America At Large: His fight against the Clones Colossus was four days away, but the Prozac appeared to be kicking in already. After a public work-out at Howard University on Tuesday, Mike Tyson spent the better part of half an hour entertaining questions, one of which was phrased in language that might have been better suited to a rap lyric.

"Don't curse like that," Tyson sternly warned his interlocutor. "There are children here."

On the same night that Tyson will square off with Kevin McBride at the MCI Center in Washington, an even more intriguing boxing match will be taking place 200 miles to the north, where Madison Square Garden is presenting a fight between Puerto Rican Miguel Angel Cotto and Muhammad Abdullaev, the Uzbekistani who last defeated Cotto - in the opening round of the 2000 Sydney Games.

Cotto, the World Boxing Organisation light welterweight champion, is undefeated as a pro, and while Abdullaev has lost once, the defeat should probably be marked with an asterisk. I was there at the Mohegan Sun two years ago when Abdullaev, comfortably ahead on points, was decked by Ghanaian Emmanuel Clottey in the 10th round. Abdullaev did not appear to be hurt, and, on instructions from his corner, attempted to gather a bit of rest by remaining on one knee while referee Mike Ortega counted. Alas, poor Muhammad's English was no better then than it is now, and he stayed down on his knee right through the count of 10.

Most boxing connoisseurs, and to tell the truth, most boxing scribes, would rather be in New York Saturday night, but when the circus is in town, you go to the circus. Sports editors understand that Tyson, despite not having defeated an opponent of note in nearly a decade, remains the most compelling figure in the sport. Cotto-Abdullaev could turn out to be the fight of the year, but you wouldn't take a chance on giving Tyson the skip on the odd chance he might decide to take a chomp out of one of McBride's ears, even though Mike has promised that won't happen.

"I'm not going to bite anybody or break anybody's arm," vowed Tyson at Howard on Tuesday, to which Jeff Fenech, the Australian who is training him for his encounter with the Irishman, added: "Mike Tyson will be fully in control of his emotions." If I thought I could rely on that I'd pack up and head back to New York right now.

When I checked into my Washington hotel on Tuesday, there was a care package awaiting. The note, which bore the joint logos of Top Rank and Madison Square Garden, was unsigned, but I strongly suspect the handiwork of publicist Fred Sternburg: "You should be in New York . . . We know that this is not your choice and we empathise with your plight," read the message accompanying the contents, which included a bottle of Puerto Rican rum ("to help numb the pain caused by missing the real June 11th fight"), mouthwash ("to remove the inevitable bad taste"), a barf bag, and sterile antiseptic pads ("good for most bites and cuts").

"He truly is an attraction, no matter whether you like him or dislike him," said Don King of Tyson.

King, who promoted Tyson through most of his big money fights, only to wind up on the receiving end of a $100 million lawsuit, has no vested interest in either of Saturday night's shows. The promoter does, however, control three of the world's recognised heavyweight champions, and has a leg up on the fourth, thanks to a World Boxing Council ruling making the winner of an August bout between two King fighters (Hasim Rahan and Monte Barrett) the mandatory challenger for Vitali Klitschko.

Having reached an out-of-court settlement with Tyson, King would love nothing more than to get Tyson, even at his advanced age, back into the title picture.

"It came off the rails for Mike when Mike bit the ear and he had that time off," King mused a few days ago. "Idle time is the devil's workshop. He had a lot of time on his hands and he didn't employ it the right way. But he's paid the penalty for it, and if he's willing to see the error of his ways, I might take him back and help him. He's still an attraction."

Two years ago Tyson filed for bankruptcy protection, having squandered more than $300 million he had earned in the ring.

"I hope he's fighting for the money," said Jose Torres of Tyson. "I don't think he has much chance of becoming champion again, and he's deluding himself if that's his goal. But you know something? I'd be happily surprised if Mike wins the heavyweight championship again."

Torres, the one-time world light-heavyweight champion, was managed and trained by Tyson's boyhood mentor Cus D'Amato, and during Iron Mike's formative boxing years was among his closest confidants. The two haven't spoken in years.

Torres confided the other day that he wasn't altogether confident Tyson could beat McBride.

"I'm not sure he can beat anybody now," said Torres.

Tyson once suggested that without boxing he would "just fade into Bolivian". The aura of invincibility that was once his stock in trade has by now been thoroughly dissipated.

"Mike is a student of boxing history, and he's surely aware how badly his legacy has been diminished," said Torres.

Several years ago Tyson took umbrage when boxing scribe Wally Mathews described him as "a rapist and a recluse". "I am not a recluse," pouted Tyson.

In the gym at Howard University a few days ago he sounded even more pathetic than that.

"It's a lot easier," said Tyson, "to be the heavyweight champion than it is to be a good person."