Zion at Lennox Lewis. Lewis Lennox - famous boxer

Lewis competed at the Olympics twice, in 1984 and 1988. In 1984, he lost on his way to the final, after which he decided to remain an amateur for another 4 years. In 1988 in Seoul, Lennox competed for Canada. In the final of the tournament, he met with American boxer Riddick Bowe. For the first two minutes of the first round, the opponents eyed each other, and then Lewis managed to land a right cross to Bowe’s head. The missed blow discouraged Riddick and soon he suffered the first knockdown. In the second round, Lennox managed to carry out several more successful attacks and twice sent his opponent to the floor of the ring. After the third knockdown the fight was stopped. Thus Lennox became an Olympic champion.

Lewis's victory is somewhat devalued by the fact that the Olympics were boycotted by Cuba, which is traditionally strong in boxing.

Professional career

1988-1996

in June 1988 he made his debut in the professional ring.

In June 1990, Lewis defeated former title challenger Ossie Ocasio on points.

In March 1991, a fight between two unbeaten prospects Lennox Lewis and Gary Mason took place. In the 7th round, Lewis knocked out his opponent.

In July 1991, Lev knocked out former world champion Michael Weaver in the 6th round.

In November 1991, Lewis knocked out former title challenger Tyrell Biggs in the 3rd round.

In 1992, a tournament of the 4 strongest heavyweights in the world took place for the title of absolute champion. Two pairs were formed: Lennox Lewis - Donovan Ruddock and Evander Holyfield - Riddick Bowe. The winners of the pairs had to identify the strongest in the finals.

In October 1992, Lewis easily dealt with Donovan Ruddock in 2 rounds in the 1st semi-final. In November of the same year, Riddick Bowe defeated the current absolute champion Evander Holyfield on points in a bitter battle. Bowe was supposed to have his next fight against Lewis, but, mindful of his defeat in the final of the Seoul Olympics, he refused, deciding to have a rematch with Holyfield. Since Lewis was British, 2 of the 3 boxing organizations decided not to interfere with the rematch. The WBC decided not to put up with the lawlessness and took away its belt from Bowe. Upon learning of this decision, Bowe called a press conference and pointedly threw the WBC belt in the trash. The WBC did not remain in debt: Bowe was forever thrown out of the ratings of this organization.

In May 1993, Lewis decided to enter the ring in his 1st defense against the very strong former champion Tony Tucker. Lewis won on points.

In October 1993, the champion knocked out British heavyweight Frank Bruno in the 7th round.

In May 1994, Lewis warmed up against a passing opponent: in the 8th round, the unremarkable Phil Jackson was knocked out.

In September 1994, the fight between Lennox Lewis and concrete-jawed Oliver McCall took place. Lewis missed a punch in the 2nd round and fell to the canvas. He was able to stand at the count of 10, but was unsteady on his feet, and the referee decided to stop the fight. This was Lewis's 1st defeat. After the fight, Lewis demanded a rematch. He was refused.

In May 1995, a qualifying fight took place for the right to meet the champion version between Lewis and Lionel Butler. Butler had a huge number of defeats for a contender, however, he was able to put on a good winning streak and earned the right to the eliminator. Lewis knocked out his opponent in the 5th round. Having won the eliminator, Lewis was unable to secure a meeting with the champion, since McCall had by that time lost to Frank Bruno, who had been beaten by Lewis. Bruno then lost to Mike Tyson. Tyson was then stripped of the title and the belt was declared vacant in 1996.

In October 1995, Lewis knocked out Tommy Morisson in the 6th round.

May 10, 1996 Ray Mercer - Lennox Lewis

Result: Lewis wins by majority decision in a 10-round fight
Status: Rating battle
Judges Score: George Colon (94-96 Lewis), Luis Rivera (95-96 Lewis), Melvina Lathan (95-95)
Weight: Mercer 108.00 kg; Lewis 112.00 kg
Broadcast: HBO
Unofficial Score: Harold Lederman (95-96 Mercer)

In May 1996, Lewis entered the ring against Ray Mercer. The opponents exchanged strong blows and uppercuts in every possible way. In the 10-round fight, Lewis won a difficult victory by majority vote of the judges, mainly due to long-range jabs.

