Sporting Digest: Boxing

HERBIE HIDE and Henry Akinwande are likely to meet before the end of the year in a bout with three heavyweight titles at stake. Hide, from Norwich, who holds the British title, has been installed as the No 1 challenger for Akinwande's European crown. Mickey Duff, the manager of Akinwande, who is also the Commonwealth champion, and Hide's promoter, Barry Hearn, are expected to agree contractual terms before the 15 November deadline for purse offers.

JOHNNY NELSON, who lost the World Boxing Federation cruiserweight title earlier this month when he was disqualified in a bout against Franco Wanyama in Belgium, is to fight for the WBF heavyweight title on 20 November. He will meet Jimmy Thunder, of New Zealand, in Auckland. Thunder has twice fought unsuccessfully for the Commonwealth title in London, losing to Derek Williams and Henry Akinwande.

USA Boxing, the organisation which sends American boxers to the Olympics, is to register women amateurs to fight in sanctioned bouts.