LAS VEGAS -- Mike Tyson doesn't feel well, has a bad back and hasn't set foot in the gym since Wednesday. His own trainer says he's not fit to fight.

Still, his comeback fight with Clifford Etienne remains on -- at least for now.

After a day of uncertainty, Tyson and his handlers decided Saturday not to pull out of his first fight since being badly beaten last June by Lennox Lewis.

Tyson's trainer, though, said he has no ticket for Memphis and doubts the fight will come off as planned.

"It doesn't sound like he's fit to fight to me,'' Freddie Roach said. "He's missed a crucial week of training.''

Roach said he has not seen Tyson since Wednesday and that he has been given no ticket or itinerary for a scheduled Sunday flight to Memphis. He said he called Tyson on Saturday and Tyson was noncommittal.

"He told me he's sick and he'll call me if he needs me,'' Roach said. "I don't have a clue.''

Tyson's manager, Shelly Finkel, and promoter Gary Shaw flew to Las Vegas to meet with Tyson, who is scheduled to fight Etienne next Saturday. They went to his house and came away saying the fight was still on.

"He's feeling a little under the weather, but I hope he'll be fine,'' Shaw said. "He's leaving tomorrow for Memphis.''

Later, Finkel indicated Tyson's departure wasn't set in cement.

"He's supposed to (fly Sunday) as of now,'' Finkel said.

If he is, Tyson could be going without Roach and assistant trainer Jeff Fenech, who was so upset with Tyson's training habits that he left camp and flew back home to Sydney.

"Mike could still knock this guy out, but I don't want to be part of it because the preparation isn't there,'' Fenech said.

Roach said Tyson had been training normally and was in shape, but began missing workouts during the week.

"All of a sudden something changed. I don't know what it was,'' Roach said. "I've been in the gym every day waiting for him.''

Finkel said earlier that Tyson -- whose record is littered with fight postponements -- went to a doctor on Friday who diagnosed him with bronchitis and gave him antibiotics.

One of Tyson's advisers, Gene Kilroy, said Tyson was visibly ill on Friday and questioned whether he should fight if he is not better.

"If you're not hitting on all cylinders, why risk it?'' Kilroy said.

Tyson's illness came after a tumultuous week in which he also got a new tattoo -- this one on his face.

Roach said the new tattoo is an "African tribal thing'' and covers a large part of Tyson's face.

The Etienne fight is crucial to the 36-year-old Tyson, who was badly beaten by Lennox Lewis last year and needs not only to win but to look good if he hopes to sell a planned June rematch with Lewis.

In all, Tyson missed at least three workouts this week, prompting Finkel, to fly to Las Vegas to see if the fight could be salvaged.

"He's not feeling well, that's why I'm here,'' Finkel said Saturday. "He's had some bronchitis, some temperature stuff.''

Tyson has a history of postponing fights. He had some back problems that forced his first fight with Evander Holyfield in November 1991 to be called off. Tyson and Holyfield eventually fought five years later.

Roach said Tyson has been bothered in training by back problems but continued to train until missing the sessions this week.

Roach also said Tyson had sparred fewer than 40 rounds for the Etienne fight, his first since being stopped in the eighth round June 8 by Lennox Lewis for the heavyweight championship.

Two weeks ago, Tyson was in good spirits as he allowed some members of the media to watch him work out. But his mood changed and there were reports he was increasingly surly last week.

The Etienne fight is both a comeback fight and a tuneup for Tyson, who if he wins is expected to meet Lewis in a June rematch. That fight would also be in jeopardy if the fight is postponed because it is not likely it would be rescheduled for weeks, or months.

Shaw said ticket sales for the fight had approached 10,000, aided by a 2-for-1 promotion for some seats. He said he expected at least 12,000 for the fight at the Pyramid arena.

"The fight was not tanking,'' Shaw said. "We expected a good crowd.''

If Tyson pulls out of the fight, the cable network Showtime that has aired his fights since he was released from prison in 1995 would have to scramble to fill a big hole.

The fight and a rap concert by Jay-Z were part of an entertainment package Showtime put together for its subscribers. Non-subscribers could pay $24.95 for the pay-per-view.