Lewis Will Kill Tyson - Don King on GhanaTV

ACCRA, Ghana (Reuters) - Boxing promoter Don King has warned Mike Tyson against a rematch with world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis saying it would be "homicide."

Speaking to Ghana Television on a visit to the West African country where he recently met Lewis, King suggested the champion should consider retirement if no serious challengers emerge.

He cautioned against a repeat of the June 8 bout in which Lewis dispatched the former champion with a devastating eighth round knockout because of the way Tyson lost.

"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," King said late on Sunday.

King described the Briton as the "undisputed heavyweight champion of the universe, the Tyson destruction machine."

Lewis, 37, gave up his International Boxing Federation (IBF) belt earlier this month rather than defend it against Chris Byrd, a fight he said would be meaningless as the American presented no competition.

The move could pave the way for a defence of his World Boxing Council (WBC) title against 26-year-old Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko, holder of the lightly-regarded World Boxing Organisation (WBO) crown.

However, King suggested Lewis may consider retiring.

"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.