Tyson targets Lewis after calling off Mercer fight

Mike Tyson has called off his fight with fellow American Ray Mercer on January 19 to leave the way clear for a world heavyweight title showdown with champion Lennox Lewis.

"This is a business, and I am sure Ray understands why I need to take Lennox out now," Tyson, 35, said in a statement on Friday.

"The heavyweight championship is my destiny, and I need those belts on my waist again," said Tyson who last held the title in 1996 and last fought for it against Evander Holyfield in 1997.

"So keep taking those acting lessons, Lennox, because your next role will be playing Cinderella," said Tyson. "And I am gonna break your glass chin."

Many predict the Lewis-Tyson encounter, which is likely to go ahead in April, will be the richest bout in boxing history.

Briton Lewis, 36, won back the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles when he knocked out Hasim Rahman in the fourth round in Las Vegas last month.

Tyson is rated the number one contender to Lewis's WBC and IBF belts.

Lewis filed a lawsuit in New York on Tuesday in a bid to get Tyson to drop his fight with Mercer, 39, or have the WBC remove him from the mandatory challenger's position.

Tyson, who has won 49 of his 52 career fights, last fought on October 13, recording a seventh-round technical knockout against Denmark's Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen.

Lewis has a career record of 39 victories, two defeats and one draw.