LONDON, Dec 6: World heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has gone to court in a bid to prevent Mike Tyson fighting Ray Mercer on January 19, British newspapers reported on Thursday.

Lawyers representing Lewis, 36, have applied for an injunction in Manhattan Federal Court which would stop the Tyson-Mercer fight, the reports said.

The Briton is concerned that Tyson, 35, could get injured against Mercer, 39, and put in jeopardy his projected showdown with Lewis next April.

Many predict the Lewis-Tyson encounter will be the richest bout in boxing history.

Lewis won back the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles when he knocked out Hasim Rahman in the fourth round in Las Vegas last month.—Reuters