1997-1998

In February 1997, a fight took place for the vacant WBC belt. Ironically, Lewis's opponent was his only offender, Oliver McCall. McCall did not really believe in his victory and sabotaged the fight in every possible way. In the 4th and 5th rounds he began to cry and walk around the ring with his hands down. Referee Mills Lane admonished him, then repeated the same to his corner, saying that if this continued, he would stop the fight. While McCall avoided the fight, Lewis, taken aback, could not hit his opponent. In the 5th round, Lane's patience ran out and he stopped the fight. A technical knockout was declared in favor of Lewis. After the fight, McCall said that walking around the ring was his intention: he wanted to mislead Lewis and then knock him out.

In July 1997, Lewis met with unbeaten spoiler Henry Akinwande. Akinwande, like McCall, avoided the fight, but did it through clinch. Mills Lane disqualified Akinwande in the 5th round.

October 4, 1997 Lennox Lewis - Andrzej Golota

Venue: Caesars Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Result: Lewis wins by knockout in the 1st round in a 12-round fight
Status: Championship fight for the WBC heavyweight title (Lewis's 2nd defense)
Referee: Joe Cortez
Time: 1:35
Weight: Lewis 110.70 kg; Golota 110.70 kg
Broadcast: HBO TVKO

In October 1997, Lewis fought against Pole Andrzej Golota. Lewis unexpectedly immediately attacked Golota. At the 2nd minute of the 1st round, he locked the Pole in the corner, and delivered several strong right crosses in a row to the jaw, and then added a couple of hooks from both hands. Golota fell. He stood up with wild eyes and suddenly ran to the side. Joe Cortez rushed after him and stopped him. Because of this, the referee counted longer than the prescribed 10 seconds. The Pole did not express his readiness to continue the fight, and clearly did not come to his senses, but Joe Cortez allowed the fight to continue. Lewis immediately attacked Golota again. Golota stood in one place, not even trying to escape the attack. Lewis launched a series of powerful crosses from both hands, again driving the Pole into a corner. Lewis then launched another series of punches, mostly from his right hand. Golota collapsed in the corner. The referee started the countdown, but seeing that the Pole was not coming to his senses, he stopped the fight.

1998

In March 1998, Lewis met with asthmatic Shannon Briggs. Briggs controversially defeated George Foreman in his previous fight. Briggs managed to catch Lewis with a right cross at the beginning of the fight, but he was unable to take advantage of this, for which he paid for it, holding back a monotony of blows, Lewis fell in the 5th round. After he got up with difficulty, the referee stopped the fight.

September 26, 1998 Zeiko Mavrovic - Lennox Lewis

Venue: Mohegan Sun Casino, Juncasville, Connecticut, USA
Result: Lewis wins by unanimous decision in a 12-round fight
Status: Championship fight for the WBC heavyweight title (Lewis' 4th defense)
Referee: Frank Cappuccino
Judges' scores: Tom Kazmarek (119-109), Bob Logist (117-112), Franco Ciminale (117-111) - all in favor of Lewis
Weight: Mavrovich 97.10 kg; Lewis 110.20 kg
Broadcast: HBO
Unofficial Score: Harold Lederman (118-110 Lewis)

In September 1998, the Briton held a mandatory defense against the unbeaten Croatian with Chingachkuk's hairstyle, Zeiko Mavrovic. Lewis was not very prepared for the fight, so his victory on points looked unimpressive. After this fight, Mavrovich retired from boxing.

