Boxing: Lewis-Tyson talk re-surfaces

Former world heavyweight champions Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson have reportedly reached an agreement on a two-fight showdown.

Past efforts to pit together boxing’s two biggest draws have stumbled as a result of American television politics - with Lewis being contracted to cable network HBO while Tyson is with rival station Showtime.

However, Lewis’ business manager Adrian Ogun claims that all parties have now come together to overcome the red tape.

Lewis is also currently suing WBC and IBF champion Hasim Rahman over a rematch clause in the contract of their Carnival City showdown from earlier this year.

Ogun said: ‘‘This is the best situation for Lennox.

‘‘He is now guaranteed two historic fights with Mike Tyson regardless of whether he wins the court case against Don King for a rematch with Hasim Rahman.

‘‘Lewis-Tyson I and II will be the biggest grossing fights in the history of boxing with Lennox and Mike Tyson sharing around £120m between them.’’

December has been put forward as a suitable time for the first showdown and that has been given a seal of approval by Lewis’ trainer Emanuel Steward.

‘‘This is what Lennox’s career is all about,’’ Steward said. ‘‘He will knock out Tyson impressively.

‘‘A December date presents us with no problems.

‘‘If it goes our way in court, the rematch with Rahman will go ahead in August or September, leaving sufficient time for Tyson in December.

‘‘If it goes against us in court, Lennox could go straight into the Tyson fight.’’

However, before anyone thinks about booking their trips to Las Vegas, New York or wherever the venue will be, a word of warning from Tyson’s manager Shelly Finkel.

He said that talk of Tyson v Lewis being a done-deal is ‘‘premature...in fact, it is more than premature’’.

Finkel added: ‘‘A Tyson-Lewis contest is closer than it has been before but then again the outcome of the court case is closer too.

‘‘I cannot comment any further than that other than to say that there will be a response (to Ogun’s statement).’’