NEW YORK, July 10: Mike Tyson is getting precious little sympathy. From former heavyweight champions to 12-year-old athletes, even Tyson's own former manager cheered the Nevada State Athletic Commission after it stripped Tyson of his boxing licence.

``The No. 1 thing is if you can't do the time, don't do the crime,'' former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier said.

The commission decided yesterday that when Tyson bit Evander Holyfield twice during their June 28 heavyweight championship fight, he crossed that ``fine line between boxing and chaos.'' The commission fined him $ 3 million, 10 per cent of his purse for the three-round fight.

Some people thought the penalty was too steep. Frazier laughed at that suggestion. ``It's a steep bite he took out of the man's ear.''

Tyson seemed unfazed by the decision: he showed up in Spring Valley, New York, and bought a new Ferrari 456 GT retail price in the $ 200,000-250,000 range.

Wide world of cars sales representative Nick Saradakis said Tyson signed about 30 autographs. ``There's no question he's a real gentleman.''Tyson also visited his sister in the New York Borough of Brooklyn, where he grew up. ``I'll be back in '98,'' Tyson told the New York Daily News.

``A brilliant decision,'' agreed Bill Cayton, who guided Tyson's early career with the late Jim Jacobs and trainer Cus D'Amato. ``It couldn't be wiser.''

Others like Rock Newman, manager of former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe, were less enthusiastic.

``There's a national hue and cry to destroy Mike Tyson,'' Newman told ABC Radio Sports. ``That played a big part in this decision. Another well-publicised, highly administrative, high-tech lynching of a famous, rich black man.''

Tyson can apply for reinstatement of his boxing licence after a year, but some feel the punishment should be permanent.

``I think that he shouldn't be able to box at all. A year (suspension) wasn't enough,'' said Paville Booker, 12, of Pasadena, California, one of several young athletes headed for a sports leadership camp with a heavy emphasis on self-control.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.