Mike Tyson may have been the world heavyweight boxing champion, but it doesn't look like he'll ever be a citizen of Luodian.
Tyson was in Shanghai to open a nightclub and visit sites in the city. Luodian, a suburb of Shanghai, had considered offering the boxier honorary citizenship. The city officials decided to withdraw the offer because they felt that his controversial reputation made him a poor choice for the award.
Members of the community had argued that the honor ``would be inappropriate,'' Luodian's vice mayor, Wang Qiquan, was quoted as saying.
``For one thing, it will be the first time Tyson has even visited our town, and he has never made any other contribution. He has also been involved in too many legal and sporting scandals,'' Wang said.
Luodian officials had apparently hoped making Tyson a citizen would attract attention to their district, an industrial area north of the city.
Tyson once served three years in prison on a rape charge and famously bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield's ear in their 1997 title bout.
His boxing career appeared to end when he quit after the sixth round of a match after desperately trying to foul his way to a win against Irish fighter Kevin McBride last year.
Since then, Tyson has made a series of endorsements and personal appearances in an attempt to pay off debts of more than US$30 million (NT$975 million). In September, he traveled to the war-torn Russian region of Chechnya to open a boxing tournament. (AP)
麥克．泰森已是世界重量級的拳王，不過他似乎永遠也無法成為羅店的鎮民。
泰森到上海為一家夜總會開幕剪綵，並四處參觀訪問。羅店位於上海市郊，曾考慮要頒給泰森榮譽鎮民。但市政府官員決定取消計畫，因為他們認為泰森的名聲具爭議性，頒榮譽獎給他不是明智之舉。
羅店副鎮長王其泉說，當地委員認為這個榮譽「不恰當」而反對。
王其泉說：「一方面來說，這是泰森首度拜訪我們小鎮，他並無任何貢獻。他也牽涉了太多司法與體育醜聞。」
閱讀測驗
1. Mike Tyson ...
a. was once the world heavyweight champion.
b. was not allowed into nightclubs in Shanghai.
c. was made an honorary citizen of Luodian.
2. How many times had Tyson visited Luodian before?
a. Once.
b. Twice.
c. Never.
3. Members of Luodian felt that ...
a. Mike Tyson wasn't a very good boxer.
b. Mike Tyson hadn't done enough for their community.
c. Mike Tyson wasn't guilty of the crimes he had been charged with.
4. What happened in Mike Tyson's 1997 fight with Evander Holyfield?
a. Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield's ear.
b. Tyson quit after the sixth round.
c. Tyson was arrested.
羅店官員顯然希望能藉由頒發榮譽鎮民給泰森，為羅店這個上海北方的工業區聚集焦點。
泰森一度因強暴案入獄三年，在一九九七年拳王爭奪賽中也因咬掉賀利菲德一小塊耳朵而聲名大噪。
泰森去年與愛爾蘭拳擊手凱文．邁克布萊德不擇手段地較勁六回合未果後，決定退賽，拳擊生涯宣告落幕。
自此，泰森接了一連串代言活動與私人活動，試圖擺脫三千多萬美元（新台幣九億七千五百萬）的債務。泰森九月時曾到飽受戰火催殘的車臣，為一個拳擊錦標賽開幕剪綵。 （美聯社／翻譯：賴美君）
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