Tyson gets to grips with "Danish pastry" in Copenhagen

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will fight the Danish national hero Brian Nielsen in a 10-round non-title fight in Copenhagen on Saturday, the American boxer's first appearance in a year.

Tyson, whose last four fights have lasted a total of six rounds, is heavier than ever ahead of the contest.

At Thursday's official weigh-in the scale showed almost 109 kilos (239 pounds), almost eight kilos more than the 35-year-old fighter's previous "record" from January 2000.

Tyson, with a 48-3 record and 42 knock outs, last October stopped Andrew Golata in the second round. It was later changed to a "no contest" due to the American refusing to take a post-fight drug test.

Tyson's one-year older Danish opponent weighed 118 kilos (259 pounds).

Nielsen said he had not drained himself of liquid ahead of the weigh-in as he felt comfortable and in good shape.

"Perhaps I can benefit from my weight late in the fight," he said after the weigh-in.

International media have nicknamed the chubby Nielsen "Danish pastry" and said he earned his 62-1 record, including 43 knockouts, against low-grade opponents.

Underdog
"The perception in the States is that I have only fought over-the-hill guys or nobodies," Nielsen said.

"But people can think what they want. I have been underestimated for 63 fights. I am used to it."

Nielsen, 1992 Olympic bronze medallist in the super heavyweight divison, suffered his lone defeat in his 50th outing when he ran out of gas and was stopped in the 10th round by Dick Ryan in June 1999.

Nielsen avenged the Ryan loss last December.

In 1997, Nielsen outpointed former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, then 47, and in 1999 he knocked out another ex-heavyweight champ Tim Witherspoon.

Danish bookmakers pay back the money five times if Tyson knocks out Nielsen within the first two rounds, while the same performance by Nielsen returns the stake 40 times.

The atmosphere between the two fighters is very friendly.

"Tyson is surprisingly nice," Nielsen said. "But I'm sure he will not be nice in the ring."

Tyson seems to have enjoyed his stay in Denmark where he has been surrounded by fans and media since he arrived.

Tyson, who become the youngest heavyweight champion at the age of 20 in 1986, is the World Boxing Council's (WBC) number-one contender and is in line for a mandatory challenge of Hasim Rahman's WBC heavyweight crown.