March 13, 1999 Lennox Lewis - Evander Holyfield

Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York State, USA
Result: Draw by split decision
Status: Championship fight for the WBC heavyweight title (Lewis's 5th defense); championship fight for the WBA heavyweight title (Holyfield’s 4th defense); championship fight for the IBF heavyweight title (2nd defense of Holyfield)
Referee: Arthur Mercante Jr.
Judges Score: Stanley Christodolu (116-113 Lewis), Eugenia Williams (113-115 Holyfield), Larry O'Connell (115-115)
Weight: Lewis 111.10 kg; Holyfield 97.50 kg
Broadcast: HBO TVKO
Unofficial Score: Harold Lederman (117-111 Lewis)

In March 1999, a unification fight between two legends took place - Lewis and Evander Holyfield. The Briton dominated the entire fight, but the judges unexpectedly gave it a draw. It was one of the most scandalous decisions in boxing history. A rematch was scheduled. Well-known promoter Don King said after the fight that if no one was knocked out, then it was a draw.

November 13, 1999 Lennox Lewis - Evander Holyfield (2nd fight)

Venue: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Result: Lewis wins by unanimous decision
Status: Championship fight for the WBC heavyweight title (Lewis's 6th defense); championship fight for the WBA heavyweight title (Holyfield's 5th defense); championship fight for the IBF heavyweight title (Holyfield's 3rd defense)
Referee: Mitch Halpern
Judges' scores: Chuck Giampa (116-112), Bill Graham (117-111), Jerry Roth (115-113) - all in favor of Lewis
Weight: Lewis 109.80 kg; Holyfield 98.40 kg
Broadcast: HBO TVKO
Unofficial Score: Harold Lederman (116-112 Lewis)

In November 1999, Lewis and Holyfield met again. Ironically, this time Holyfield looked better than in the 1st fight, but this was not enough to win. The judges gave Lewis the win by unanimous decision. Lennox Lewis became the new absolute world champion.

However, Lewis was then stripped of his WBA title for refusing to face mandatory challenger John Ruiz.

April 29, 2000 Lennox Lewis - Michael Grant

Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York State, USA
Result: Lewis wins by knockout in the 2nd round in a 12-round fight
Status: Championship fight for the WBC heavyweight title (Lewis' 7th defense); championship fight for the IBF heavyweight title (Lewis's 1st defense); championship fight for the IBO heavyweight title (Lewis's 1st defense)
Referee: Arthur Mercante Jr.
Judges' scores: Melvina Lathan (10-7), Anek Hongtongkam (10-6), Steve Weisfeld (10-6) - all in favor of Lewis at the time of stoppage
Time: 2:53
Weight: Lewis 112.00 kg; Grant 113.40 kg
Broadcast: HBO TVKO
Unofficial Score: Harold Lederman (10-7 Lewis)

In April 2000, Lewis met with prospect Michael Grant. He attacked him the same way he attacked Golota. Grant was knocked down three times in the 1st round, and once in the 2nd. At the end of the 2nd round, Lewis knocked out the challenger with a right uppercut.

2000-2001

In July 2000, the Briton knocked out unpunched South African Francois Botha in the 2nd round.

In November 2000, Lewis entered the ring against the very strong and popular knockout artist David Tua. The fight started with an explosive attack from Tua. Lewis tried in every possible way to avoid the fight by retreating back. At the end of the 2nd round, Lewis withstood a strong blow to the head from his opponent and lowered his hands, after which the gong sounded, which saved him from further attack by Tua. In subsequent rounds, Lewis, by avoiding a frank fight with the attacking Tua, throwing a left jab from a distance, knocked his opponent on points.

