So the battle of the titans has finally come to pass, and there is no controversy due to the outcome.

Mike Tyson, the definition of a dominant boxer in the 1980s, and the definition of a circus sideshow ever since, was disposed of with ease by heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis on Saturday night.

Tyson, formerly one of my favorite fighters in the most corrupt sport in the world besides Olympic figure skating, showed that he truly is a shell of his former self when he matched up with the larger champion in Memphis this past weekend.

In the most hyped fight since Tyson-Holyfield II, I thought, once again, that we would see the true Mike Tyson, the one who destroyed everyone in his path en route to becoming the youngest heavyweight champion ever.

Of course, I have thought this every time he has stepped in the ring since his surprising loss to Buster Douglas when I was in fourth grade.

Wait a second, fourth grade?

For me, that was 12 years ago – 1990.

I haven’t seen Mike Tyson in top form since 1990?

Unless you consider top form to be biting a piece of a man’s ear off.

Once considered one of the most dominating figures in boxing, alongside Ali, Frazier and Foreman, Tyson has, in my eyes, become not much better than the second-tier names, such as Lewis (for now), Michael Spinks and Riddick Bowe.

This fight was actually more than expected. At the same time, it was less than was expected. Many felt the same that I did – that Tyson was going to regain his place in history by becoming a three-time heavyweight champion. Then there were those who were waiting for another fiasco, such as the biting incident with Holyfield.

Saturday actually provided a clean, fair fight, with the exception of Lewis getting docked a point in the fourth round for holding.

After the fight, everyone waited for a tirade from Tyson that reflected the infamous press conference, which led to the alleged biting of Lewis’ leg by Tyson, only to see Tyson show his respect to Lewis as a fighter and a champion, whether or not it was just Tyson sucking up to get a rematch.

Makes you wonder if the “I want to crush his skull” comment was yet another ploy to sell the fight, or if Tyson really is a psycho that should be placed in a straitjacket instead of a pair of black trunks and boxing gloves.

All I know is that I’m glad to see there wasn’t a big controversy following the fight. Lewis showed that he is the man right now, and Tyson admitted he isn’t.

It would’ve been a shame to see something happen like we saw in the first Lewis-Holyfield fight, where everyone but the judges thought one man won the fight, only to see the fight called a draw.

I’m also relieved to see that Tyson behaved himself, during and after the fight. Especially after all the things he has said about Lewis ever since Lewis won the titles from Holyfield.

Maybe Tyson realized that no one takes him seriously as a contender anymore, and that he scares pretty much everyone he encounters when he starts talking about eating people’s children and things like that.

Like I have said, I’ve always been a Tyson fan, and wanted nothing more than to see him re-emerge as the number one man in boxing, but I have pretty much given up on ever seeing that happen.

In doing so, I have become a fan of Lennox Lewis in the process. He is probably one of the best things that pro boxing has going right now.

The best thing boxing has is Roy Jones Jr., but his competition is so far below his level, that Roy has started a career in rap music.

Obviously the weight class that gets the most attention is the heavyweight division, so Roy will probably never get the type of payday as Lewis vs. Tyson got, but Roy is the man.

Still, Lewis has proven that he is a deserving champ.

Besides what proved to be a fluke loss to Hasim Rahman, Lewis has beaten everyone in his path, and did so while keeping as low a profile as possible.

The exception being when Rahman instigated a skirmish on ESPN’s Up Close, and the incident where Tyson freaked out at the press conference.

Lewis does not possess the flash of Ali or the novelty of Tyson outside the ring, but he has shown that he has got the skill inside the ring, and right now that is what boxing needs.

The credibility of pro boxing is at an all-time low right now, and the people in charge have got to get more fights like they had this weekend to get back on the right path.

My suggestions, besides the one above, for righting the ship known as boxing are as follows:

1) Retire Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.

2) No more white guys ranked in the top ten contenders’ spots. (See Peter McNeeley or Francois Botha.)

3) No more Don King.

4) Name Vince McMahon the new commissioner after merging the WBC, IBF, and all the other groups. If it’s going to be rigged, it may as well be simple, and more entertaining. Who wouldn’t pay to see a Tyson-Lewis rematch set in a steel cage?

5) Finally, and this one goes along with number four, one championship.

Once the title is undisputed, it shouldn’t be disputed anymore.

Rick Kerr is a junior in journalism and mass communication from Des Moines. He is hungry for a shot at the title.