Iron Mike is now Fat Mike, a 40-year-old who admits he would rather be out partying than anywhere near a gym. He says he hates boxing, hasn’t beaten anyone of any significance in 10 years and has no plans to ever be in a real fight again.

Yet there are apparently people who will pay money to see him who wouldn’t think of buying tickets for a real fight. Blame that on America’s obsession with celebrity, no matter how faded it is.

Better yet, blame it on the sad state of boxing.

This is a sport, after all, which is trying to sell a completely shot Holyfield in yet another comeback and a 7-foot-tall Russian nicknamed the Beast From The East.

Nikolay Valuev is actually a heavyweight champion, at least according to the people at the World Boxing Association, who will pad their pockets Saturday night when he defends the title against Monte Barrett in Chicago. Don King is promoting the event as Big Red October, but a better title might be Big October Fraud.

King and his like have killed the sport over the last 20 years, allowing heavyweight champions to multiply like bad comedians and promoting fights that were such mismatches that people quit caring.

Then, when a fighter like Diego Corrales comes along, there aren’t enough fans left to notice.

Corrales, if you don’t know him, is everything Tyson used to be, albeit 90 pounds lighter. He’s a lightweight who punches like a heavyweight, and doesn’t mind getting into wars despite a glass chin. The best thing about him, though, is that he brings an intensity into the ring reminiscent of a young Tyson.

Corrales was born in the wrong era, but he’s old-school when it comes to giving fans their money’s worth.

“There was a point in time when boxers were revered by all,” Corrales said. “They were great fighters but they weren’t full of themselves. You have to treat the fans the way you would like to be treated. If it wasn’t for them we’d all be fighting someone in a back alley for free.”

Corrales won’t be fighting for free Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. He’ll make a good payday to defend his lightweight title against former champion Joel Casamayor, who has decked him three times in their two previous fights.

Slideshow   Week in Sports Pictures A boxing champ celebrates, a kicker regrets, fans mourn a hero, and much more. more photos

But the Showtime network is offering the fight free for pretty much anyone who has a cable box or satellite receiver. It’s a rare chance to recapture some long-disillusioned fans and draw in younger ones who these days are more interested in the UFC and other mixed martial arts sports than boxing.

Do yourself a favor and watch it. Actually, do boxing a favor and watch.

The sport could use it.

Who knows, maybe Tyson will be there, too.

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