Tyson Likes Return to Las Vegas, Stops Ratliff in Round 2

LAS VEGAS —  When last seen in Las Vegas, Mike Tyson was beating his bare fists against a salt cedar tree outside Caesars Palace, crying uncontrollably and screaming the rage of the defeated.

That was June 1984. He was an 18-year-old, 201-pound fighter and had just lost a berth on the U.S. Olympic boxing team to Henry Tillman.

Saturday night, Tyson was all smiles. This time, it was a badly beaten opponent, Alfonzo Ratliff, who broke down and cried during a postfight interview.

Tyson, 221 pounds, registered the easiest of his 27 straight victories. He knocked down the retreating 6-5, 201-pound Ratliff twice in the second round, and referee Davey Pearl stopped the scheduled 10-round bout.

Now, Tyson starts seeing some real paydays. He earned just $50,000 Saturday night, but he is supposed to receive $1 million, $2 million and $3 million, respectively, in Don King’s heavyweight tournament to produce an undisputed heavyweight champion.

The only question Saturday night was, who’s next? Tyson was “scheduled” to fight World Boxing Council champion Trevor Berbick at the Las Vegas Hilton Nov. 22. However, a published report had it that Berbick’s managers were talking about a $3-million payday against Gerry Cooney instead.

At 5-9, Tyson was eight inches shorter than Ratliff and his reach was 14 inches shorter, but his explosive punches caught Ratliff repeatedly.

In the first round, Tyson delivered a leaping right hand that hurt Ratliff, then, midway through the second round, he unloaded a powerful short left hook that all but disassembled Ratliff.

As Ratliff prepared to throw a long right hand from the ropes, Tyson beat him to it with a left that traveled no more than 18 inches. Ratliff took an eight count on one knee, then Tyson tracked him down again on the other side of the ring and finished him with a right to the jaw and a half-dozen unanswered head blows.