Tyson to the rescue after crash

New York - Mike Tyson has shown his compassionate side by coming to the rescue of an injured motorcyclist.

The former heavyweight champion may be famous for his aggressiveness, but he was quick to help Ryan Chesley who had crashed on a Las Vegas highway.

Attorney Stephen Stubbs said his client, 29-year-old Chesley, was on Interstate 15 on Tuesday morning when a taxi cut him off and he went down.

Stubbs said Chesley was lying on the ground when he looked up and recognised Tyson, who was yelling at people not to touch the injured man.

"He (Chesley) thought he was hallucinating," Stubbs said. "He thought he was in some other world."

Chesley, who had broken bones and torn ligaments, could still use his right hand and snapped a cellphone picture of “Iron Mike”. As soon as paramedics arrived, Tyson "just left, like some kind of superhero," Stubbs said.

Tyson's assistant, Steve Lott, said the former fighter received a fruit basket with a handwritten thank-you note from Chesley on Friday.

"Thank you so much for looking over me after my accident," said the notes. "It has to be the most reassuring thing in the world to have Mike Tyson telling people not to touch me."

Half the fruit in the basket had been consumed by Monday, Lott said, and the pistachios were a particularly popular item.

Chesley will need surgery but has been released from the hospital, Stubbs said.