NASHVILLE -- Tennessee would consider granting Mike Tyson a license if he applied for one, the state's top boxing official told The Tennessean on Friday.

Tommy Patrick, state director for the boxing and automobile racing commissions, told the newspaper that state rules contained no provisions for past felonies that would prevent Tyson from obtaining a license if he met the other requirements.

Nashville is one of six cities being considered as sites for a heavyweight title bout between Tyson and champion Lennox Lewis, according to Rex Walker, the World Boxing Council's international secretary. "There's going to be some criticism if they give the license to Tyson because of his history," Walker told The Tennessean. "Tennessee needs to accept that or not do it."

Brian Young, a promoter in Nashville, told the newspaper he believes that Dallas is the front-runner, with Nashville, San Antonio, Houston, Los Angeles and Detroit also in the mix.

Tyson was recently denied a boxing license by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and the Association of Boxing Commissions has recommended that other states follow Nevada's lead.

"Our first position is that Mr. Tyson does not have a license to box in this state, nor has he applied for a license," Marilyn Elam, communications director for Tennessee's boxing regulatory group, told The Tennessean. "It's impossible to speculate until we see the application what might result from that. Once we have an application, it will be evaluated based on Tennessee's laws and rules regarding boxing."

The fight was originally scheduled for April 6 in Las Vegas, but since Tyson was denied a boxing license in Nevada, promoters are looking at alternate sites.

Possible venues in Nashville include Adelphia Coliseum, home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans, and Gaylord Entertainment Center, which could seat about 17,000 for boxing.