Lennox Lewis is ready to accept a challenge from Mike Tyson in mid-summer - on the condition that the pay-per-view coverage is handled by his cable network Home Box Office.
Lewis' further stipulation is for Tyson to financially compensate his own channel Showtime out of his mega-purse, though Iron Mike left it to the champion to select the date and venue in his offer.
The world heavyweight champion authorised a meeting in New York between his business manager Adrian Ogun and Tyson's adviser Shelley Finkel.
"Mike (Tyson) through Shelley (Finkel) made an offer to me to fight as early as June this year, leaving me to chose the date and location," said Lewis.
"I am delighted to accept the offer and I have instructed my lawyers to send Mike a draft contract for the deal.
"Mike wants us to share purse on a 50/50 basis. I am prepared to do that provided the live pay-per-view for the fight is on my network HBO/TVKO and that Mike compensates his network Showtime out of his 50 per cent of the purse.
"I intend to fight Hasim Rahman on April 21st in Carnival City, South Africa and I am prepared to meet Mike soon after his birthday on Saturday, June 30th, although my preferred date is July 21st."
However, the business rivalry between HBO and Showtime must surely still persist over such a fistic event where pay-per-view figures will be enormous, the big stumbling block standing in the way of the fight.
PA