MIKE TYSON'S behaviour outside the ring and his incarceration for rape, had taken much of the gloss off what has come to be known as "the biggest prize in sport" - the world heavyweight championship.

Tyson's fall from grace and the return to the ring of old men who would be better employed looking after their. grandchildren has done much to undo what great sportsmen like Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali have done.

There were also the activities of men like the promoter Don King to bring an air of sleaze to the fight game which continued to give support to those who would ban the sport completely.

And yet an extraordinary performance by Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas in November in making Tyson look human and vulnerable will surely rank as the performance of the year.

Not only did it put a question mark against Tyson's future but it broke for a time at least Don King's manic grip on the heavyweight division. He had expressed in his usual way the view that Tyson was the man to unite the division.

Now part of the enjoyment of Holyfield's feat in forcing a stoppage in the 11th round of their WBA title bout is the satisfaction of knowing that King's domination of the fight game has been damaged (hopefully) beyond repair.

Although the casinos in Las Vegas were giving Holyfield's starting price as 10 to 1 nobody told Holyfield and, after Tyson had taken a hard left hook to the head in the first round, the pattern was set and Holyfield took control.

He dropped Tyson in the sixth and might have ended it in the 10th only for the bell to delay the inevitable. But not for long; a mere 33 seconds in fact before the referee stepped in to save Tyson further punishment.

A contrite Tyson was reduced to asking for a rematch, an opportunity which Holyfield may not deign to give.

Frank Bruno's brief reign as WBC heavyweight champion came to an abrupt end at the fists of Mike Tyson in Last Vegas in March. Just as in their previous bout there in 1989 it was a mismatch from the start and a badly bruised Bruno was taken straight to hospital after being stopped to save him further punishment in the third round.

The year is ending on a farcical. note with Andrew Golota being disqualified for low blows for the second time in his bout with Riddick Bowe in Atlantic City last Saturday and reports that Oliver McCall is to be charged with vandalism and disorderly conduct after a night on the town in Nashville.