Mike Tyson has filed a legal action to try and force a fight with Hasim Rahman, the new WBC and IBF world heavyweight champion. Rahman knocked out Lewis in the fifth round of their clash in South Africa a fortnight ago.
Tyson has filed at the US District Court in Manhattan because Lewis argues that Rahman should fight no-one else before facing him after signing a rematch clause in the Rahman-Lewis contract.
"The action I took was not something that I wanted to do but needed to do," Tyson said in a statement. "There are people trying to abuse the system to prevent me from an opportunity to fight the new heavyweight champion."
"He [Rahman] has publicly stated that he wants to fight me next. Rahman versus Tyson is the fight the public most wants to see. I hope this helps clear the path for us to meet very soon," Tyson said.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
