Tyson Will Fight Mathis Before Going for Title

Mike Tyson will fight Buster Mathis Jr. on Nov. 4 in Las Vegas in his final tuneup before challenging for part of the heavyweight title in March, his handlers said Tuesday.

Stung by criticism of Tyson’s fight Saturday night against Peter McNeeley, promoter Don King unveiled a schedule that has Tyson challenging for a world title in his third fight, planned for March 16.

King said Tyson would fight Mathis on a card at the MGM Grand that could include heavyweight title fights involving World Boxing Assn. champion Bruce Seldon and World Boxing Council champion Oliver McCall.

The card will also feature Julio Cesar Chavez in a bout against a fellow Mexican champion, lightweight Miguel Angel Gonzalez.

King also said he would drop pay-per-view prices for the Nov. 4 bout because he and Tyson both feel bad about the way Saturday’s fight ended, with McNeeley’s manager, Vinny Vecchione, throwing in the towel less than two minutes into the first round.

Basketball

The battle over Coach Pat Riley will probably end with the Miami Heat giving the New York Knicks one of its two 1996 first-round picks when Riley joins the Heat.

The Heat is believed to want lottery protection for whichever pick is sent, its own or one acquired from Atlanta. The Knicks object.

Miscellany

Franzi van Almsick, with a chance of winning as many as seven gold medals at the European swimming championships, got two of them in relay events as competition began in Vienna, Austria. The German women won the 100-meter freestyle in 55.34 seconds and 45 minutes later the 800-meter relay team won in 8 minutes 6.11 seconds.