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Tyson ready to fight: trainer

July 16, 2004 12:20 IST

Mike Tyson is ready to return to the ring and is tired of training for his upcoming fight, according to his trainer Freddy Roach.

Roach gave a telephone press conference on Thursday to update reporters on Tyson's status as he prepares to face British fighter Danny Williams on July 30 in Louisville, Kentucky.

"He's been a gentleman outside the ring," Roach said.

"But I can see it coming a little bit, he's getting a little moody. He's tired of training right now. He's ready to fight."

Tyson has not fought since knocking out Clifford Etienne in the first round in February, 2003 in Memphis.

The former world champion has an ambitious seven-fight schedule planned in the next two years to get him out of debt. The first step is his bout against the 31-year-old Williams, an unheralded opponent.

However, Roach says that Tyson needs some longer fights to help him get into the form he needs to be in so he can take on more vaunted opponents.

"We need rounds," Roach said. "He can't be sharp fighting one-round fights."

Perhaps expecting another quick fight, Kentucky boxing fans have been slow to snap up the tickets. With just two weeks left until fight time, approximately 7,000 of the 20,000 seats available have been sold, most of them the lower priced ones.

Source: REUTERS
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