Tyson Will Fight Again April 24 at Las Vegas

The right-hand punch that knocked out Francois Botha last Saturday was enough to make Mike Tyson millions of dollars more, in a second comeback fight on April 24.

Jay Larkin, a Showtime television executive, confirmed the date Thursday, saying an opponent probably would be selected sometime next week for the fight at the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas.

Possible opponents for Tyson include Axel Schulz, Lou Savarese, Shannon Briggs and Michael Moorer, he said.

The fight is contingent on Tyson’s not going to jail next month when sentenced on a no-contest plea stemming from his assault on two men after a traffic accident in Maryland.

Tyson’s fifth-round knockout of Botha saved him from a possible embarrassing defeat that would have derailed his plans to fight four times this year.

Meanwhile, a May 19 trial date has been set in Los Angeles for a lawsuit claiming Tyson owes a former co-manager 10% of the proceeds of five fights, starting with the Botha bout.

Superior Court Judge Charles W. McCoy Jr. rejected a motion to dismiss former co-manager John Horne’s suit against the former heavyweight champion.

Skiing

A terrifying crash on the dangerous Streif course at Kitzbuehel, Austria, may end the career of Patrick Ortlieb of Austria, the former Olympic and world downhill champion.

Ortlieb suffered a broken right thigh, a dislocated right hip and neck bruises in a practice run for a downhill doubleheader today and Saturday.

The Austrian, who won the Kitzbuehel downhill in 1994, lost his balance in the final corner of one of the most treacherous courses on the World Cup circuit.

Going into the Hausbergkante corner at about 60 mph, Ortlieb cartwheeled and smashed into the safety net.

He was treated on the scene, then flown to a hospital in Innsbruck for emergency surgery.

Ortlieb, who had been thinking of retiring after this season, won the Olympic downhill at the 1992 Games and the world title in 1996. He was fourth at the 1994 Olympics.

Regine Cavagnoud scored her first victory in a World Cup downhill, winning at Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy, and ending a 17-year drought by French women in the event.

“It’s about time a French woman won in downhill,” said Cavagnoud, who had never won a race in eight years on the circuit.

The last French woman to win a downhill was Caroline Attia in 1982 at Sansicario, Italy.

Golf

Using a new cross-handed putting grip for the second consecutive week, Australian Karrie Webb shot a nine-under-par 63 to take the first-round lead in the $750,000 Naples (Fla.) LPGA Memorial.

Beth Daniel and Hollis Stacy are in a group of seven players at 65.

Horse Racing

Churchill Downs strengthened its simulcasting network by signing an agreement to buy Calder Race Course for $86 million.

The deal to buy the Miami track is part of Churchill Downs’ effort to expand its live thoroughbred racing operations. Based in Louisville, home of the company’s flagship track, Churchill Downs also operates tracks in Henderson, Ky., and Anderson, Ind., and holds a minority interest in a track in Franklin, Ky.

Dixie Dot Com, winner of last Saturday’s San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita, will undergo surgery Saturday for a hairline fracture of his left foreleg, forcing the colt to sit out the Strub Stakes on Feb. 6.

Soccer

The new head of the U.S. Soccer Federation is backing the proposal by FIFA President Sepp Blatter to play the World Cup every two years instead of every four.

Robert Contiguglia, who succeeded Alan Rothenberg last August as the USSF president, said the desire to stage the World Cup in the U.S. again in 2010 or 2014 was a major factor.

South Africa, England and Germany are the top contenders to stage the tournament in 2006. If South Africa wins the bidding, Europe is expected to be the favorite to hold the tournament in 2010. Japan and South Korea are co-hosts for 2002.

The United States will play Guatemala at the Coliseum on March 11 in the opener of U.S. Cup ’99. Bolivia will play Mexico in the second half of the doubleheader.

The U.S. team will play Mexico at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on March 13, with Guatemala playing Bolivia.

The United States starts its 1999 schedule Sunday with a game at Bolivia.

The Galaxy, which opens Major League Soccer training camp in Oxnard on Feb. 1, will play exhibitions in Fresno, Fullerton, Santa Barbara and Mexico starting Feb. 11.