Lennox to make his return at Christmas

Lennox Lewis is set to make a Christmas return to the boxing ring.

Although Lewis has yet to formally confirm his intention to carry on fighting following a career-defining victory over Mike Tyson, his television backers in the United States have already reserved Saturday 7 December for the world heavyweight champion's next ring appearance.

Broadcast by the HBO network, the fight will be against either American Chris Byrd or one of the Ukrainian Klitschko brothers, Wladimir or Vitali.

Byrd is the mandatory challenger nominated by the International Boxing Federation. However, his southpaw style is notoriously unattractive and London-born Lewis may give up the IBF belt and, instead, defend his World Boxing Council title against one of the Klitschkos.

Tyson could challenge the World Boxing Association's champion, John Ruiz, in Boston on 30 November.