BOXING\Away from ring, Tyson is no hero.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal

It was a sad day for boxing.

At one time, the heavyweight champion of the world was also a hero, someone society could look to with great admiration and pride, someone like Joe Louis or Evander Holyfield, whose behavior did justice to the word "champion."

On Saturday, when Mike Tyson knocked out Frank Bruno in Las Vegas, an unrepentant rapist who continues to treat people with disdain and often contempt, reclaimed a third of that once-venerable title and stained it indelibly.

Simply, Tyson is a miserable person.

Of course, his most serious display of disrespect was the rape of Desiree Washington, a teen-aged beauty-pageant contestant who was transformed from a happy-go-lucky spirit to a near recluse, according to reports.

For this, Tyson spent only three years in prison. And, to this day, he has expressed no remorse whatsoever for his behavior or even admitted to the crime.

However, the rape was only the worst in a continual pattern of gross disrespect for others.

At a Los Angeles news conference before his comeback fight against Peter McNeeley in August, for example, a female reporter asked Tyson a question he deemed inappropriate: She made reference to Washington.

His response? He glared at her with clear intent to frighten her. And this was only months after his release from prison. Obviously, he hadn't changed.

Normally, he's just plain mean.

At a post-fight news conference on Sunday, a highly regarded Italian journalist repeated Tyson's recent statement that he planned to marry "soon" and then added politely, "May I ask how soon?"

"Soon," he repeated, his way of mocking the reporter, and shook his head as if she were an idiot. All the while, his cronies giggled. Clearly, "Team Tyson" revels in any opportunity to humiliate people.

Ironically, John Horne, one of Tyson's co-managers, said only a few reporters have treated the fighter unfairly. Imagine: They've had the nerve to paint an unflattering portrait of this poor, misunderstood soul.

However, only the boot-lickers among the media - and they exist - are treated with any respect. When anyone else raises a question, Tyson responds with sarcasm or cryptic, useless answers. Never is he polite.

Trainer Teddy Atlas, who worked with Tyson when the fighter was a teen-ager, believes he's a hypocrite. He's right.

"I don't think there's anything funny about Mike Tyson," Atlas said last week. "He said he's found religion, he's found peace yet he's awfully contemptible toward people, disdainful, rude to newspaper people when they ask the wrong question. He threatens people with his body language, verbally undresses people, makes them scared to ask questions.

"He's not a guy at peace, he's not a happy guy. Believe what you see, not what he tells you."

The people with whom Tyson surrounds himself only add to the ugliness that hovers over the fighter.

At Sunday's news conference, for example, promoter Don King - whose endless nonsensical ramblings are normally the most painful aspect of any news conference - called IBF heavyweight champion and prospective Tyson opponent Francois Botha to the dais to say a few words.

The South African said what was expected of him, that he believed he was the best heavyweight and that he wanted to prove it against Tyson. When he made the statement, however, Tyson's people laughed audibly and an insignificant sycophant they call "Crocodile" started raving about how Botha would be knocked out. Again, no respect whatsoever.

Rory Holloway, Tyson's other co-manager, made reference to the saddest part of all this when he said, "We're going to be around for a while. Get used to these faces."

Unfortunately, he might be right. The terrifying manner with which Tyson d set, chopped down a frightened, overmatched Bruno was reminiscent of his earlier championship days and once again raised the question: Can anyone beat this guy?

The names Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis come up but one wonders.

After all, Holyfield, who isn't a great puncher, was able to put Bowe down. How would he react to a Tyson punch? And, remember, Lewis was knocked out by Oliver McCall, the fighter Bruno outpointed to win the title.

Indeed, things don't look good. We can only hope either Bowe or Lewis ultimately can rise to the occasion or that someone else - someone like Buster Douglas - emerges to wrest the title of "champion" from someone so undeserving.

COMING UP

Tuesday: Heavyweight prospect Jeremy Williams takes on Arthur Weathers at the Pyramid, the first boxing card at the Long Beach State venue.

Thursday: Unbeaten featherweight Arnulfo "Chico" Garica will face Jose Luis Ocampo in a 10-round bout at the Olympic Auditorium. Also, in a women's exhibition, Lucia Rijker takes on Gloria Cataneo. Rijker is an established Thai boxer and a native of Holland.

Saturday: Arturo Gatti defends his IBF junior welterweight title against Wilson Rodriguez in New York. Also on the card, Orlando Canizales faces Junior Jones in a 12-round super bantamweight bout. And, in Miami, Antonio Cermeno defends his WBA junior featherweight belt against Yober Ortega while Nate Miller and Brian LaSpada vie for Miller's WBA cruiserweight title. Finally Arberto "Raton" Jimenez defends his WBO flyweight title against Miguel Martinez at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the first of six cards to be televised on Channel 9 this year.

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(1--color) Mike Tyson is "awfully contemptible toward people," according to one of his ex-trainers, Teddy Atlas. (2) Mike Tyson sports WBC belt after defeating Frank Bruno. Associated Press Box Coming up (see text)