Mike Tyson Wins Fight In Scotland In 38 Seconds

It took just 38 seconds for Mike Tyson to score a first-round knockout in his heavyweight bout against Lou Savarese in Glasgow, Scotland, and start a new round of speculation over his behavior during the brief bout.

The former heavyweight champion knocked down the 6-foot-5 Savarese with a left hook about 12 seconds into the fight. Savarese struggled up at the five count and Tyson was on him immediately.

A flurry of punches, including a big left hook, sent Savarese reeling back, and referee John Coyle leaped in and halted the match.

It was Tyson's third-quickest victory and seventh in less than one minute. He knocked out Marvis Frazier in 30 seconds in 1986 and he beat Robert Colay in 37 seconds in 1985.

"I am the most ruthless, brutal champion ever," Tyson said. "I am Sonny Liston and Jack Dempsey. There is no one who can match me." A match with Lennox Lewis is Tyson's goal, and his harshest words were saved for the British heavyweight champion.

"I want your heart," he said in comments aimed at Lewis. "I want to eat your children." Tyson said when he does fight Lewis, "I will rip out his heart and feed it to him."

"He was terrifying," said Jay Larkin, in charge of boxing for the Showtime cable television network. "It was a terrifying display of power, a display of relentlessness."

But, Tyson's relentlessness is what has British boxing authorities reviewing the recent bout.

After referee Coyle jumped in to halt the match Tyson moved around Coyle and hit Savarese twice more before the referee pushed Tyson away and signaled that the fight was over.

"As soon as Mike hit Lou a second time, I shouted, `Stop!' and dived in," said Coyle, who was not hurt in the exchange, the New York Times reported. "Mike said he couldn't hear me even though I was standing right in front of him. And I don't know how he didn't see me."

Simon Block, secretary of the British Board of Boxing Control, said the board plans to review "all the reports surrounding what happened, before, during and after the fight, including that of the referee and the other officials."

After the fight, Savarese went to a hospital to treat his left ankle, which he apparently injured when he was knocked down by Tyson.

"I got caught with a left hook," Savarese said as he left the ring. "I threw a jab and he slipped it. I got caught with a great punch. I thought I was ready to continue, but I don't question the referee's judgment."

Tyson, 34, earned $8 million for the match. Savarese, who will turn 35 on July 14, made $850,000.

The quick bout astonished and disappointed many of the nearly 20,000 fans, cold and wet from a hard rain that preceded the nighttime bout at the outdoor Hampden Park ring, who began booing the abrupt ending.

Frank Warren, who promoted the Glasgow fight and Tyson's Jan. 29 bout against Julius Francis in Manchester, England, said he was not sure whether he would promote Tyson again.

There were reports that Tyson attacked Warren over a dispute concerning who should pay for some jewelry Tyson purchased in London in January. Tyson denied the reports.

While Warren did not comment on the allegations, he said that of the 40,000 tickets distributed for the fight, 20,000 were returned. There had been doubts the fight would happen right up until the day of the match.

There were also questions about Tyson's mental and physical condition. Tyson said he trained only three weeks, and the training had been interrupted for several days so he could attend the recent funeral of Darryl Baum, a friend who was murdered in New York.

Despite his devastating win over Savarese, and his vicious challenge to Lennox Lewis, Tyson admitted, "I am not ready for Lennox Lewis. Of course, he wants me right now. I am not ready yet. I need more training. I am rusty."

Tyson is 48-3 with one no-contest and 42 knockouts.