April 22, 2001 Hasim Rahman - Lennox Lewis

Venue: Carnival City, Brakpan, Gauteng, South Africa
Result: Rahman wins by knockout in the 5th round in a 12-round fight
Status: Championship fight for the WBC heavyweight title (Lewis' 10th defense); championship fight for the IBF heavyweight title (Lewis' 4th defense); championship fight for the IBO heavyweight title (Lewis' 4th defense)
Referee: Daniel Van Del Wiel
Judges' scores: Dave Parris (39-37), Valerie Dorsett (39-37), Thabo Spampul (39-37) - all in favor of Lewis at the time of stoppage
Time: 2:32
Weight: Lewis 115.00 kg; Rahman 108.00 kg
Broadcast: HBO
Unofficial Score: Harold Lederman (38-38)

In April 2001, Lewis entered the ring against Hasim Rahman. It was a voluntary defense. At the end of the 5th round, Rahman threw a left jab to the head several times. Lewis went to the ropes. Rahman delivered a right cross to the opponent's jaw. After which Lewis instantly collapsed onto the canvas. At the count of 10 he was still on the canvas. Making fun of Lewis, HBO commentator Larry Merchant called the fight “Crumble in the jungle.” Another HBO commentator, Jim Lampley, compared the result of the fight to the Buster Douglas fight -

Full name : Lennox Claudius Lewis
Date of Birth : September 2, 1965
Place of Birth : West Ham, UK
Resides: London, Great Britain
Height: 196 cm
Weight: 115 kg
Speaker: in the heavy weight category (over 90.892 kg)
Stand: right-hand

It is easier to say what Lennox Lewis has not achieved over the years of performances than what he has achieved. Not every professional athlete, especially a heavyweight, has managed to conquer the three main peaks: becoming a champion in the three most prestigious versions of modern boxing. Lewis, who was also called Lev and Lenny, managed to achieve what seems to be fantastic results in the ring. In 1999, the Briton was declared the absolute world heavyweight champion among professionals. He held the belt as world champion in the heavy weight category according to the WBC (1993-1994, 1997-2001 and 2001-2003), IBF (1999-2001 and 2001-2002), WBA (1999). For his outstanding services in the development of boxing, his name was solemnly inscribed in the history of the International and World Boxing Halls of Fame, as well as the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. Lenny learned all his best fighting qualities for more than one year.

The London boy, born into a family of Jamaican immigrants, had a difficult childhood. He, of course, did not starve, but he became aware of the need at the age of 6 after his parents separated. And as a 12-year-old boy, Lennox, who remained to live with his mother, emigrated to Canada. By the way, having become an adult, the champion retained his heartfelt affection for his mother and is never embarrassed to call himself a mama’s boy. Lenny's relationships with peers at school did not work out right away. Classmates chuckled at the London accent and English slang and did not recognize the newcomer. However, this persecution ended as soon as Leo began boxing. His persistence and hard work could be envied: not everyone could spend hours practicing elements of fist fighting techniques. Lennox also liked to play volleyball, basketball and American football, but the future champion still preferred boxing. Training hard, by the age of 17 Lewis won the title of world junior champion. Then, as if according to schedule, an amateur career began (105-94-11). By the way, Lenny failed the biggest competition in his life at that time - the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, losing in the quarterfinals to the American Tyrell Biggs, who became the champion. And all because there was not enough experience and maturity: compared to 18-year-old Lewis, his opponents were much older. For Canada, for which the Briton then played, this was tantamount to a triumph. The young athlete was promised a lot of money, inviting him to become a professional, but Lenny first wanted to win something worthwhile. And he won Olympic gold in Seoul in 1988, knocking out Riddick Bowie (USA) in the final match. You shouldn’t think that Lennox was “flooded” after this; he moved towards his future victories at a slow pace, as if he was afraid to stumble, although the pro contract had already been signed in 1989, moreover in England, and it had to be justified. The first victory among professionals was the fight for the 1990 EBU European champion title with the Frenchman Jean-Maurice Chanet, who kissed the canvas in the 6th round, and the significant one was the WBC qualifying match against the Canadian Donovan Ruddock, who ended up being knocked down twice. Due to the refusal of the American Riddick Bowe from the title fight, the WBC world champion title moved to Lennox Lewis in January 1993. The British Lion remained undefeated until his fourth WBC title defense on September 24, 1994. The meeting ended with a knockdown and Lewis' defeat from American Oliver McCall.

