|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Monday, December 22, 1997 Published at 19:11 GMT Sport Battle of the big guys is on! ![]() Lennox Lewis after retaining his WBC belt
Britain's Lennox Lewis has signed to meet Evander Holyfield in a $50m (£33m) World Heavyweight unification fight in Las Vegas on April 25.
Victory could set up an autumn three-title defence against Mike Tyson, a fight that Lewis' promoter Panos Eliades estimates will be worth $100-150m.
The mega-deal, completed at Don King's Florida home at the weekend, now depends on WBA and IBF champion Holyfield agreeing to a guaranteed purse of around $30m for facing Lewis.
The deal forms part of a four-fight contract agreed with King by Eliades. It includes the massive fight against Tyson - provided the former undisputed champion has his licence returned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission next July.
Lewis's manager, Frank Maloney, hopes the bout will be the biggest in years. "It will be the most important fight of both fighters' careers," he said.
It promises to be a match that all fight fans will savour and will unify the world heavyweight crown for the first time since Mike Tyson's pre-prison heyday.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||