EDITORIAL : TIMEOUT FOR TYSON THE FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION SHOULD BE BANNED, BUT IT PROBABLY WON'T HAPPEN.

What's to become of Mike Tyson, the raging bully?

Does a convicted rapist who would try to bite off a man's ears in a boxing ring with the whole world watching deserve any consideration?

It is unthinkable that a vicious coward like Tyson would ever be allowed to fight again. He probably should not be allowed to walk the streets. A man with his twisted psyche has hurt people outside the ring before and he will hurt them again.

But will he get what he deserves? Probably not.

The Nevada State Athletic Association is scheduled to meet today to decide whether to pursue a long-term suspension. But it is doubtful Tyson will be banned from the sport permanently as he should be.

He almost certainly will lose money, but not much. The $30 million purse is being withheld indefinitely, but by law, the state can dock only 10 percent of Tyson's paycheck, or $3 million.

Despite public shock over the bite, few experts believe the penalties will be severe against Tyson.

Why?

Because the public got what it paid for - a great show. The show of shows.

True, Tyson's ruthless conduct stepped over the line of acceptable misbehavior. But boxing is a blood sport ruled by money, and probably as many people were titillated by the violence as were turned off by it.

And even though thousands of spectators fled in a frenzy after the fight, leaving dozens injured, it wasn't the first time violence spilled over the ring into real life.

Last September, the entourage of rap star Tupac Shakur was involved in a fight in a lobby at the MGM Grand after the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon heavyweight championship fight. Shakur was shot a short time later as he and his entourage drove on a street near the Las Vegas Strip and he died six days later.

There have been numerous occasions when boxing has suffered a black eye. But the public always comes back for more.

And the fighters and their handlers seem willing to endure ruthless behavior. Evander Holyfield wanted the fight to continue, even after Tyson chewed off part of his right ear. It wasn't until after the third round, when Tyson ignored a warning and bit into Holyfield's left ear, that Tyson was disqualified.

Tyson should have the book thrown at him for his brutal, unwarranted attack against Holyfield, a true champion. But boxing is not ruled by gentlemen. It is ruled by greed, and Tyson will no doubt return to the ring to fight and possibly bite another day.

Which is too bad for both the sport and the man. Tyson's animalistic instincts mask the heart of a coward who found an ungraceful way to exit the stage when it looked like he would lose.

But for all his tough talk and posturing, deep down, Tyson is a little boy begging for help. And society won't deal with that as long as somebody can make money on his notoriety.