Lewis set to tempt Bowe with pounds 6m bid

Boxing

Lennox Lewis's handlers are prepared to guarantee Riddick Bowe $9m (pounds 6m) for their overdue heavyweight meeting in March or April.

Panos Eliades, the London businessman who promotes Lewis, will make the offer to Bowe's manager, Rock Newman, tomorrow in another attempt to get the 1988 Olympic rivals together after three years of trying.

"I'm still waiting for Newman to tell me what Bowe should receive for fighting Lewis," Eliades said. "This fight will be good for the sport and we are all geared up for it. It depends if they want the fight or not. I'm ready to guarantee Bowe $9m."

If the sums eventually add up, the favourite site would be Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. But approaches have also been made for the fight to go ahead in South Africa - or even Kenya.

With the major titles tied up for the foreseeable months, Lewis against Bowe is just about the biggest heavyweight clash around - and, additionally, Bowe is still the World Organisation champion.

It would bring in the biggest money as the American cable network, Home Box Office, the big fight paymasters, have it at the top of their list for 1996.

Seventeen months ago, when Lewis held the World Council title, contracts were signed for a Bowe fight to take place in March of this year but Lewis lost to Oliver McCall's at the Wembley Arena soon after the formalities for a pounds 20.6m bout had been finalised.