Boxing: Boxing: Lennox Set to Cash in ; Record Pay Day Awaits If He Agrees Rematch

Evening Standard - London - June 23, 2003


THE worst performance of Lennox Lewis's career might earn the world heavyweight champion a part in the most lucrative match in boxing history.

Revealed today, that is the extraordinary twist to Lewis's controversial victory over Vitali Klitschko here.

Emanuel Steward, Lewis's trainer, admitted that the 37-year-old Londoner had never fought as badly, even though he claimed a technical knockout over a badly cut challenger.

Klitschko sustained a slashed left eyelid in the third round and despite protests from the giant Ukrainian, the fight was stopped on the orders of the chief ringside doctor at the end of the sixth.

At that point, the 6ft 8ins Klitschko was leading 58-56 on all three judges' scorecards, and he immediately demanded a rematch.

Lewis, who insisted he was getting on top of his opponent and heading for a knockout victory, would not commit to one. But speaking at the Beverly Hills Hotel here, he said it was among his options, which include retirement.

Another possibility is a pre-Christmas showdown with Roy Jones Jnr, the former middleweight champion who, in March, won the World Boxing Association's heavyweight title.

Lewis confirmed that talks between the two camps begin next week.

But the more appealing match is Lewis-Klitschko II, and Steward believes it could beat the record-busting fight between Lewis and Mike Tyson last June.

That was the highest-grossing television pay-per-view event in America, bringing in pounds 65million in subscription fees. It also generated the highest gate receipts for a boxing promotion of pounds 11m.

Steward said: "If Lennox and Klitschko fight a rematch, the public interest is going to go through the roof. It will exceed what the Tyson fight made.

"It would be a much bigger event.

You never knew what was going to happen with the Tyson fight, but everybody who sees the highlights of what happened here will know the rematch between Lennox and Klitschko is going to be crazy.

"This may not have been graceful, but it was one of the most exciting brawl-type heavyweight fights with two big guys, both bleeding and fighting and kicking." Despite his criticisms of Lewis, Steward insisted his man would rise to the occasion next time. "Lennox will come back sharp," he said.

"He will have time to adjust to Klitschko's height, and based on the experience he gained here he will knockout Klitschko.

"I don't think the fight is going to go three rounds. If Lennox comes out properly, it is going to be a mismatch."

Lewis, looking cool and relaxed despite the dramas of his 18th world championship fight, admitted he had gambled on accepting Klitschko as a late replacement for his original ring rival, the Canadian Kirk Johnson, who pulled out earlier in the month with a torn muscle. Johnson was regarded as an easier opponent who would suit Lewis as a tune-up after a year out of the ring. Lewis's plan was then to stay in training for a fight with Klitschko in November.

Lewis, who came into the ring on Saturday at a career-highest 18st 4lbs, conceded: "It just turned out to be more of a fight than I expected.

"But if we have the rematch, Klitschko is going to get done because I always come back better the second time. I'll do him like I did Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman (Lewis's two career defeats which he later avenged). I'll bust up the other side of his face, too."

But it is not a done and dusted deal.

While the promoters will be rubbing their hands at the thought of a giant pay-day, Lewis intimated that immediate retirement was a serious consideration.

"I'm still thinking about it," he said, adding that he was leaning "60-70 per cent" towards carrying on fighting beyond his 38th birthday in September.

Lewis said: "I'll talk to my colleagues and then make a decision.

"I will probably look at the tape of the Klitschko fight and see a lot of things I could have done, should have done. That will affect the decision."

Steward, sitting next to Lewis, said: "Despite the scorecards, Lennox was moving to knockout Klitschko. And that is after the worst fight of the career."

Another less likely option is a rematch with Tyson.

Lewis had said he would never fight him again after demolishing him in June, but now he admitted: "If Tyson has seen the Klitschko fight, maybe he thinks he can take me.

"I say 'okay, come and try'."

Tyson turned down an offer to fight on Lewis's undercard here, yet he still apparently managed to throw punches over the weekend.

The former undisputed champion of the world was alleged to have brawled with two autograph hunters inside a New York hotel, and all three men were arrested.

"But if we have the rematch, Klitschko is going to get done because I always come back better the second time. I'll do him like I did Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman (Lewis's two career defeats which he later avenged). I'll bust up the other side of his face, too."

Exactly......Klitschko put up the best rounds of his career and if they do fight again this is what Lewis will do to him,he had his chance and Lewis still mashed up his face...Next time he will beat his ass down.....

It will be a good rematch no doubt about it. I cant wait.