Mike Tyson has called off his fight against Ray Mercer so he can challenge world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in April.
Tyson and Mercer were due in the ring on January 19th, but the former undisputed champion has now opted to pass up the fight for a crack at Britain's Lewis, who regained his IBF and WBC titles from Hasim Rahman in Las Vegas on November 17th.
Tyson said in a statement: "This is a business and I'm sure Ray understands why I need to take Lennox out now.
"Lennox made me an offer that I could not refuse and it is time to give the people what they want."
Lewis had earlier this week issued a lawsuit against Tyson in an attempt to get the bout with Mercer cancelled.
Tiger Woods says he has achieved the goals he set himself for 2001 but still hopes to secure one more tournament win before the end of the year.
The world number one completes his playing schedule next week when he hosts the Williams World Challenge at the Sherwood Country Club in California and he would dearly love to improve on his previous 10th and second-place finishes in the event, which features 18 of the world's top players.
"It would be nice to end the year with another victory," he said. But, no matter what happens, I feel good about what I accomplished (this year) ... five PGA Tour wins including the Masters, the money title and Vardon Trophy, PGA Player of the Year and, of course, winning four straight major championships."
The World Sports Academy joined in the scores of tributes that have poured in following the murder of New Zealand yachting hero Sir Peter Blake in Brazil on Thursday.
American athletics icon Ed Moses, chairman of the Academy, said yesterday: "It was an enormous privilege for us to have Sir Peter as a founder member of the World Sports Academy. We are all devastated by this loss."
Michael Jordan returned from a knee injury and collected 10 points and three assists in the fourth quarter to lift the Washington Wizards to an 85-82 victory over the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association.
Pete Sampras, winner of 13 Grand Slam singles titles, who failed to win a tournament this year, is hoping the switch to a new coach can change his fortunes.
Sampras is joining forces with Tom Gullikson, who is also the twin brother of Sampras' former coach Tim Gullikson, who died of brain cancer in 1996. Sampras had split with coach Paul Annacone last month.
John McEnroe's unbeaten Honda Challenge run was ended in yesterday's final round-robin match by the Czech Petr Korda at the Royal Albert Hall.
Following a highly-charged 93 minutes punctuated by racket throwing and verbal abuse from the veteran American, Korda sealed his third successive win of the week 6-4 7-6.
Korda, who is unbeaten against McEnroe on the regular tour, was persuaded to join the Champions Tour earlier this year and this was their first meeting.
