Boxing promoter Don King insisted a rematch with world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis would be "homicide" for Mike Tyson.

Tyson, the former undisputed champion, was outclassed and eventually knocked out in the eighth round by Lewis when they met earlier in the year.

"It would be an act of homicide for Mike to get in the ring again with Lewis. What happened was not a fight, it was a beating," said King, speaking to Ghana Television on a visit to the West African country.

King, who described Lewis as the "undisputed heavyweight champion of the universe, the Tyson destruction machine", added that he thought the Briton should retire if he could not find a worthy opponent.

"It's up to Lewis to decide. But when you're on top and the calibre of opponents doesn't quite measure up, it may just be a good time to leave," King said.

Lewis has already given up his International Boxing Federation belt rather than defend it against Chris Byrd.

Instead, the 37-year-old could be set for a defence of his World Boxing Council title against 26-year-old Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko, holder of the lightly-regarded World Boxing Organisation crown.