HALPERN ALLOWED TO REFEREE FIGHT.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer

A protest over referee Mitch Halpern filed by the Mike Tyson camp amounted to nothing.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted 4-1 Thursday to reject the protest, filed because Tyson's handlers don't want Halpern to work Saturday's heavyweight championship bout against Evander Holyfield.

Initially, John Horne, Tyson's co-manager, said he objected to the way Halpern officiated the first fight between Holyfield and Tyson, in November. He said the referee failed to prevent excessive holding and butting by Holyfield.

On Thursday, during an hourlong meeting, he said the protest had nothing to do with Halpern's performance. Instead, he said he believes his fighter would be at a psychological disadvantage to have the same referee in back-to-back fights, whatever that means.

Jim Thomas, Holyfield's adviser, suggested that Mills Lane work the fight as a compromise and Tyson's people agreed.

Still, the commission didn't budge.

Weigh in: Both Holyfield and Tyson weighed in at 218 pounds.

That's the heaviest in Holyfield's career. He weighed 216 for the second of three fights against Riddick Bowe (which Holyfield won) in 1993 and 215 for the first fight against Tyson.

For Tyson, 218 is the lightest since he weighed 216 for the second of his two fights against Razor Ruddock in 1991.

Extra cash: Initially, the athletic commission said both fighters were making $30 million for the fight.

On Thursday, commission Marc Ratner said a review of Holyfield's contract indicated he's actually going to make $33 million. Ah, what's a few million here or there.

Heavyweight payday: Sugar Ray Leonard, a Showtime commentator for the fight, was asked whether he'd be making $30 million if he were 10 years younger.

``If I was 50 pounds heavier, yeah,'' he said.

Leonard, who was knocked out by Hector Camacho in a comeback fight in March, said a calf injury that he claims hampered him in the fight has healed.

``It took two or three months to be totally healed,'' he said. ``Looking back on it, I should have taken another date (for the Camacho fight). Even now I feel I could have pulled it off.''

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Photo: Evander Holyfield weighs in at a career-heavy 218 pounds, the same as Mike Tyson.

Associated Press