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Jack Welsh on Boxing
LEWIS A ‘SHOW-SAVER’ WITH KLITSCHKO
IN L.A.
It’s a good thing Lennox Lewis’ work
ethic isn’t: put off today what you can do tomorrow or Staples
Center executives in Los Angeles might still be wondering how the
marquee would read June 21.
Fortunately, Lewis wasn’t ready to waste seven
weeks of training to defend his WBC/IBO heavy- weight titles even
though the HBO 12-round bout appeared in dire jeopardy when challenger
Kirk Johnson was sidelined indefinitely by a chest injury in a workout.
Even at boxing’s highest level, the sport has often
drawn heavy heat for shooting itself in the foot. But here’s
a rare scenario when the replacement is vastly superior to the original
when Lewis eagerly agreed to face Vitali Klitschko, the WBC No.1
contender, as scheduled for Saturday, June 21.
Irony stands tall in this strange turn of events since the promotional
projection called for Lewis and Klitschko to meet in November with
an assumption neither would have problems disposing of their original
opponents on June 21. Prior to Lewis-Johnson, the 10-round semi-windup
had Klitschko paired against Cedric Boswell of Detroit, Mi.
Lewis, at 6’5” with a 40-2-1, 31 KOs resume,
and Emanuel Steward, his Hall of Fame trainer, admittedly are much
more motivated about facing 6’ 8” Klitschko, who is
better known among fight fans than Johnson.
“The fact that Klitschko and I were training for
different opponents and now changed to fight each other just two
weeks before the fight is incredible. It was unfortunate that Johnson
could not fight, but Klitschko and I said why not now, rather than
waiting until November. It is a good opportunity to show the world
how great I am, and how well I can adjust. It is just a size difference.
I am a person who can adjust very easily. This is my chance to show
the world I can do that,” said the pride of the United Kingdom.
Steward correctly feels that everybody connected with
the promotion owes Lewis considerable gratitude for his unselfish
overture in keeping the fight on schedule.
“Much credit is due Lennox because it is very difficult
to change up on an opponent at the last moment. In this case, changing
up means fighting a guy three inches taller as opposed to three
inches shorter. If Lewis was fighting a normal guy, this would be
a difficult change, but fighting Klitschko is a major change.”
Emanuel reflected.
“We have to adjust to punching up instead of punching
down. It is very difficult to get him to adjust and very difficult
to get proper sparring partners, but Lewis’ natural talent
and experience will take him through. This is the biggest fight
in the heavyweight division. To me, as a trainer, I’m more
excited about this fight than the Kirk Johnson fight.”
Klitschko, 31, a Kiev, Ukraine native who lived in Hamburg,
Ger., before establishing a permanent base in Los Angeles, was startled
as everybody else when the substitution was made.
“I remember being surprised when Lennox
signed to fight Kirk Johnson. Then I was really surprised wen I
heard Johnson pulled a chest muscle in a workout. Then comes the
call to fight Lewis, that’s the biggest surprise of all. This
has been a lifelong dream of mine to fight Lennox Lewis. When I
couldn’t get it through the courts, I didn’t think it
would come this quick,” said the former WBO heavyweight champion.
Gary Shaw, lead promoter with Lion Promotions, was impressed
with what he considers “Lennox Lewis’ outstanding contribution.”
“Lennox Lewis took it upon himself to fight Vitali
Klitschko on short notice and he should be applauded for that. Klitschko
is a legitimate No.1 contender and at six-foot, eight inches, is
three inches taller than Lennox which should make it very interesting.
It is a tribute to Lewis and his team that he was willing to fight
such a dangerous opponent but Lennox was very determined to get
back to business and add to his legacy as one of the greatest heavyweight
champions ever.”
Lewis will be making his first start since last June
9 when he knocked out former champion Mike Tyson in eight rounds
in Memphis. Being off one year made it comparatively easy for Lewis
to be on his mettle for any opponent, but even more so when it came
tø Klitschko.
“I am more motivated because of Klitschko’s
size and because he has been trying to take me into court to take
my title. I am motivated due to the fact that his promoter (Peter
Kohl of Universum) likes to see his name in the paper. At one time,
we were willing to fight Klitschko before I signed to fight Johnson,
but his promoter priced Klitschko right out of the market, trying
to get extra money,” the British giant recalled.
“I don’t believe there are any big
guys as good as me. Each fight you fight is different. Klitschko
does not have my skills or experience, so I have to take advantage
of those things. I’m inclined to agree his broher, Wladimir,
might be a better fighter than Vitali. but different styles make
different fights. Both are good fighters with different styles.
I look at Wladimir as having more skills because of his size. Vitali
is bigger and may have different skills to utilize.”
Steward, legendary for building world champions at Detroit’s
famed Kronk gym, is practical in desecting Klitschko as a complete
package.
“He’s a nice guy and a technical fighter.
He has a good jab and fights well for a fighter his size. A lot
of guys who are tall bend down to fight, but he stands straight
up. Klitschko has a good overhand right and is a good fundamental
fighter. He is also used to having tall sparring partners, having
sparred with his brother, Wladimir.”
The glib conditioner, who moonlights on HBO-TV as an
analyst, sounded like he was at work in previewing the action to
come.
“When Lennox fights physically big guys, who he
is threatened by, he is a very aggressive predator. He changes completely
like he did against Henri Akinwande, Andrew Golota, and Michael
Grant. When Lewis comes out and is throwin big punches early, somebody
goes down. He is a very accurate puncher, especially for a big man,”
Steward advised.
“You are talking about two different types of opponents---Johnson
and Klitschko. What I got from Johnson’s comments is that
he intended to run when he fought Lewis. He said he was going to
try and win the championship with his feet. It is more exciting
fighting a guy like Klitschko. He is too big to do any running around
the ring and box, so he is going to have to get involved. Here you
have two big guys with tremendous physical strength and as a result,
you are going to have an explosive fight. Klitschko has never faced
the top of pressure Lennox will put on him. I see an early ending,
somewhere around five rounds.”
For the record, last time Los Angeles hosted a world heavyweight
championship bout was Aug.18,1958 in Wrigley Field where 21,000
fans watched Floyd Patterson retain the crown with a 13th round
TKO over Roy Harris of Cut ‘n Shoot, Tx.
That was 44 years ago and how does this grab you about
time marching on? Wrigley Field tickets were scaled at $30, $20,
and $10. Staples Center’s 20,000 seats for Lewis-Klitschko
are scaled at $950, $700, $450, $350, $250, $150, and $75.
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