IT'S TIME TO LET MIKE TYSON GO.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL Boxing

For Mike Tyson and his handlers, his one-year jail sentence for assaulting two men in Maryland is both tragic and costly. For the rest of us, good riddance.

We can feel compassion for Tyson. He's a bitter, unhappy man who is certain society is out to get him. So the judge's decision probably was no surprise to him.

On a more practical level, his jail time - which could increase when an Indiana judge determines whether he violated the parole conditions from his rape conviction - will cost him his livelihood if he can't fight again.

God help him when he gets out.

Somehow, it's not hard to imagine him drifting into poverty and ending up back in jail before long as a result of his uncontrollable rage.

Let's go a frightening step further: Would anyone be terribly surprised if Tyson met an untimely death as a result of his behavior? Some of those who have followed his life and career closely suspect it will happen. Tyson has even implied that he believes it's a possibility.

It's a sad story.

Then there are those who linked themselves to Tyson in his comeback from a year's suspension for biting the ears of Evander Holyfield. Showtime, the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Shelly Finkel and America Presents stand to lose millions if this is how Tyson's boxing career ends.

Showtime, perhaps with the help of the MGM, reportedly paid off at least part of Tyson's $14 million debt to the IRS. Finkel, Tyson's principal adviser, has spent countless hours as the primary architect of his client's latest return to boxing.

And America Presents is perhaps the biggest loser. The young promotional firm, making its first foray into truly big-time boxing, reportedly gave Tyson a $5 million loan to promote two fights and was negotiating to extend the contract.

For all of the above, it is indeed a sad story.

And then there's everyone else.

Sure, there are those who continued to buy into Tyson's act in spite of his insolence outside the ring and his faded skills in it. His fight with Francois Botha last month drew a pay-per-view audience of roughly 700,000, which pales when compared to his past fights but is a healthy number.

However, for the rest of us, it's time to let go.

The act is old. At one time, in the middle and late '80s, he could get away with acting like a monster outside the ring because he resembled one in it. It was all part of his intriguing persona, which captivated the world and terrified helpless opponents. That was then. He evolved into no more than a disgusting thug when his skills eroded. Now he's boring.

And anyone who saw the Botha fights knows Tyson is not the fighter he once was. He saved himself from an embarrassing loss and possibly the end of his career with the one thing that never leaves a big puncher - his power.

But boxing's most marketable commodity is now a tough sell.

The 700,000 was a disappointment. And with the novelty of his return having worn off, experts were predicting that Tyson's next bout - set for April - would be a pay-per-view disaster. Predictions were as low as 300,000.

The public doesn't seem to be behind him in his legal troubles, either. For example, more than 70 percent of those surveyed last week by AOL believe the one-year sentence was appropriate.

Yes, the public has had enough of him. And boxing has, too. It's time to shift focus from an unfortunate sideshow to the real thing as the sport begins to make the fights so many have waited so long to see.

Holyfield and Lennox Lewis are set to meet in a heavyweight title-unification bout on March 13 in New York's Madison Square Garden. It's the most significant and compelling fight in years. And Oscar De La Hoya will face Ike Quartey on Saturday in Las Vegas in one of the biggest lower-division matchups possible.

The point is that boxing has more than just Mike Tyson and his sordid existence to offer.

At this point, we should do two things: sincerely hope that Tyson gets his life together . . . and move on.

Rabbit punches: Heavyweight Lance Whitaker of Northridge might be another of those who will pay a price for Tyson's jail sentence.

The undefeated 6-foot-8, 250-pounder faces Lou Savarese on the undercard of the David Reid-Laurent Boudouani fight on March 6 in Atlantic City, N.J. Word had it that the winner of that fight would face Tyson in a big-money matchup.

Jeremy Williams, who lives in Sherman Oaks, was another fighter in the running to face Tyson. . . .

The U.S. Olympic class of 1996 reportedly is 138-2-2.

Flyweight Albert Guardado Jr. has both losses. He's 5-2.

Two members of the team already are world champions: Floyd Mayweather and Fernando Vargas of Oxnard. A third, gold medalist Reid, will join his teammates if he takes Boudouani's IBF junior middleweight title. . . .

IBF junior lightweight champ Robert Garcia of Oxnard could face tough Angel Manfredy on the undercard of Mayweather's defense against Goyo Vargas on April 17. . . .

Felix Trinidad, who defends his IBF welterweight title against Pernell Whitaker on Feb. 20, is optimistic a fight with De La Hoya can be made.

Bob Arum, De La Hoya's promoter, expressed doubts because of his relationship with Don King, Trinidad's promoter. And the fact De La Hoya fights for HBO while Trinidad fights for Showtime makes negotiations difficult.

Trinidad said the fact he was allowed to fight Whitaker on HBO means anything is possible.

``HBO is really interested in putting this fight together. I don't see any impediment to making the fight everyone wants to see,'' Trinidad said through an interpreter.

De La Hoya-Trinidad might be the most anticipated and lucrative lower-division matchup the sport has to offer. . . .

Vargas will defend his IBF junior middleweight championship against No. 13 contender Howard Clarke of England on the undercard of the Holyfield-Lewis bout. . . .

The Michael Grant-Ahmad Abdin, Andrew Golota-Jesse Ferguson doubleheader on Jan. 30 brought HBO's ``Boxing After Dark'' an 8.3 per cent television rating, one of the highest in the program's history.

The popularity of Grant, perhaps boxing's next great heavyweight, is growing.

COMING UP

Tonight: At the Forum, Javier Jauregui faces Jose Badillo in a 12-round junior lightweight bout. Also, Antonio Ramirez takes on Aaron Zarate in a 10-round junior lightweight matchup.

Friday: On ESPN2, Antonio Diaz faces Mauro Lucero in a 10-round junior lightweight bout in Las Vegas. Also, Bronco McKart fights Rene Herrera in a 10-round junior middleweight matchup.

Saturday: On pay per view, Oscar De La Hoya defends his WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas. Also, Oba Carr faces Frankie Randall in a 10-round welterweight bout and Erik Morales fights Angel Chacon for Morales' WBC super bantamweight championship. Also Saturday, in Newcastle, England, Richie Woodhall defends his WBC super middleweight title against Vincenzo Nardiello. Also, Herbie Hide defends his WBO heavyweight crown against Orlin Norris.

CAPTION(S):

Box

BOX: COMING UP (see text)