Boxing: Vegas date for Lewis

Oliver McCall was conspicuous by his absence at a news conference in New York on Wednesday to officially announce his World Boxing Council heavyweight title fight with Britain's Lennox Lewis on 7 February in Las Vegas.

McCall was involved in reports of vandalism and disorderly conduct in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday, but Lewis's handlers on both sides of the Atlantic, Main Events and London's Panos Eliandes, suspected there could be problems after a New Jersey judge removed Don King's right to promote the fight for extending the date beyond the deadline.

Lewis said: "You have to think about McCall's behaviour. Hopefully they can control him enough to be there on 7 February. They were able to control him when he fought in London last time. What's stopping them this time?"

The former champion's promoters have thought about a replacement opponent should McCall not make the Las Vegas date for any reason. It is believed that Croatia's European title holder Zeljko Mavrovic is waiting in the wings.