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.

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The World Boxing Council said boxing manager Vinny Vecchione, who stopped Peter McNeeley’s bout with Mike Tyson, should be suspended. “The WBC roundly disapproves the intervention by McNeeley’s corner and thinks they should be punished severely,” the WBC said in a statement.

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Joe Bugner, who twice went the distance with Muhammad Ali during his 19-year career, is planning a George Foreman-style comeback at age 45, eight years after his last fight. The former British and European heavyweight champion said he will fight Vince Cervi, the 27-year-old Australian champion, on Sept. 22 in Australia’s Gold Coast resort area.

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Oscar De La Hoya and Tracy Patterson will meet in a lightweight title bout when boxing returns to Madison Square Garden in New York on Dec. 15.

Tennis

Monica Seles, coming off a triumphant return to the women’s tour, was seeded second in the U.S. Open women’s draw, behind Steffi Graf. Andre Agassi was seeded No. 1 in the men’s singles.

Graf is seeded No. 1 for the eighth time, tying the record set by Helen Wills Moody and tied by Chris Evert.

The tournament begins Monday at the National Tennis Center in New York.

Golf

Greg Norman forced a playoff by sinking a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole and teammate Brad Faxon made a 15-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win the Fred Meyer Challenge, a best-ball tournament with two-man teams in West Linn, Ore.

Justin Roof and Steve Scott shared the U.S. Amateur championships lead after the first round in Newport, R.I. Defending champion Tiger Woods is a stroke back.

Miscellany

Roy Lassiter, a striker for the U.S. national soccer team, will play for the Brazilian club Santos while awaiting next year’s start of Major League Soccer. Lassiter was arrested last month on two burglary charges, but is free on $5,000 bond while awaiting an Aug. 30 court date. . . . Swimming’s world governing body said it may drug-test potential Olympic competitors before next year’s Games in Atlanta. FINA said it was considering asking national federations for a list of their likely contestants.

Four days after setting the mark, Daniela Bartova of the Czech Republic broke her own women’s world pole vault record by going 13 feet 9 3/4 inches at Linz, Austria. . . . Canada, led by Joey Vickery’s six three-point baskets and 22 points, beat the Bahamas, 130-89, in the eight-country Olympic qualification basketball tournament at Neuquen, Argentina.