Boxing: Back to plan A for Lewis

LENNOX LEWIS yesterday discounted a June fight with Riddick Bowe, the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion, and is pursuing his World Boxing Council heavyweight title defence against Tony Tucker in Las Vegas on 8 May.

Lewis has reverted to his original plan after receiving no reply from Bowe's manager, Rock Newman, to two offers made in New York this week. The offers made by Lewis's manager, Frank Maloney, and his American promoter, Dan Duva, were dollars 10m (pounds 7.1m) to Lewis with all three title belts at stake and a dollars 32m winner-take all bid - presented by Lewis - for the three titles.

'I don't think the Bowe fight will go on for a long time,' Maloney said.

The promoters, Barry Hearn and Frank Warren, are planning a protest to the British Boxing Board of Control over its rejection of Herbie Hide's planned challenge for the vacant British heavyweight title against Michael Murray. They have also demanded a Government inquiry into the BBBC. The Board refused to sanction Hide's match against Murray at Dagenham on 27 February, principally because of Murray's loss to Paddy Reilly last April and Hide's withdrawal from a final eliminator against Henry Akinwande.