King opts for return bout in US courts

Boxing

Don King yesterday withdrew an offer of $10m to Britain's Lennox Lewis for a July fight against the WBC heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson, writes Glyn Leach from New York.

A New Jersey judge ruled in March that Tyson should make the first defence of his title against Lewis. Five attempts to overturn that decision have failed in American courts. After being forced to the negotiating table, King has elected to give the legal system one last try.

Yesterday the case was being heard by seven judges of the Supreme Court at Trenton, New Jersey, with a ruling expected today. King had planned to match Tyson with the WBA champion, Bruce Seldon, in July; but last week an appeals court ordered that Tyson must face Lewis, who fights Ray Mercer here on Friday.

Herbie Hide will relaunch his heavyweight career next month after more than a year out of the ring. The 24-year-old Norwich boxer will stage his comeback fight at Newcastle on 8 June.