Tyson Preparing to Fight . . . Someone

Mike Tyson has his boxing license back and he’s getting ready to fight again in Las Vegas. Whom and when, however, are not clear.

Two London newspapers, the Sun and the Independent, and the New York Daily News all reported Tuesday that the former heavyweight champion would return to the ring Jan. 16 against Francois Botha of South Africa, the bout to be promoted by America Presents.

According to sources close to the negotiations, Dan Goossen of American Presents, who began his career as the head of the Ten Goose Boxing Club of North Hollywood, has reached a tentative agreement to become Tyson’s promoter.

Attorney John Branca will maintain control of Tyson’s financial agreements, and Shelly Finkel, Tyson’s advisor, is expected to serve as manager.

A role for former Laker superstar Magic Johnson, who was a spokesman for Tyson at last month’s licensing hearing before the Nevada State Athletic Commission, has not been defined.

In London, the Independent said the Botha fight would be held at the MGM Grand and the News reported that Tyson, who has had money problems after 16 months away from boxing, had received a large cash advance.

According to Finkel, no deal had been completed.

“Our plan is for him to fight in January, [but] Mike has not concluded a deal to fight anybody in January,” Finkel said.

A spokesman for Frank Warren, Botha’s advisor, would not confirm the Tyson fight had been made, saying only that Warren’s company was advising Botha until January.

A source in Las Vegas told the Associated Press that no deal had been signed and that Vaughn Bean also was being considered as a possible opponent. That source added that Jan. 16 seemed a probable date and that the MGM Grand was the probable site.

Another possible opponent is Germany’s Axel Schultz, according to a spokeswoman for Showtime, the cable company that will televise the fight. She added that the deal could be closed by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, Tyson’s former co-manager, John K. Horne, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the boxer, claiming breach of contract and seeking damages of more than $14 million.

Horne had filed a suit against Finkel in state District Court in Las Vegas last month, seeking a 10% share in any money Tyson makes from his next five fights.

Tennis

Tom Gullikson has been reappointed U.S. Davis Cup captain for 1999.

Gullikson, who has been captain since 1994, led the United States to its record 31st Davis Cup title in 1995, beating Russia for the trophy, and in 1997 guided the U.S. team to the final against Sweden.

The U.S. lost in the semifinals this year.

Steffi Graf of Germany, making her latest comeback from injury, defeated Romania’s Ruxandra Dragomir, 6-3, 6-3, at the Leipzig Open in Germany.

Graf, who had surgery on her right hand, displayed flashes of the powerful forehand that dominated women’s tennis for a decade.

Graf hadn’t played singles in 56 days, since losing to Patty Schnyder of Switzerland at the U.S. Open. She had hand surgery shortly afterward.

Vincent Spadea upset hometown hero and French No. 1 Cedric Pioline, 6-4, 6-4, in the $2.55-million Paris Open.

Pioline, who had to withdraw from last week’s Eurocard Open because of gastroenteritis, never showed the form that has taken him to No. 17 in the world.

Todd Martin defeated Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4), and Greg Rusedski of Britain defeated Nicolas Kiefer of Germany, 6-3, 6-4. Andre Agassi easily downed Italian qualifier Gianluca Pozzi, 6-4, 6-2. Germany’s Boris Becker, in semi-retirement, was upset by Frenchman Nicolas Escude, 6-7 (2-7), 7-5, 6-4.

Names in the News

Race driver Greg Ray, who had to scramble for financial backing after his major sponsor pulled out just before the Indianapolis 500 last May, has signed a five-year contract with Team Menard.

He will replace Tony Stewart, the 1997 Indy Racing League champion, who next season will drive for Joe Gibbs in the NASCAR Winston Cup series.

Center Alonzo Mourning of the Miami Heat, has had a knee operation to remove a bone spur and could be sidelined for the start of the NBA season--depending when that is.

Depending on progress in negotiations to end the NBA lockout, the Heat still could have Mourning ready for the start of the season. But regardless of his recovery, he will sit out the opener to complete a two-game suspension imposed after last season’s playoff fracas with Larry Johnson of the New York Knicks.

Miscellany

An 85-year-old Honus Wagner baseball card went for $222,500 at auction in New York, and the ball Mark McGwire hit for his 50th home run brought a whopping $46,000 for the New York Met fan who caught it last August.

A collection of letters, pictures and other memorabilia from baseball’s darkest time--the 1919 “Black Sox Scandal”--was sold by Christie’s auction house to various buyers for more than $70,000.

The collection belonged to “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, the Chicago White Sox outfielder who was banned from baseball for life, along with seven teammates, for throwing the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.

The Honus Wagner card, with a portrait of the one-time Pittsburgh Pirate shortstop, is the rarest of baseball cards. An identical one was sold by Christie’s in September, 1996, for $640,000--a record for any item of sports memorabilia at auction.

One thing is certain: No one will ever mistake Ohio State’s new Schottenstein Center for old, gray St. John Arena.

St. John Arena, Ohio State’s home for 42 seasons, was a mass of dingy aluminum and gray concrete. The new $110-million arena, which had its official opening Tuesday with an exhibition game, is bright, brick and colorful, with 52 private boxes, 250 television monitors, seat licenses that cost up to $15,000 apiece and more than 700,000 square feet of space.

Cuba, the world and Olympic champion, opened defense of its women’s world volleyball title with a 15-7, 15-8, 15-10 victory over the United States at Tokyo.

The first round of the Golden State Athletic Conference women’s soccer tournament begins today, with Southern California College (10-5-2) playing at Westmont (13-3-1) at 1 p.m. and Azusa Pacific (18-0) hosting Cal Baptist (9-7) at 7.