[MrCee]

LOS ANGELES - A scuffle erupted between Mike Tyson and a freelance photographer at Los Angeles International Airport Wednesday, and both men were booked and released on suspicion of misdemeanor battery, police said.

The former heavyweight boxing champion and photographer Tony Echevarria, 50, both want to press charges of misdemeanor battery against each other, police said.

Echevarria told police that Tyson struck him once, airport police spokesman Sgt. Jim Holcomb said. The photographer fell to the ground and was treated for a cut to his forehead at a hospital.

Tyson’s spokeswoman Tammy Brook said the boxer was passing through Los Angeles on his way from Europe to Las Vegas with his wife and 10-month-old child when he was attacked by an overly aggressive paparazzo. The 43-year-old acted in self-defense to protect his child, she said.

“There’s a lot of different versions to this story and that’s all going to come out later,” Holcomb said. “Some witness statements support Tyson’s version, others support the photographer’s.”

Paparazzi often camp out at Los Angeles’ largest airport to get shots of celebrities in transit.

“I’ve heard people were following him into the men’s room and trying to take his picture there,” said Tyson’s defense attorney, David Chesnoff. “My advice to him is going to be to vigorously press charges against what everyone agrees are ridiculously aggressive photographers.”

Tyson was cooperative as he waited in a holding cell at the airport police station, Holcomb said. Echevarria was booked and released after he was treated at a hospital, police said.

Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion ever in 1986 when he won his title as a 20-year-old. But his life since then has been marred by accusations of domestic violence, rape and cocaine use.

Tyson was convicted of rape in Indiana in 1992 and served three years in prison. He was disqualified from a 1997 heavyweight title fight when he bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s right ear, and in 1999 he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault charges in Maryland.

In 2003, Tyson filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. He served 24 hours in an Arizona jail in 2007 after pleading guilty to cocaine possession and driving under the influence.

Tyson booked on suspicion of battery at LAX - Other sports- nbcsports.msnbc.com

Tyson was protecting wife Lakiha Spicer and daughter Milan, his spokeswoman said

[MrCee]

Photographer speaks about alleged Tyson airport beating

Former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson finds himself in trouble again after a Los Angeles clash with a photographer at LAX. In an interview with TMZ, Tony Echevarria claims that unprovoked, Tyson attacked him.

Echevarria got a tip that Tyson, traveling with his wife and 10-month-old child, was arriving at LAX from London. Echevarria followed Tyson, who arrived 30 minutes late, from the international terminal as he made his way to Terminal 7. Echevarria said Tyson was cordial and cooperative until he got agitated while looking for a bathroom. That's when the 43-year-old former champ allegedly lost it grabbing Echevarria by his camera bag strap and striking him:

"I found myself in the street and he was hitting me with fists in the head. People came and got him off me. They basically saved my life."

Echevarria said he needed five stitches to close wounds on the back of his head and forehead:

"He was hitting me, there was just blood everywhere. It was like a water valve," Echevarria said he was struck with four punches that he knew of. Airport police spokesman Jim Holcomb said the photographer told police he was struck once. "When the blood is just gushing around you lose count."

Echevarria still appeared to be shaken during his sitdown with the gossip site:

"It's traumatizing. When you're being hit by Mike Tyson, it's really the worst thing in the world that you can imagine. He claimed that I elbowed him. He claimed that I was aggressive. I'm not an aggressive paparazzi."

That's not the story from Tyson's side.

"Mike acted in self defense as a father protecting his child," said Tyson's spokeswoman Tammy Brook.

Holcomb said witnesses on the scene supported both stories.

Echevarria told TMZ that his new $5,000 camera was destroyed and the remains, including the videotape, are now in police possession.

Photographer speaks about alleged Tyson airport beating - Boxing Experts Blog - BOX - Yahoo! Sports

[killa]

LOS ANGELES -- Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, who was arrested in a scuffle with a photographer, could be sent to jail if he's found to have violated probation from a 2007 drug case, officials said Thursday.

The 43-year-old former heavyweight champion and a photographer, Tony Echeverria, made citizens' arrests of each other following a confrontation at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport.

Each man claimed the other struck him, police said.

Airport police were called, and the men were taken away for booking on suspicion of misdemeanor battery. They were fingerprinted and photographed, then released without bail, Sgt. Jim Holcomb said.

The city attorney will decide whether to file criminal charges.

Tyson is on probation after pleading guilty in Arizona to cocaine possession and driving under the influence. He spent 24 hours in jail there.

Zach Dal Pra, deputy chief of the Maricopa County Adult Probation Department, said his office is still trying to get in touch with Los Angeles authorities to figure out exactly what transpired during the airport incident.

"Did Mr. Tyson's actions constitute a violation of probation here? If so, we'll start court proceedings," he said. "Right now, we're still in that investigative mode."

Tyson could face jail time if a court finds that he violated his probation, Dal Pra said.

Tyson had stopped at LAX while traveling from Europe to Las Vegas when several photographers began snapping pictures of him near a ticket counter, Holcomb said.

Echeverria, 50, who described himself as a freelance photographer, told police that Tyson struck him once. The photographer fell to the ground and was treated for a cut to his forehead at a hospital.

Tyson's spokeswoman, Tammy Brook, said the boxer was traveling with his wife and 10-month-old child when he was attacked by an overly aggressive paparazzo. She said Echeverria repeatedly refused to comply with orders from airport personnel to leave the family alone and at one point collided with the baby's stroller.

"Mike acted in self defense as a father protecting his child," Brook said.

Echeverria's camera was booked as evidence, and police were checking if there was any surveillance video of the incident.

Tyson was cooperative as he waited in a holding cell at the airport police station, Holcomb said. Echeverria was treated at a hospital while Tyson continued his trip, Holcomb said.

Holcomb said both men were released without any restrictions and were free to go wherever they wanted.

Paparazzi often camp out at Los Angeles' largest airport to get shots of celebrities in transit.

Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion ever in 1986 when he won his title as a 20-year-old. But his life since then has been marred by accusations of domestic violence, rape and cocaine use.

Tyson was convicted of rape in Indiana in 1992 and served three years in prison. He was disqualified from a 1997 heavyweight title fight when he bit off part of Evander Holyfield's right ear, and in 1999 he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault charges in Maryland.

In 2003, Tyson filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Mike Tyson faces jail if scuffle is deemed a violation - ESPN