However, Lenny returned what he lost from the one who found it - Oliver McCall, but only after three years. March 13, 1999 was significant for the British heavyweight. The confrontation with Evander Holyfield gave the answer to who would unify three professional boxing championship titles at once. The exciting fight was supposed to end in victory for Lewis, who dominated all 12 rounds, but the judges unexpectedly declared a draw. But Lennox achieved his goal in a repeat fight on November 13, 1999, becoming the absolute world champion in the heavy weight category! In fact, there weren't many boxing matches left for Lewis to fight. There was a loss of titles after an unexpected defeat from the American Hasim Rahman on April 22, 2001, and then a convincing revenge on November 17 of the same year, the defeat of the contender for the WBC, IBF and IBO champion belts Mike Tyson, who was knocked down on June 8, 2002 and ultimately lost knockout. The British Lion's last fight took place on June 21, 2003. There were two titles at stake: the WBC and IBO champions. There is still debate about who deserved victory more - Lennox Lewis or Vitali Klitschko. Interestingly, the judges were inclined to give victory to the Ukrainian, who, in their opinion, won 4 rounds out of 6. However, this was not destined to come true: a severe cut on Klitschko forced the referee to stop the fight. The victory was awarded to the Briton. A few days later, Lennox Lewis announced his retirement from professional boxing.

Magazine "BOXING RING" presented the next cycle of the series "The best I've ever met". This time, the great heavyweight champion answered questions about the most dangerous opponents in his career - Lennox Lewis(41-2-1, 32 KO).

The Englishman had his last fight fifteen years ago, defeating his successor, Vitali Klitschko, as a result of injury. He began his great career with an Olympic gold medal in Seoul (1988). In the fight for gold, he defeated himself ahead of schedule. As a professional, he met such strong men as Gary Mason, Mike Weaver, Tyrell Biggs, Tony Tucker, Frank Bruno, Ray Mercer, Henry Akinwande, Zeljko Mavrovic, Michael Grant, France Botha, Hasim Rahman, and the named Klitschko. Defeated two greats of his time, that is, Evander Holyfield and. The best “heavyweight” in the history of Poland, painfully, knows about his strength. The Pole was swept out of the ring in October 1997. Lennox avenged two, probably accidental, defeats suffered with one blow “at a time.” In both cases he won, in the second fights. He also repaid Holyfield by unifying the three heavyweight belts.

Better trained: Evander Holyfield
“Very talented boxer. He was considered the best of our time until he met me. The first time he entered the ring, he was too confident in his victory. But in the second he already knew what awaited him. The second fight was more difficult, but I probably won him anyway.”
Best jab: Donovan "Razor" Ruddock
Best in Defense: Evander Holyfield
The strongest jaw: Oliver McCall
“I have no doubts here. Not only a strong jaw, but also an excellent response. He was Tyson's sparring partner for many years."
Fastest hands: Shannon Briggs
“I was surprised how fast his hands are. He could close the distance very quickly and hit powerfully. Sometimes you don’t realize how fast a fighter is until you stand opposite him in the ring.”
Fastest on your feet: Zeljko Mavrovic
Strongest physically: Hasim Rahman
Hard hitting: Shannon Briggs
“He may have lacked stamina, but Briggs certainly knew how to hit well with his body while using his bulk. Unfortunately for him the strong blow was too small to defeat me. Perhaps the audience expected that I would point to McCall or Rahman, but then I simply exposed myself to a knockout. Briggs hits harder."
Smartest in the ring: Vitaliy Klichko
“Supposedly he was a little clumsy, but he could do it and turn it in his favor.”
Best of all: Evander Holyfield
"Evander was the best boxer I've dealt with in my career."

