Boxing needs new hero

Mike Tyson surfaced in Ohio last week to sell the citizenry on the idea of paying to watch him work up a sweat. It wasn’t really his idea but, hey, Lennox Lewis still doesn’t have any children, and a guy’s gotta eat.

The same Tyson who used to separate heads from bodies is now trying to separate the people of Youngstown from some of their hard-earned cash.

“Where else are you going to be able to see Mike Tyson for $25?” his new promoter asked.

Hmmm, the circus maybe? At least there you might get the painted lady and the sword swallower thrown in for the same price.

Anyway, the Mike Tyson World Tour 2006 is now official. It may be kicking off in a not-so-worldly place – and no one seems to have any idea where it goes after that – but it is official.

Or maybe it isn’t. Even Evander Holyfield wouldn’t bet a piece of his ear that Tyson will actually show up Oct. 20 at the Chevrolet Centre for what is supposed to be the first of 100 different four-round exhibitions.

At least Tyson knows the way there. He used to own a mansion in Youngstown.

Or maybe he didn’t.

It’s hard to keep track of all your cribs when your homies want to party and $300 million is slipping through your fingers.

Tyson, of course, is embarrassed that he needs to take a traveling freak show on the road to pay his bills. He has good reason to be, but he has even more reasons to make a living the only way he knows how. He’s hopelessly in debt and, while partying all night in the clubs may be fun, it doesn’t pay well.

Actually, the most pathetic thing isn’t that the former baddest man on the planet has to don oversized gloves to paw at a former sparring partner for spare change. Anyone who has seen Tyson in recent years knows he may not be able to win a bar fight in Youngstown anymore.

No, the most pathetic thing is that, for many, Tyson remains the most intriguing thing happening in boxing these days.

Iron Mike is now Fat Mike, a 40-year-old who admits he would rather be out partying than anywhere near a gym. He said he hates boxing, hasn’t beaten anyone of any significance in 10 years and has no plans to be in a real fight again.

Yet there are apparently people who will pay money to see him who wouldn’t think of buying tickets for a real fight. Blame that on America’s obsession with celebrity, no matter how faded it is.

Better yet, blame it on the sad state of boxing.

This is a sport, after all, which is trying to sell a completely shot Holyfield in another comeback and a 7-foot-tall Russian nicknamed the Beast from the East.

Nikolay Valuev is a heavyweight champ, according to the people at the World Boxing Association, who will pad their pockets Saturday when he defends the title against Monte Barrett in Chicago. Don King is promoting the event as Big Red October, but a better title might be Big October Fraud.

King and his like have killed the sport over the last 20 years, allowing heavyweight champions to multiply like bad comedians and promoting fights that were such mismatches that people quit caring.

Then, when a fighter like Diego Corrales comes along, there aren’t enough fans left to notice.

Corrales, if you don’t know him, is everything Tyson used to be, albeit 90 pounds lighter. He’s a lightweight who punches like a heavyweight, and doesn’t mind getting into wars despite a glass chin. The best thing about him, though, is that he brings an intensity into the ring reminiscent of a young Tyson.

Corrales was born in the wrong era, but he’s old-school when it comes to giving fans their money’s worth.

“There was a point in time when boxers were revered by all,” Corrales said. “They were great fighters, but they weren’t full of themselves. You have to treat the fans the way you would like to be treated. If it wasn’t for them, we’d all be fighting someone in a back alley for free.”

Corrales won’t be fighting for free Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. He’ll make a good payday to defend his lightweight title against former champion Joel Casamayor, who has decked him three times in their two previous fights.

But the Showtime network is offering the fight free for anyone who has a cable box or satellite receiver. It’s a rare chance to recapture some long-disillusioned fans and draw in younger ones who these days are more interested in mixed martial arts sports than boxing.

Do yourself a favor and watch it. Actually, do boxing a favor and watch.

The sport could use it.

Who knows, maybe Tyson will be there, too.