With the news that Evander Holyfield has put pen to paper to sign a contract to take part in a unification contest against Lennox Lewis for the world heavyweight boxing title, it seems the last stumbling block has been avoided and the fight will definitely go ahead.

Lewis and his backers, the promoter Panos Eliades and the fighter's manager Frank Maloney, had threatened they would pull out of the deal if Holyfield did not sign by last night but, after a four-hour meeting with Don King, Holyfield agreed to risk his International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association versions of the title with Lewis also putting his World Boxing Council title at stake.

For the first time in more than six years, since Riddick Bowe, it will mean there is to be one recognised world champion, with the likely date for the contest either February 27th or March 6th probably in Las Vegas.