Lennox Lewis (born September 2, 1965 in West Ham, UK) is a famous Canadian and British professional boxer who competed in the heavy weight category. 1988 Olympic champion in heavyweight (as part of the Canadian team). Former world champion in the heavyweight (version, 1993-1994, 1997-2001 and 2001-2003; version, 1999-2001 and 2001-2002; version, 1999) category.
Amateur ringLewis participated in the Olympics twice - in 1984 and 1988. In 1984, he lost in the playoffs, after which he decided to remain an amateur for another 4 years. In 1988, he won the Olympic gold medal, defeating Riddick Bowe in the final.However, the Lewis medal somewhat devalues the fact thatthat the Olympics were boycotted by Cuba, which is traditionally strong in boxing. In 1988, Lennox Lewis made his debut in the professional ring.

In June 1990, Lewis defeated former title challenger Ossie Ocasio on points.

In March 1991, a fight between two unbeaten prospects Lennox Lewis and Gary Mason took place. In the 7th round, Lewis knocked out his opponent.

In July 1991, Lev knocked out former world champion Michael Weaver in the 6th round.

In November 1991, Lewis knocked out former title challenger Tyrell Biggs in the 3rd round.

In 1992, a tournament of the 4 strongest heavyweights in the world for the title of absolute champion. Two pairs were formed: Lennox Lewis - Donovan Ruddock and - Riddick Bowe. The winners of the pairs had to identify the strongest in the finals.

In October 1992, Lewis easily dispatched Donovan Ruddock in the 2nd round in the 1st semi-final. In November of the same year, Riddick Bowe defeated the reigning absolute champion on points in a stubborn battle. Bowe was supposed to have his next fight against Lewis, but, mindful of his defeat in the final of the Seoul Olympics, he refused, deciding to have a rematch with. Since Lewis was British, 2 out of 3 boxing organizations decided not to interfere with the rematch. decided not to put up with lawlessness and took her belt from Bow. Upon learning of this decision, Bowe called a press conference and pointedly threw the belt in the trash. out of debt: Bowe was forever thrown out of the ratings of this organization.

In May 1993, Lewis decided to go up against the very strong former champion Tony Tucker in his 1st defense. Lewis won on points.

In October 1993, the champion knocked out British heavyweight Frank Bruno in the 7th round.

In May 1994, Lewis warmed up on a passing opponent. In the 8th round, the unremarkable Phil Jackson was knocked out.

In September 1994, the fight between Lennox Lewis and concrete-jawed Oliver McCall. Lewis was poorly prepared for the fight. As a result, in the 2nd round he missed a punch and fell to the canvas. He was able to stand at the count of 10, but was unsteady on his feet, and the referee decided to stop the fight. This was Lewis's 1st defeat. After the fight, Lewis demanded a rematch. McCall turned him down.

In May 1995, a qualifying fight for the right to the champion took place between Lewis and Lionel Butler. Butler had a huge number of defeats for a contender, however, he was able to put on a good winning streak and earned the right to the eliminator. Lewis knocked out his opponent in the 5th round. Having won the eliminator, Lewis was unable to achieve a meeting with the champion, since McCall had by that time lost to Frank Bruno, who had been beaten by Lewis. Bruno then lost, was then stripped of the title and the belt was declared vacant in 1996.

In October 1995, Lewis knocked out Tommy Morisson in the 6th round.

In May 1996, Lewis entered the ring of Ray Mercer. In the 10-round fight, Lewis won a difficult victory by majority vote of the judges. The reasons for Lewis's unconvincing performance were that he underestimated his opponent, and also that he agreed to enter a smaller ring.

In February 1997, a fight for the vacant belt took place. Ironically, Lewis's opponent was his only offender, Oliver McCall. McCall did not really believe in his victory and sabotaged the fight in every possible way. In the 4th and 5th rounds he began to cry and walk around the ring with his hands down. Referee Mills Lane admonished him, then repeated the same to his corner, saying that if this continued, he would stop the fight. While McCall was avoiding the fight, Lewis, who was on foot, could not take aim at the defenseless enemy. In the 5th round, Lane's patience ran out and he stopped the fight. A technical knockout was declared in favor of Lewis. After the fight, McCall said that walking around the ring was his intention: he wanted to mislead Lewis and then knock him out.

