from an early age, was always a precise, heavy puncher."

Williams left his wife Zoe and two daughters in their three-bedroom Peckham house to train a month for Tyson in New York. He’ll earn $250,000 for the biggest fight in his nine-year career. More than the money, Williams is driven by the possibility of crashing the rich heavyweight stakes with a win over Tyson.

Lennox Lewis’ retirement has thrown the heavyweight gates wide open. None of the alphabet soup champions is as formidable or frightening as Lewis. Vitaly Klitschko of the World Boxing Council, Chris Byrd of the International Boxing Federation, John Ruiz of the World Boxing Association and Lamon Brewster of the World Boxing Organization are ripe for either Tyson or Williams to dethrone.

ABC-TV will air the Tyson-Williams fight with the undercard aperitifs starting at 9:30 a.m. The preliminaries feature Laila Ali defending her world supermiddleweight title against Monica Nunez and Nelson Dieppa of Puerto Rico, who once knocked out Filipino Andy Tabanas, staking his world lightflyweight crown against unbeaten Ulises Solis of Mexico.

Tyson’s objective is to put his life back in order. He owes over $38 Million to various creditors and his lawyers are banking on a seven-fight, three-year course to pay off mounting debts. When Tyson was released from prison after a three-year incarceration for rape in 1995, he pocketed $65 Million in his first three comeback fights.

If Tyson survives Williams, he’ll figure in another tune-up bout before challenging Klitschko.

An undisciplined lifestyle has ravaged Tyson’s body through the years. He’s no longer as fearsome or intimidating as before.

But Tyson’s trainer Freddie Roach, who also works Manny Pacquiao’s corner, said Iron Mike is ready for war. "We’ve been working 18 rounds a day and he’s been doing road work," said Roach. "He’s in much better shape now than he’s been in a long time. We’re trying to get the combinations back, trying to bring back the jab. He still likes to rely on his power."

Roach said Tyson isn’t looking beyond Williams. "We just can’t walk in and starting swinging," Roach went on. "I want Mike to go into this fight a little more scientific, behind the jab and use his boxing ability more than he did in the last fight."

Tyson, a Muslim like Williams, said he’ll keep on fighting, not just for the money.

"I’m not finished fighting yet," said Tyson who wears a grotesque tattoo around his left eye as a weird tribute to the people of Borneo, Polynesia and Micronesia. Cus (D’Amato, his late mentor) always said I’m the kind of guy who’s going to get hurt in the ring. I’m not going to go running. I’m going to get there again. I’ve been fighting for over 25 years. I’ve received a lot of pain. I don’t like myself. I’m in a Catch 22 about my own identity. That’s why I’m very harsh. I don’t care whether I love or die."

Tyson has squandered a fortune of over $300 Million from ring earnings by paying huge settlement sums to two previous wives in divorce proceedings, living lavishly and retaining expensive lawyers to defend him in a variety of court cases. He has at least four children, including one-year-old Miguel, and promises to take care of them all.

Williams is the first obstacle in Tyson’s campaign to return to the top of the heavyweight heap.