Michael Moorer's eyes were cold and menacing; his body language spelled hatred. As the International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion pressed his face into that of one of America"s leading boxing journalists, the threat of Detroit street violence was right here in the desert city where Moorer fights the World Boxing Association champion Evander Holyfield on Saturday.

Flanked by his entourage and with the profanities of the murdered rap artist Tupak Shakur blaring from a nearby ghetto blaster, Moorer faced up to Jon Saraceno, who had dared to criticise him in USA Today.

"He likes to act the bad-ass. said Saraceno, who doubles as a television pundit. "If he'd bumped into me outside the hotel I'm pretty sure he would have hit me. I don't even know what I did to upset him."

Moorer peeled off a T-shirt to reveal a fleshy torso markedly different from that of the chiselled Holyfield who sat 50 yards away, oblivious to the commotion.

Moorer, 3 1/2 years ago, became with Riddick Bowe one of only two men to have defeated Holyfield, though his victory here was devalued when Holyfield's lacklustre performance was explained away by a heart abnormality and a shoulder injury.

"It should have been the proudest day of my life," said Moorer, "but it's over and done with now. I got the victory and I got two titles from it and I am going to do it again."

The 29-year-old suffered a disastrous first defence of his titles when he was knocked out by the 45-year-old George Foreman, while Holyfield has been given a clean bill of health and regained world number one billing with two victories over Mike Tyson.

Moorer has won his four contests since the Foreman debacle, but his unimpressive performances prompted his long-time trainer Teddy Atlas to walk away from an $800,000 pay-day - 10 per cent of Moorer's purse here.

He has been replaced by the quietly-spoken Freddie Roach, who has prepared Steve Collins for his recent fights.

Moorer reluctantly answered questions after yesterday's workout. If he won, would he fight the World Boxing Council champion Lennox Lewis? "It's possible."

Would being the undisputed champion mean a lot to him? "What do you think? I'm a professional fighter."

As he spoke there was no hint of a smile, no humour or charm. Moorer's public persona hovers around Tyson levels of likability and in a sport which needs positive role models Moorer, to most observers, remains an inadequate example.