In July 1997, Lewis met with unbeaten spoiler Henry Akinwande. Akinwande, like McCall, shied away from the fight, but did it through clinches. Mills Lane disqualified Akinwande in the 9th round.

In October 1997, Lewis fought against Pole Andrew Golota. Lewis unexpectedly immediately went to Golota. At the 2nd minute of the 1st round, he locked the Pole in the corner, and delivered several strong right crosses in a row to the jaw, and then added a couple of hooks from both hands. Golota fell. He stood up with wild eyes and suddenly ran to the side. Joe Cortez rushed after him and stopped him. Because of this, the referee counted longer than the prescribed 10 seconds. The Pole did not express his readiness to continue the fight, and clearly did not come to his senses, but Joe Cortez allowed the fight to continue. Lewis immediately attacked Golota again. Golota stood in one place, not even trying to escape the attack. Lewis launched a series of powerful crosses from both hands, again driving the Pole into a corner. Lewis then launched another series of punches, mostly from his right hand. Golota collapsed in the corner. The referee started the countdown, but seeing that the Pole was not coming to his senses, he stopped the fight.

In March 1998, Lewis met with asthmatic Shannon Briggs. Briggs controversially defeated George Foreman in his previous fight. Lewis knocked out his opponent in the 5th round.

In March 1999, a fight between two legends took place - Lewis and the Briton dominated the entire fight, but the judges unexpectedly gave it a draw. It was one of the most scandalous decisions in boxing history. A rematch was scheduled. Well-known promoter Don King said after the fight that if no one was knocked out, then it was a draw.

In November 1999, Lewis and I met again. Ironically, this time I looked better than in the 1st fight, but this was not enough to win. The judges gave Lewis the win by unanimous decision. Lennox Lewis became the new absolute world champion.

In July 2000, in the same style in the 2nd round, he knocked out unpunched South African Francois Botha.

In November 2000, Lewis entered the ring against the very strong and popular knockout artist David Tua. In a very careful fight, Lewis knocked his opponent clean with a jab.

In April 2001, the Briton chose middle man Hasim Rahman to voluntarily defend. Lewis was dismissive. The enemy punished him and knocked him out in the 5th round. Lewis immediately demanded revenge. Rahman's team refused. Then the British sued him. The court ordered Rahman to give revenge.

In November 2001, Lewis knocked out Rahman in the 4th round.

In June 2002, Lennox Lewis also fought. Lewis dominated the entire fight. In the middle of the 8th round, Lewis hit Tyson in the jaw with a right uppercut and squatted down. The referee counted the knockdown. Towards the end of the round, Lewis sent him to the canvas with a right hook. At the count of 10, Tyson just took a knee. The referee recorded a knockout.

In June 2003, the Briton was supposed to meet with Kirk Johnson. Johnson was injured a few weeks before the fight. A replacement was urgently found for him in the person of a Ukrainian. Lewis came out in a distraught state. Due to this, he looked more convincing at the beginning of the battle. Closer to the middle of the fight, Lewis began to level the situation. In the 6th round the fight was stopped due to a cut. Lewis won by technical knockout.

Lewis later announced his retirement. Thus, Lewis defeated everyone he met and left boxing as the reigning champion.

Whoever you couldn't beat the first time, beat him the second time

To be fair, it should be said that there were only two of these (Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman) out of 44 fights in the professional ring. He is deservedly called Leo. He is a good strategist and does not make unnecessary moves in the ring. It doesn't provide entertainment, but it brings victory!

Lewis defeated Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, David Tua and Vitali Klitschko.

His career did not have sharp ups, downs and shocks like Tyson's, but he left the ring undefeated.

Lennox decided to take up boxing at the age of 14 in order to give back to his classmates. For whom the Jamaican guy with a funny London accent and habits was at first an object of ridicule.

