Tyson-Mathis Fight Moves to Dec. 16 in Philadelphia

New Jersey said no to a Mike Tyson-Buster Mathis Jr. fight in Atlantic City on Wednesday, so Don King is taking his show to Philadelphia.

The state’s Casino Control Commission, which barred King from doing business with casinos in Atlantic City last year, rejected Donald Trump’s plan to have five casinos sponsor the postponed bout at Convention Hall.

King then decided to go west--Philadelphia is 60 miles away--and got a warm reception from Mayor Ed Rendell and the boxing commission. King said he is licensed in Pennsylvania.

The fight will be held at the Spectrum on Dec. 16. It will be televised live on free television by Fox Sports, King said.

Track and Field

Florence Griffith Joyner says she’s making a comeback.

The 35-year-old world-record holder at 100 (10.49) and 200 meters (21.34) retired after winning gold medals in both events in the 1988 Olympics.

“I am training for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta,” Joyner said.

Golf

Tom Kite wants to be golf’s first player-captain in the Ryder Cup in 34 years.

“I plan on playing much better in ’96 and ’97 and actually playing on the team,” Kite said after PGA of America President Tom Addis introduced him as captain of the 1997 Ryder Cup team that will play in Spain.

Ben Garner, who won three league golf titles before graduating from El Toro High in 1994, announced his transfer to Louisiana State from Washington, effective next spring. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Garner, who was named to the Times’ All-Orange County second team four years, finished 10th at the Pacific 10 championships last spring.

Baseball

The San Diego Padres and New York Mets are considering playing the first regular-season major league game in Mexico.

Padre Manager Bruce Bochy and other team officials will meet with Met Manager Dallas Green on Tuesday in Monterrey, Mexico, to inspect Monterrey Stadium as a potential site for a three-game series in August.

Winter Olympics

Tom Welch, president of the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics, is upset about a deal that will pay him $315,000 a year in salary with a benefits package estimated at about $1 million.

“It’s not the money. It’s the message,” Welch said when the organizing committee board approved a salary-and-benefits package that reflects an “average compensation level” for a comparable position in a not-for-profit corporation.

“Since 1985, I’ve tried not to give an average performance,” Welch said. “After 17 years my board recommends average pay. I guess that bothers me more than the money itself. The team we put together doesn’t provide average skills. Come 2002 and the Games are over, we’ll have fulfilled every promise we made.”

Towers Perrin, a management consultant, said Billy Payne, head of 1996 Atlanta Olympic effort, makes $669,000 a year, the head of Calgary’s 1988 Winter Games earned $235,000 Canadian, and Peter Ueberroth received $263,000 annually for leading Los Angeles’ 1984 Summer Games.

Pro Football

Congress should give professional sports leagues more power to stop teams such as the Cleveland Browns from moving from city to city, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.

Tagliabue was testifying at a Senate Antitrust Subcommittee hearing on the proposed shift of the Browns to Baltimore next year and possible moves of several other teams.

He said sports leagues should get an antitrust exemption for decisions on issues such as franchise shifts.

Ohio Sens. Mike DeWine and John Glenn and Cleveland Mayor Michael White said it was wrong to move a team such as the Browns, which had such loyal fans and strong support.

Boxing

Paul Labbe, a lightweight/welterweight contender in the 1930s and ‘40s, died Tuesday at Lewiston, Maine. He was 88.

Gymnastics

Deborah Mink, who trains with the SCATS gymnastics program in Huntington Beach and also is a senior at Marina High, has signed a letter of intent with UCLA.

Mink is the 1995 U.S. Classic Elite National Champion and recently led a U.S. team to a third-place finish at the 1995 Presidents Cup in Guatemala City, placing seventh in the all-around.