Boxing: Boxing: Klitschko: Bring on Lennox

Evening Mail - December 8, 2003


AMERICAN TV chiefs are hopeful 38-year-old Lennox Lewis will be tempted to put off his retirement in favour of a rematch with Vitali Klitschko.

Klitschko threw down the gauntlet to Lewis after a tworound demolition of Canada's Kirk Johnson in New York.

He was leading on all three scorecards when a bad cut ended his bout with Britain's WBC title holder Lewis in the sixth round last June.

The 32-year-old Ukrainian has called for a rematch ever since and pressed his claims when hammering the highly-ranked Johnson at Madison Square Garden.

Kerri Davis, a vice-president of American cable channel HBO, said: 'This establishes a megafight in the heavyweight division if Lennox comes back.

'And I think he was waiting to see if Klitschko made it a super fight.'

Both fighters threw plenty of punches in the opening round but Klitschko produced the cleaner work.

The 6ft 8in powerhouse sent Johnson to the canvas with a barrage of blows in the second. Johnson rose to his feet but looked apprehensive, and his fears proved justified as Klitschko finished him off with a cracking combination.

Klitschko took his record to 33-2, his only other loss coming when he suffered a shoulder injury during his bout with Chris Byrd in April 2000, when again ahead on points.

Johnson had been due to fight Lewis last summer before a shoulder injury allowed Klitschko to step in and this bout was billed as a final eliminator for the WBC title still held by the Briton.

'Hello, Lennox. I know you saw this fight,' said Klitschko. 'You're a great heavyweight champion but I can beat you.'