Lennox Lewis became a world junior boxing champion when he was 17 years old. At age 18 in Los Angeles, he reached the quarter finals at the Olympic Games. Moreover, almost all opponents were more experienced and older than him. Immediately after the Olympic Games in Canada, he was offered $750,000 to join the professional league. But Lewis had a goal to win gold at the Olympics, so he refused.

in 1988 in Seoul, Lennox became an Olympic champion, and after that he turned professional.

Boxing style

Lewis's boxing style resembles that of a well-fed lion. He is characterized by maturity, fortitude, equanimity and calm. He does not throw thoughtless blows. Acts prudently and calmly. He uses his size very wisely. By putting your left hand far forward, it greatly complicates the opponent’s attack.

It is believed that there are more questionable tricks in his technique than we would like, but, as they say, winners are not judged. Lewis regularly puts all his weight on his opponent in the clinch, makes grabs and pushes.

Some fights (including with Tyson) ended in the defeat of the opponent after Lewis grabbed him by the head and pressed him down with his left hand, and then threw a powerful uppercut with his right hand.

Lennox Lewis's best knockouts:

Lennox Lewis's daily routine:

Rise at six in the morning.
Warm up and stretch before running.
Run 5-7 miles.
Classes in the gym from half past two to four o'clock in the afternoon.
Lights out at ten o'clock in the evening.
Training six days a week.

Lennox Lewis training:

Warm-up, shadowboxing, sparring.
15 minutes warming up, stretching, stretching.
4-15 rounds of 3 minutes, break between rounds 30 seconds.
4 rounds of 3 minutes on a heavy bag.
3 rounds of 3 minutes on a speed bag.
3 rounds of 3 minutes work with a pear.
Work on the jump rope for 12-30 minutes.
8 x 25 body lifts from a lying position.
6 x 25 leg raises with hold at the end point.
After finishing the workout, massage and shower.

Lenox Lewis Strategy

In short, in a characteristically calm, relaxed manner, with the help of pushes and grabs, he knocked down the fight, periodically planting powerful jabs into the opponent’s head. Using his physical strength and size wisely, Lewis more often worked as number one. Thanks to his fast and long arms, he had a very large attack radius and good striking power.

By putting his front hand far forward, Lennox seemed to measure the distance to his opponent. Throwing weak jabs with his front hand, he periodically shot for real. The calculation was on the strength and accuracy of the blows. And, quite often, this technique gave results.

Lewis is characterized by extreme caution, absence of a meat grinder, avoidance of his opponent’s attacks, low pace, periodic pushes and clinches with the full weight of his body.

Fans often mention the lack of entertainment in fights with Lennox Lewis, but thanks to this approach, he has a lot of victories. “Lev” had his last fight with Vitali Klitschko. He was credited with winning in the 6th round by technical knockout, although Vitaly was eager to continue the fight. But the doctor banned it because of the dangerous cut.

After this, a rematch was supposed to take place, but Lewis chose to leave gracefully and announced his retirement from his boxing career.

As he later admitted, he is madly attracted to the ring, but at the same time he is pleased to be an example of the fact that a boxer does not have to box for the rest of his life. Lennox invested the money he earned in real estate and now owns health centers, a mansion in Jamaica, and houses in England and Canada. His fortune is estimated at $600 million. He treats money carefully and does not throw it away. He does not show excessive pathos and lives like an ordinary person. Lewis lives with his family in a luxurious mansion with a beautiful outdoor swimming pool. Married to Miss Jamaica runner-up Violet Chang.

Lennox Lewis has never been seen in scandals, throwing mud at opponents or any extravagant antics. He set goals and persistently achieved them. After finishing his boxing career, he worked for some time as a commentator for HBO, but then left. I became interested in cinema.

Out of 44 fights in the professional ring, Lewis won 41. Of these, 32 victories were by knockout. He suffered two defeats and one fight ended in a draw. Lewis received $25 million for the fight with Mike Tyson.