Lennox expected to retire on Friday
 

http://espn.go.com/boxing/news/2004/0204/1727423.html

Announcement reportedly will come Friday

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SportsTicker


LONDON -- Lennox Lewis, who endured a star-crossed run as heavyweight champion, is expected to announce his retirement Friday, according to a British radio report.

According to BBC Radio Five Live, the 38-year-old Lewis plans to call it quits after a 15-year career that has seen him spend almost 10 years as champion. A news conference is expected here Friday.

Kronk Boxing publicist Carlos Llinas told SportsTicker that Lewis' trainer, Emanuel Steward, declined to comment on the report but did reveal that Steward is "dealing with a major story" and "may have more to say in a couple of days."

Lewis would be retiring with boxing's most important division in shambles. Former middleweight Roy Jones Jr. holds the WBA title with no intention of defending it. Interim champion John Ruiz and IBF titleholder Chris Byrd are unattractive champions who would have trouble headlining a card.

Lewis, 41-2-1 with 32 knockouts, has not fought since June 21, 2003, when he rallied to stop Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko on cuts after six rounds. Facing mounting pressure to defend his WBC title and possibly give Klitschko a rematch, Lewis has been noticeably absent from the spotlight.

Amid conflicting reports earlier this year, Steward said his fighter would make a decision in the very near future. The WBC helped speed along that process with a 30-day window to agree to terms with Klitschko.

"This news hasn't come as a great surprise to the boxing fraternity," boxing analyst Duke McKenzie told the radio station. "Lennox has earned a (heck) of a lot of money from boxing and he doesn't have anything more to prove to anyone now and it is the right decision."

Lewis, who won the gold medal for Canada at the 1988 Olympics, broke into the pro ranks in 1989 and was awarded the WBC title in December 1992, when Riddick Bowe surrendered the belt.

Having not won the title in the ring was the first in a series of question marks in Lewis' career. He never fought Bowe and faced fellow champions Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson well past their primes.

Lewis also faced intense scrutiny when his first title reign ended after 16 months as he was knocked out by lightly regarded challenger Oliver McCall.

Lewis regained the title in February 1997 and added the WBA and IBF titles in November 1999, when he beat Holyfield in a rematch. The two had fought to a controversial draw eight months earlier, a bout most felt Lewis had won.

Lewis cruised through 2000 but once again opened himself to criticism when he was knocked out in the fifth round by Hasim Rahman in April 2001. While filming a cameo in the movie "Ocean's Eleven" at the time, Lewis was accused of not taking his title responsibilities seriously.

Lewis' questionable chin left the possibility that he could be dropped in any fight. But he dominated many of his bouts, wearing down opponents with size, power and skill.

Lewis regained the WBC and IBF portions of the title against Rahman in November 2001 but fought just once in 2002, dismantling Tyson in a bout that failed to live up to expectations.

Lewis also fought just once in 2003, getting battered early by Klitschko before cutting up the challenger and forcing the stoppage. While the public clamored for a rematch, Lewis may have caught a break as Klitschko needed time for the severe cuts to heal.


My cynical side is telling me that he is running from Klitschko. However he is 38 years old and as far as I know has all of his marbles in place :D I think he is among the top 5 heavyweights of all time

In a related question, is there any truth to the rumor that Lennox Lewis and Sol Campbel (Man U center back) are a couple?

for once, I'd like to see a boxer retire with enough of his mental faculties left to know to STAY retired.

I patiently await the lennox lewis juicer.

Is Lennox Lewis sufficiently famous to be officially known by just one name?

No.

I actually thought this thread was going to be about Annie Lennox when I clicked on it. Although the retirement part did seem a bit odd, but it's early.

Bah. Lewis was a champion in an era of heavyweight boxing mediocrity.

If he retires now, I'll forever see it as him running away from Vitali. Didn't the boxing federation or whatever say that if he doesn't defend against Klitschko, he'll forfeit the title?

Yes that is correct.

don't let the dorr hit ya on the way out lennox... good riddance. Now if we can just find some decent contenders to fill tha ranks we'd be set.

And I thought he was referring to Dave Lennox. He's been in those air conditioner commercials for decades now...

a top 5 boxer of all time?

That's insane, he'd be lucky to be top 15, everyone he fought was either out of there prime or never really that good to begin with.


When a 40 year old Holyfield and a post-prison Tyson are your biggest career fights, you aren't top 5.

He's dodged boxers his entire career only to fight them when they were washed up or not prepaired, so this isn't surprising. He'll probably come out of retirement and fight again when Klitschko hits 45 or loses a extremity.

Gotta agree with this. Ali, Liston, Foreman, Frazier, Tyson, Holyfield, and Marciano all would have pummeled Lennox in their primes.

See in my mind, Tyson and Holyfield are the one who were more overrated. What great heavyweights in their prime did they face?

Lennox Best opposition:Tony Tucker, Ray Mercer,Andre Golota ,Hasim rahman, Henry Akinwande,David Tua, Evander holyfield, Mikle Tyson, Shannon Briggs, Michael Grant& Vitali Klitschko

Tyson's best opposition- Tony Tucker,Larry Holmes, Mike Spinks, Pinklon Thomas,Razor Ruddock,Evander Holfield, Lennox Lewis, fran Botha,Andrew Golota

Evander Holyfield's best-Dwight Qawi,Pinklon Thomas,Alex Stewart,George Foreman, larry holmes,Riddick Bowe,Micahel moorer,Ray mercer, Mikle Tyson,James Tony, Hasim Rahman, Lennxo lewis

You can debate this from a technical/boxer skill level all you want but in spite of what you want to think about Tyson the guy was an event. The power and the knockouts were something special and separated him from his generation...

Earnie Shavers

Man, he sure does crank out some reliable furnaces!

He will be missed.

Maybe Lewis is a top 15 of all time. To me, he's more like a top 25 guy. Getting KO'ed by McCall and Rahman is pretty inexcusable (as is being KO'ed by Douglas). I think in the long run, both Tyson and Lewis are overrated. I do think a prime Tyson with Kevin Rooney in his corner would defeat prime Lewis most of the time.

But a top 5? I can think of 5 fighters in just the 70's that I would put ahead of Lewis, let alone all-time...

And yes, I do think Lewis is running from Vitali. The pressure was put on and now he's retiring. I don't think that was a coincendence.

I don't think the guy wants to train anymore. He was horribly out of shape in their first fight...

Why waste his time to get in shape for another asswhooping.

Long live the Emperor.