Lennox Lewis Part Five: Winter Wonderland

13th March 1999, Madison Square Garden, New York

Undisputed Heavyweight Title
Evander Holyfield (WBA & IBF Champion) Vs Lennox Lewis (WBC Champion)

This was the first time since 1993 the boxing world had an undisputed world heavyweight title bout. Holyfield, at thirty-six, was the slight betting favourite and had been in many high-profile contests, compared to Lewis, who was taking part in the biggest fight of his career. 

The WBA and IBF champion was in confident mood during the build-up, saying: "No one is dangerous to me. Not that he's a bad fighter, but Lennox's chances of winning are slim. He just happens to be fighting a guy in his prime who is anointed to win."

Holyfield even uncharacteristically called the round he thought he would win. "Predictions are for the weathermen. I have confidence in the word of God. I'm not predicting, I'm telling you: I will knock him out in the third round. Whatever way I do it," he continued, "whether we're fighting inside or outside, I will dominate each and every round and win by a third-round knockout."

The WBC champion had all the advantages; he was three years younger, two-and-a-half-inches (6.35 cm) taller, thirty pounds (13.61 KG) heavier at 245 pounds (111.13 KG) and more importantly, not as worn torn as Holyfield. 

Madison Square Garden had a sell-out crowd of 21,284, with an estimated British contingent of 7,000, who were in fine voice. The singing of "There's only one Lennox Lewis, one Lennox Lewis. Walking along, singing his song. Walking in his winter wonderland," will forever be etched in my memory. It felt as if the Brits had taken over and the American fans seemed bewildered at the atmosphere that was being generated on their own turf. Their chants of "USA! USA!" were quickly drowned out by the football-style chanting on the British football terraces.

Lewis came to the ring first to his usual Bob Marley anthem of Crazy Baldheads. The WBC champion appeared to be held up by some fans and for a moment a scuffle with the crowd looked to be on the cards. Eventually, Lewis entered the ring to massive cheers and awaited the entrance of Holyfield.

Moments later the WBA and IBF champion emerged from his dressing room, looking relaxed and confident, singing along to the gospel song being emitted from the speakers around the arena. Lewis remained calm and within himself, as he awaited Holyfield's arrival.

Despite Holyfield's confident demeanour, it was Lewis who started fast at the bell, keeping the smaller man at bay with his pawing left lead. The WBC champion was so effective that Holyfield's only major success was a snappy left-right at the end of the round. On the bell, Lewis leaned on his smaller opponent, who grabbed Lewis by the legs and almost tipped him onto his back. Referee Arthur Mercante Jnr berated both gladiators before they returned to their corners for the 60 seconds break.

In the second round, it was Lewis who was throwing the leather, as Holyfield offered very little in an offensive capacity. The WBA and IBF title holder only landed eight out of twenty-four punches in the first six minutes. 

That stat changed dramatically in the third. Lewis started the round brightly, but Holyfield finally used his speed and let his hands go on the inside. Lewis retaliated well with some good work on the inside, noticeably the right uppercut, but it was the barrages from Holyfield that caught the judges' eyes.

Lewis's jab was a dominating factor in the fourth and ominously for Holyfield, the right hand was beginning to find its target too. In the final 60 seconds, the American tried to force the fight, but his endeavours were not enough to steal the round.  

In the fifth, Lewis countered a wayward left hook with a right to the top of the head. Holyfield was pinned on the ropes for 45 seconds, covering up and taking some solid punches from the WBC champion. The American survived the mini-crisis and bravely fired back, with Lewis having the better of the later exchanges. 

Lewis dropped his hands in round six, inviting Holyfield to attack. The two-weight world champion obliged, catching the taller man with a left hook and landing two more punches to the Briton's unprotected head. It was now Lewis's turn to cover up. Once the attack subsided, Lewis got his jab working again and landed with some clean right-hand leads.

Both men grappled each other to the canvas to start the seventh round. Once Arthur Mercante Jnr had finished wiping each man's gloves and telling them to fight like champions, Lewis caught Holyfield with a right. The American was covering up on the ropes and instead of the WBC champion going in for the finish, he elected to paw with his left lead, encouraging his trainer Emanuel Steward to bang the canvas and implore his charge to throw some real leather. Holyfield recovered and fired a left hook off the ropes, as Lewis continued to land lefts and rights, causing the WBA and IBF champion's left eye to swell.

Lewis seemed to fall asleep in rounds eight through to eleven, pawing with his punches as Holyfield looked to land the harder shots, clawing back some of the deficit. Lewis finally woke up in the final three minutes, using his left lead and follow-up right to good effect, as Holyfield looked to force the issue.

Midway through the round chants of "Lewis! Lewis!" echoed around the famous boxing arena and at the final bell the Briton raised his right arm in the air, believing he did more than enough to add the WBA and IBF belts to his collection.

The judges, Stanley Christodoulou from South Africa, scored it 116-113 in favour of Lewis. The female American judge, Eugenia Williams, favoured Holyfield with a card of 115-113 and London official, Larry O'Connell couldn't see a winner at 115 apiece, meaning one of the biggest heavyweight title fights of the decade ended in an unsatisfactory draw. 

Boos emanated from the crowd as Lewis spoke to his handlers with a stunned expression on his face. His promoter, Frank Maloney, was furious and ordered his team out of the ring, as Larry Merchant, HBO's boxing commentator, was interviewing Holyfield.

''I feel like the champ,'' Holyfield said. ''I can't fight and score. People around the ring are not the judges.'' With Don King in the background shouting "Let's do it again."

From his dressing room, a much calmer Lewis stated: "I am the undisputed champion of the world. What you saw in there was called politics. It was my time to shine and they ripped me off. What do I see now? Automatic rematch next month. I doubt he wants to box me again." 

