Lennox Lewis claims he still wants to fight Mike Tyson - but only if the American seeks psychological help.
Lewis insists he would want proof Tyson had done so before he would be prepared to step into the ring with him.
"You have to realise Mike Tyson needs some help, Lewis told 'Larry King Live' on the CNN network.
"I don't want to go into their ring with Mike Tyson if it's not a boxing match. If it's just a savage sport where he is trying to bite me, it doesn't make sense to step into the ring with him.
"He has to stick to the rules and not try to cheat."
Last week a vicious brawl broke out between the two fighters at a news conference in New York to promote their scheduled world heavyweight title fight in Las Vegas on April 6.
Lewis claimed he was bitten on the leg during the melee while Tyson was on the ground.
The incident caused such an international furore that the Nevada Athletic Commission subsequently refused Tyson a state boxing licence needed for the fight to go ahead.
The rejection has thrown the fight into serious doubt although promoters in Europe, California and even South Africa have expressed interest in staging it.