Byline: Staff and wire reports
Pinklon Thomas is in and Larry Holmes out as future title defense opponents for heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
Tyson will put his World Boxing Council title on the line against former champion Thomas on May30 in Las Vegas, probably at the Hilton, Bill Cayton, Tyson's co-manager, confirmed Thursday.
The fight will be carried on Home Box Office, which also televised Tyson's knockout of Trevor Berbick for the WBC title and his decision over James 'Bonecrusher' Smith last month for the World Boxing Association crown.
Those fights were part of the HBO unification series, which has since been disbanded, but the fight with Thomas (29-1-1) is simply a WBC title defense for Tyson (29-0). It is not yet known whether the WBA will recognize the defense.
Cayton said the Thomas fight will serve as a mandatory WBC defense, and that a future fight with Tyrell Biggs later this year would also fall into that category.
Thomas lost some stature along with his WBC title in a 12-round loss to Berbick in March, 1986, and Biggs looked bad in knocking out David Bey on the Tyson-Smith card.
Cayton, who declined to announce purse figures for the Thomas fight, said both Thomas and Biggs are viable opponents.
'(WBC's) ranking committee ranks Thomas No.1. He's a former champion and a very good fighter,' Cayton said. 'Biggs is a former Olympic champion. They both have status and credibility.'
Negotiations with Holmes, the former champion, broke off because Holmes, 37, wanted too much money, Tyson's co-manager Jim Jacobs said.
Another possible future opponent for Tyson is Frank Bruno, Britain's No.1 heavyweight. Tyson saw Bruno whip James 'Quick' Tillis in five rounds on Tuesday in England.
