Mike Tyson has thrown down the gauntlet to newly-crowned WBC and IBF heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman following the American's shock win over Lennox Lewis.
Lewis had a clause in his contract guaranteeing him a re-match within 150 days but Rahman is allowed a voluntary defence in the meantime.
With Tyson already scheduled to face David Izon on June 2nd in Washington it seems unlikely there will be time to set up a showdown with Rahman.
But that has not stopped Tyson from throwing his hat into the ring - and at least the television politics which had previously thwarted plans for a Lewis-Tyson bout will not come into the reckoning.
Tyson is contracted to American cable network Showtime while Lewis has a long-term deal with rival company HBO. Rahman, however, has no such link to either station.
PA