NEW YORK -- The Association of Boxing Commissions is recommending that other states follow Nevada by denying Mike Tyson a boxing license.

The ABC's suggestion isn't binding, though, because while state commissions uphold other states' license revocations or suspensions of boxers, they are not bound to honor a license denial.

Shelly Finkel, Tyson's adviser, said seven states have expressed interest in a Tyson challenge to WBC-IBF heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

General manager Eddie Gossage of the Texas Motor Speedway at Fort Worth said he spoke with Finkel and Main Events, Lewis' American promoter.

Dickie Cole, boxing coordinator of Texas, has said Tyson could get a license there. He has not applied, but he is supposed to apply for a license in California in about two weeks.

There also is a political reason behind the ABC's action.

The ABC is against having a Federal Boxing Commission, and the group's president, Tim Lueckenhoff, said that for that reason, "I think it's important that we as an association stick together."

The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted 4-1 on Jan. 29 not to issue a license to Tyson so he could fight Lewis on April 6 in the MGM Grand at Las Vegas.

"All we did was deny him a license within the borders of Nevada," said Marc Ratner, executive director of the Nevada commission.

"We understand that each state and Indian reservation has its own criteria for reaching a license," Lueckenhoff said.

He said he had the unanimous support of the ABC's 13-member board of directors in making the recommendation.

The ABC has 49 states and Indian reservations, including Nevada, as members, according to Lueckenhoff.

Lewis has said his WBC mandatory defense against Tyson won't happen on April 6 and that he might fight another opponent. Lewis, however, remains under contract for a Tyson fight.

The WBC has let it be known that it expects Lewis to fight the top-ranked Tyson before he fights anyone else.

Meanwhile, in a story published in Wednesday's editions of the Arizona Republic, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum called Tyson bad for boxing and said he hopes other state commissions honor Nevada's denial of Tyson's application.

"I think it would be a tragedy if the various states didn't follow Nevada," Arum told the Republic.

If another state licenses Tyson, Arum said it would be time for a federal commission to take control.

"It would show that the states can't police themselves; that they are so anxious for a major fight that they'll prostitute themselves," he told the newspaper.

Information from The Associated Press and ESPN.com news services was used in this report.