Boxing: Lewis puts prohibitive price on Tyson rematch

The world heavyweight champion, Lennox Lewis, said yesterday he would take a rematch with Mike Tyson only if the organisers guaranteed him $30m (£20m).

In a one-sided fight in Memphis, Tennessee, last month, Lewis knocked out Tyson in the eighth round to retain his World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles. Each fighter was paid $17.5m.

Although Tyson, the former undisputed world champion, said he wanted a rematch, there has been speculation that Lewis, who has held the title on and off since 1992, would retire at the age of 36. After receiving a CBE from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace yesterday, Lewis said he had no reason to fight Tyson again. But he appeared to leave the door open to a rematch if the price was right.

"People don't want to see that again because of the way I destroyed him. People felt sorry for him," Lewis said of the Memphis title fight. "He's already put in a bid for a rematch but it's up to the TV companies. If they don't pay $30m, I will retire."

After handing out so much punishment in Memphis, Lewis might have problems persuading the television companies to meet his price for what would probably be another one-sided fight.