STAMFORD, Conn. - A boxing champion has filed a lawsuit against Norwalk's Recreation and Parks Department, claiming an injury during a city-sanctioned basketball game had sidelined his boxing career for two years.

The lawsuit was filed in Superior Court by Travis Simms last week, a few days before he recaptured his World Boxing Association super welterweight championship.

On Saturday night, in Hollywood, Fla., Simms (25-0, 19 KOs) stopped Jose Antonio Rivera (38-5-1) in the ninth round and reclaimed the WBA super welterweight belt. Simms, who hadn't fought since October 2004, was stripped of his title for failing to ever defend it, and Rivera won it last year.

According to the lawsuit, Simms was participating in a city-sponsored adult basketball league in January 2005 when he said he ruptured his right Achilles tendon.

The lawsuit blames the city for creating a hazardous situation by failing to upgrade the gym floor and for not providing adequate lighting.

Simms, who first won the super welterweight title in 2003, said in the lawsuit that he required surgery and physical therapy "incurring a substantial loss of income in that he was not able to fight and defend the title ... for two years."

Jeffry Spahr, the city attorney handling the case, said he was shocked to receive the lawsuit Thursday claiming Simms' injuries "are likely to be permanent" and subsequently read published reports the boxer was preparing to reclaim the championship title on Saturday.

"On the very day I'm examining the lawsuit, I'm reading this article about this guy going on about what good shape he's in," Spahr said Tuesday.