OF June 2002-July 2002
MOST RECENT NEWS ON TOP
JULY 12:
Lewis wants $30 million for rematch with Tyson:
LONDON (AP) -- Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis would take a rematch with Mike Tyson if organizers guarantee him $30 million.
Lewis knocked out Tyson in the eighth round of a fight last month in Memphis to retain his WBC and IBF titles. Each fighter was paid $17.5 million.
Lewis appeared to leave open the possibility of a rematch -- if the price was right.
``People don't want to see that again because of the way I destroyed him,'' Lewis said after receiving the Commander of the Order of the British Empire from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace on Friday.
``People felt sorry for him. He's already put in a bid for a rematch but it's up to the TV companies. If they don't pay $30 million, I will retire.
``This is the perfect opportunity to retire, and it's the pending question. Retirement is definitely floating around as an option for me, but we will have to see.''
JULY 10:
Lewis wins ESPY! World heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis was elected as "The Best Boxer" at the 10th annual ESPY Awards held at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre Wednesday night. The 2002 ESPY Awards were chosen by the ESPY Academy, a 151-member, industry-wide panel consisting of legendary athletes and coaches as well as nationally recognized print and broadcast journalists. Lewis beat out nominees Vernon Forrest, Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Lewis won the ESPY on the merit of regaining the heavyweight championship with the November 17, 2001 KO of Hasim Rahman. Past pugilistic recipients of the ESPY include Felix Trinidad (2001), Roy Jones, Jr. (2000, 1997), Evander Holyfield (1999, 1998, 1995), George Foreman (1996), Riddick Bowe (1994). (Fightnews)
JULY 9:
Lennox looking for excuse!
By Wladimir Klitschko
It seems to me that Lennox is looking for an excuse to not have to fight me. I would love to show him that I�m tough enough. If Lennox will not retire whom does he want to fight next? Chris Byrd, whom I totally beat up, or a third match against Holyfield or a rematch against Tyson? Are these the fights the fans want to see? I don't think so. Ask the fans, carry out a poll and you will see Lewis vs Wladimir Klitschko is the fight most people want to see. On the other hand if Lennox wants to keep the WBC belt he has to fight the mandatory challenger sooner or later and that`s my brother Vitali. Then Lennox will see how tough the Klitschkos are. We are both ready and I can only repeat once again: let's start the promotion with a chess match and then we move to the ring. Lennox I really hope you won't retire before you give one of the Klitschko Brothers a shot at your titles.
Lewis nixes Klitschko fight!
Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis said yesterday that he's not interested in a heavyweight showdown with WBO titlist Wladimir Klitschko. "Wladimir Klitschko...he's not tough enough," Lewis told SKY Sports. "He's not ready for me yet. It would be a waste of my time to go and fight him. I would knock him out." As for Lewis' future plans, the champ said he would "keep them guessing." (Fightnews)
JULY 5: Judge Upholds Lewis Jury Verdict!
By Scott Shaffer
Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis received some good news from a federal courthouse in New York City when United States Judge Harold Baer, Jr. upheld a jury verdict awarding Lewis nearly $7.3 million in damages against his former promoter, Panix Promotions.
Panix originally sued Lewis for breach of contract, but Lewis and his American promoter, Main Events, responded with a two-pronged attack that forced Panix to defend lawsuits on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. A countersuit was filed in the United States and an action was started in Great Britain that resulted in Panix's assets being temporarily frozen on January 15. In February, a nine-day trial was held in New York. The jury decided that Panix committed fraud and breached its duty to Lewis, returning the $7.3 million verdict for Lewis plus an additional $681,000 for Main Events.
Claiming that the jury acted inconsistently, Panix immediately asked Judge Baer to overturn the jury's decision and either rule in favor of Panix or order a new trial. Judge Baer denied the request, ruling that "the jury was presented with evidence from all sides and on every issue and did what they were sworn to do, in other words, I have no reason to second guess their verdict or the manner in which they performed their valued service. They were instructed to weigh the evidence as the sole fact finder, assess credibility and deliberate rationally, and in my opinion, they did." (Fightnews)
JUNE 9: Lewis-Tyson post fight articles
JUNE 8: LEWIS KO 8 TYSON
JUNE 7: Lewis-Tyson: The Specter of Danger
Sulaiman on Tyson, Lewis!
By Randy Hammons
World Boxing Council chairman Jose Sulaiman has called for all professional boxing entities to come together for the good of the sport. The WBC chief has been in Memphis all week for the countdown to Saturday night's undisputed heavyweight championship. Sulaiman declined to forecast Saturday's winner between Lewis-Tyson. "I believe definitely that both boxers need each other, not only for the money but also history. Lennox Lewis believes Mike Tyson stands in his way for glory. And Mike Tyson has Lennox Lewis in his way for respect of the world as a great boxer. I don't discount anything at all. Anything can happen. It wouldn't be fair to predict a winner. May the best man win."
JUNE 6: MASSIVE LOAD OF NEWS(INCL. WEIGH-IN) FOR TODAY (Fightnews)
JUNE 5: VERY MUCH NEWS FOR TODAY (Fightnews)
JUNE 1: Lewis, Tyson have arrived!
Mike Tyson quietly jetted into Memphis at 10AM Friday, stopped and rented five movies, then headed to a mansion northeast of Memphis. He made no statement. The heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis arrived in the afternoon and participated in a parade that ended at a local park. Lewis promised the crowd that "Tyson is going to get knocked out for real." Lewis is staying at a private residence in East Memphis. (Fightnews)