There was a huge outcry about the decision, especially from Eugenia Williams' scoring of the fifth round, awarding it to Holyfield, a round in which Lewis was clearly dominant. She and promoter Don King were later forced to deny any claims of fixing and appeared in front of a New York State Senate Committee, where Williams admitted to making a mistake in the fifth, claiming her view was obstructed by ringside photographers.

However, if she could have amended the score, her card would have read 114 apiece and the fight would still have ended in a draw. In 2002 she also won a libel case against the Sunday Mirror in allegations she accepted money for influencing the scoring.

Though I left Madison Square Garden that night disappointed in not seeing an undisputed heavyweight champion, I did feel Lewis backed away too often, especially when he had Holyfield hurt. When he used his jab forcefully, 'The Real Deal' couldn't get anywhere near him. Unfortunately for Lewis, he also pawed too often with his left lead and allowed Holyfield to come back at him in the later rounds. I felt the draw was a fair result and was surprised by the furore the decision had caused in the media. Watching the fight again on television I made Lewis the winner by 116-114 or six rounds to four, with two even. 

13th November 1999, Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas

Undisputed Heavyweight Title
Evander Holyfield (WBA & IBF Champion) Vs Lennox Lewis (WBC Champion)

The inevitable rematch would prove to be the last heavyweight title bout of the century, and Lennox Lewis was looking to become Britain's first undisputed heavyweight champion since Bob Fitzsimmons lost his title to James J Jeffries in the eleventh round on 09th June 1899.

Lewis entered the ring as a slight betting favourite and assuring deep inside him a fire raged, despite his icy demeanour. Last time Holyfield came to the ring singing his gospel music without a care in the world, this time, however, his scowl showed he came here meaning business.  

The WBC champion came in slightly lighter at 242 pounds (109.77 KG) whilst Holyfield scaled 217 pounds (98.43 KG) two pounds (907g) heavier than their first encounter. The two warriors couldn't wait for the bell to ring and get at each other. 

Lewis dominated the first three minutes behind a solid left lead, keeping the advancing Holyfield at bay. Round two went pretty much the same way, with Lewis trying the uppercut as his opponent bored in headfirst. The American finally landed a salvo to the body, but it wasn't enough to take the round.

The boxing continued in the third and with 30 seconds remaining the WBA and IBF king landed a right lead, his best punch of the fight so far. Lewis took it well and Holyfield wanted to bring the action to close quarters at the bell. 

The 'Real Deal' tried to get closer in the fourth but Lewis's jab wouldn't allow him to capitalise on his small spell in the previous round. Finally, in round five, Lewis did what Holyfield wanted and traded blows. The American landed some heavy punches with Lewis repaying him in kind. An accidental headbutt opened a cut on the WBC champion's right eye and shortly afterwards Holyfield was pushed to the ropes and almost out of the ring. 

After a berating from Mitch Halpern and a quick check on the injury by the ringside physician, Lewis got back to some crisp boxing, banking yet another round with the judges. Going into the sixth, Holyfield was behind on the scores and had to force the action. He got inside the taller man's reach and let his trademark hooks go. For the first time in the contest, Lewis looked to be losing his composure and concentration. 

Emanuel Steward ticked his fighter off during the minute interval and Lewis started round seven aggressively, looking to reimpose his will. A strong Holyfield left made the WBC champion give ground, spurring the 'Real Deal' on to find a conclusive punch. Lewis looked to be on weary legs as he fired back whilst Holyfield thrived on close-quarter action and finished the round stronger. Unlike in their previous meeting, which seemed to just simmer, a boiling point had been achieved and the crowd was looking forward to an action-packed finale. 

Lewis neglected his potent jab in the eighth and elected to stand with his smaller opponent. Holyfield, just as in their last battle, began to come on strong in the second half of the bout. He swarmed all over the Brit in the ninth, even out jabbing the arm-weary Londoner. Lewis managed to come alive towards the end of the round, with both men trading at the bell. 

The WBC champion got back to boxing in the tenth, as Holyfield brought the fight to his opponent in a desperate attempt to drag the contest into a dogfight. Lewis got his second wind in the penultimate round, peppering the thirty-seven-year-old with jabs and rights, cutting Holyfield's left cheek.

The final three minutes were close with Holyfield being the aggressor and Lewis looking to hold on in the closing moments. The crowd was on their feet as the bell sounded and Lewis once again lifted his arms, believing he had done enough this time to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

The judges' cards were announced as follows: 115-113 (Jerry Roth), 116-112 (Chuck Giampa) and 117-111 (Bill Graham), all three favouring Lennox Lewis, who added the WBA and IBF belts to his WBC title. "This was a little tougher than the first fight," said Lewis, who improved to 35-1-1 (27 KOs). "I couldn't let my fans down. I couldn't let myself down, because this is my dream. I realise that he wasn't doing nothing with me in the beginning. At times I was playing with him, because when I was jabbing he was coming in with his head. With all this on the line coming in, I knew I had to unify the belts."

"Of course, I was surprised," said the now former champ, who dropped to 36-4-1 (25 KO's). "I was just fighting. I just fight and let the judges decide. Of course, I'm disappointed I didn't get the decision. But life is life. I hit him with some shots, and I thought it would catch up to him. I didn't get hurt with the jab. I was able to counter off his pot-shots. He was able to come back after I hit him with a couple of big shots. The big thing in life is you give it your all. When it falls into the judges' hands, you have to live with their decision."

Of course, boxing politics saw that Lewis wouldn't hold on to all the belts for very long, with the WBA demanding Lewis take on their top contender, who was Henry Akinwande at the time, in a meaningless defence, Lewis, nor the boxing world, wanted to see again.

All the best fight fans

Lea

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