Boxing: Lewis lines up McCall

Boxing

Britain's Lennox Lewis, thwarted in his attempts to fight Mike Tyson for at least a year, is being forced to pursue another route to a heavyweight title.

Not even the World Council's imminent decision to strip Tyson of its title seems likely to lead to a match-up. That would enable Lewis to fight his only conqueror, Oliver McCall, for the vacant WBC title when purse offers are opened on 24 September. The bout is set for 1 or 22 November, possibly at the London Arena.

"The biggest thing for us is for Tyson to be stripped of the WBC title. That would give us a greater position of strength," Lewis's manager, Frank Maloney, said yesterday.

Lewis, who, lost his WBC crown to McCall in September 1994, said: "Tyson is obviously the major fight for me. It's the one the whole world wants. That is my agenda. But I've definitely got to fight McCall to get that WBC belt back."

Lewis's American promoter, Dino Duva, added: "The purse bids will decide the Lewis-McCall fight. Then we can determine the date and venue. We want to put it where Lennox wants it."