Naseem Hamed, never lacking in self-confidence, is set to ditch his promoter Frank Warren and negotiate his own fight deals in future.

The World Boxing Organisation featherweight champion has come to the end of a 10-fight contract with Warren, and Riath Hamed, his brother and business manager, said: "Naz is exercising his right to retain his worldwide rights and control his own destiny.

"We have four years' experience in boxing management and Naz has many more of promoters and managers. Whatever decisions we make will not be done on a whim. We will be taking advice from lawyers and commercial experts."

More than 100 million people worldwide saw Hamed's recent laboured points victory over Wayne McCullough in Atlantic City, and the fighter and his advisers believe the "huge interest in him" is not generating the cash it should.

Undaunted by his unimpressive performance afterwards, he now seems prepared to go it alone. If he carries through his proposals Hamed will hire promoters to provide opponents, find venues and handle tickets, but he will control all financial aspects, rather than the current situation in which he receives a cut of the overall purse.

Should Hamed make a success of the venture he would become one of the richest fighters in history and would change the fight-game scene by switching control from the promoters to the fighters and their managers.

He could, however, encounter problems in trying to attract credible opponents from the few big-fight promoters who control the world's best boxers.

Warren refused to comment on the proposals but said he had received communication from Hamed's brother. "Riath has asked me to meet Naz when he returns from holiday to discuss the future, at which time I will decide what I am going to do," he said.

Riath Hamed, insisting "every avenue will be explored", claimed that his brother could net £50 million, but added: "This is not about greed. It is about Naz being paid what he is worth in the world market. He is hot property throughout the world and we are being besieged by offers from everywhere."

Mike Tyson is expected to make his return to the ring official next week. A news conference has been set in New York for Tyson to announce he will fight on January 16th at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

The opponent still hasn't been signed, but South Africa's Francois Botha remains the front-runner.