'Good faith'

Tyson adviser says Lewis match will be set by Jan. 22

Lennox Lewis is 39-2-1 in his career, with 30 of the wins coming by knockout. John Gichigi/Allsport

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shelly Finkel, Mike Tyson's adviser, believes a Tyson challenge to WBC-IBF heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis will be signed by Jan. 22.

Lewis, who was in New York, also said Monday he's confident the match would be made.

WBC president Jose Sulaiman said in statement issued earlier Monday by his office in Mexico City that if no agreement for what is a mandatory defense by Lewis is reached by Jan. 22, purse bids would be held at noon Jan. 24 in New York City.

"I'm confident the match will be made by then," Finkel said.

The fight would be held sometime in April.

"I'm convinced that all parties are working diligently and in good faith to make the bout," Lewis said. "I'm confident that with the good will of the parties this long-awaited bout will occur."

Sulaiman said he had received a communication last week from Main Events, Lewis' American promoter, that an agreement was very close, but that he received no official statement.

 

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