Improbable alliance forges Holyfield-Lewis fight

London (UK) 13 Oct '98 Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis will unify the world heavyweight title next year after an improbable alliance forged between two old adversaries on October 12.

American promoter Don King, had not previously hidden his contempt for Lewis's manager Frank Maloney, calling the diminutive Londoner a "pugilistic pygmy".

But with typical insouciance, King buried the hatchet when he arrived in London on October 12, wreathed in smiles to be greeted warmly by Maloney.

Hours later the pair announced a deal which will restore some respectability to the murky world of heavyweight boxing by pitting World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Holyfield against World Boxing Council (WBC) title-holder Lewis.

Holyfield, now 36, has indicated he would like to unify the three main titles before retiring in 2000. Lewis, 33, has been chasing the world title since winning the Seoul Olympic gold medal a decade ago.

King, never prone to understatement, called Lewis "the most wanted man on planet earth".

"Evander is hungry for it, we are after him," he said. "We are here to talk about Lewis -- the unknown champion that is going to become visible."

"He has been playing the invisible man but we are going to bring him into full visibility."

Maloney said the fight would probably be staged in Las Vegas in February or March next year.

"The world wants to see it, it's the competition everyone wants," Maloney said. "The only thing that can stop it now is if either fighter does not agree with the terms."

Despite ringing rhetoric from both men claiming credit for arranging the fight the world most wants to see, the deal is inevitably one of cold commercial logic.

King is immersed in a legal battle with another British promoter Frank Warren, his licence has been suspended in Florida and he is being sued by Mike Tyson for $100 million.

Maloney, who signed Lewis in 1989, knows time is not on the side of his most bankable asset .

Holyfield has now beaten Tyson twice but looked his age last month when he was taken the distance by Vaughn Bean in a title defence last month.

Lewis, who has never caught the imagination of the American public despite his awesome physique and undeniable skills, was unimpressive against Croatian Zeljko Mavrovic seven days later.

Still, the pair remain the pick of a mediocre crop and the fight will provide the first undisputed world champion since Tyson unified the titles in 1987.

In the background looms the formidable shadow of Tyson, still an unequalled drawcard even though his last fight ended in disgrace when he was disqualified for biting a chunk out of Holyfield's ear.

A hearing on Tyson's reinstatement will be held in Las Vegas next Monday. GRi