World Boxing News 2010-2013

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor Three-time world champion kept it all together With the heavyweight scene still suffering for talent in the modern era, WBN is looking back at the last thirty years to see which man can call himself the best heavyweight boxer since the golden age of the 1970’s. The debate will rage on for decades, or at least until a new Mike Tyson comes along - but for me, Lennox Lewis kept his head where all others have since failed as he dealt with some stern opposition during his hey day. The British fighter had a superb boxing style, centre of the ring, stay behind the jab, don’t get hit (or hardly get hit) and had a knockout battering ram of a right hand that would have floored any fighter if it landed flush. Since the glory days of the 70’s with Ali, Foreman and Frazier, there have only been a handful of great heavyweights; Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson (of course), Riddick Bowe, Evander Holyfield and maybe the Klitschko brothers in the last few years. ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Ex-champs tell all to Piers Morgan Heavyweight legends Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis have spoken out on their respective run-ins with one-time ‘Baddest man on the Planet’ Mike Tyson as both were the victims of infamous bites by the boxer-turned Broadway star. Holyfield, 49, and 46 year-old Lewis, who themselves shared the ring twice in 1999, told interviewer Piers Morgan on his CNN show from the Olympic Park in London of being on the end of the youngest ever world heavyweight champion’s extraordinary antics. ‘The Real Deal’ came off decidedly worse than Lewis as the four-time world heavyweight king lost the top of his ear in the aptly-named ‘Bite fight’ at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in 1997. "He snagged a piece of it, and it kind of went under the gum, and he spit it out," Holyfield told Morgan on the show . "I was shocked. Out of all the things that could have happened, I never would have thought that would have happ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Heavyweight great Lewis says ‘Hayemaker’ too small Former undisputed champion Lennox Lewis believes that a meeting between him and Britain’s current top heavyweight David Haye would have been a one-sided contest if the two had ever clashed in the ring. The now-retired three-time heavyweight king, who is revered as one of the greatest to lace up the gloves in the top division, says that his old weight-class is now made for giants and former cruiserweight Haye is just too small to reign at 6ft 3ins and 210lbs. Haye, 31, lost a wide points decision to Wladimir Klitschko in July 2011 as the ‘Hayemaker’ struggled to pierce the Ukrainian’s impregnable defence and Lewis sees tall fighters like David Price and current Olympian Anthony Joshua as the future for UK heavyweight boxing. “Wladimir and Vitali are the only A-class heavyweights. The best of the rest are B-class. We don’t know which of those can make that leap. David Haye was so disappoin...

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor Former champ hoaxes few with April fool’s gag Former Undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Lennox Lewis is sitting back and having a chuckle after his April fool’s return was picked up be only a couple of gullible boxing outlets taking on cheap hits. The 46 year-old, you had reiterated his desire to stay retired only weeks ago, pranked some into believing that he will once again done the gloves to meet WBC champion Vitali Klitschko on September 29th. The pair’s first meeting is not without a dose of controversy, but the Jamaican-based Londoner is more-than happy in his retirement and will not be returning to the ring as he approaches his fifties. Although it would have been interesting to see the contest even if the former champ was ten years past his sell-by date, the boxing world would have witnessed a borderline freak show if the pipedream was to become reality.

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Briton pines for another wave of greats Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has admitted that boxing’s top division is in a catatonic state whilst the Klitschko brothers run their rule over all the major title belts. The 46 year-old, who reigned as champion for ten years between 1993 and 2003 before retiring on the back of a victory over Vitali Klitschko, is hoping that a spark comes through that ignites the heavyweight scene after years of dull fights involving the Ukrainian brothers. "Right now, the heavyweight division is dead," Lewis told German magazine Stern . "The Klitschko brothers and their opponents are just filling their (money) bags. Their opponents will not improve, they wouldn't have even made sparring partners for me. "(Always) At some point, the referee steps in and stops the fight. They are boring. "If you are looking to find the best boxer in the world it must be decided...

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor Former champ tells of social network challenge Lennox Lewis has stated that former rival Riddick Bowe has been pestering him for a fight in the pro's recently via social networking sites, although the former undisputed heavyweight king has reiterated the fact that he is happily retired. The 46 year-old, who retired in 2003 after winning the sport’s biggest prize three times, recalled the the pair’s highly-publicised spat in 1992 when the then WBC champion Bowe threw his belt in the trash rather than face Lewis, who beat him in the 1988 Olympics. “Riddick really ran from me,” Lewis told Sky Sports’ Ringside show. “Rock Newman, his manager, realised that if he boxed me in the professionals his gravy train would be ended because I definitely wanted to knock him out. “It's disappointing we didn't get that fight. I speak to him on Facebook and Twitter and he says: ‘Let's have that match now’. But we're too old,” he added. ...

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor Former champ says belts mean nothing to him now Three-time world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has admitted that his days of being “the baddest man on the planet” are far behind him now as he is much more content on taking care of his family and racing his pigeons than using his alter-ego to intimidate people. The 45 year-old turned up at the premier of his new film – The Hangover II earlier this year looking a shadow of his former self as he had shed pounds in weight and looked his slimmest ever on the red carpet. The man who famously bit off a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear in 1997, even explained that his title belts mean nothing to him anymore and doesn’t miss the sport that made him a star. "I have my wife and my kids," Tyson told TV network CBS. "I had all the pleasures you could ever give me and still it doesn't match up to my ankle compared to my wife and my children. And they like me and respect me, a little bit at l...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor State of heavyweight boxing disappoints former champ Former three-time heavyweight champion of the world Lennox Lewis has been talking to The Daily Mail about the chances of former Olympic gold medallist making a sensational return to the ring. World-beater Lewis has become disillusioned with the fighters on the heavyweight scene in recent years and is finding it harder to resist to temptation to make an audacious challenge to the dominant Klitschko brothers. “Yes, it's on my mind again, I am talking myself out of it but the temptation is growing. Definitely,” said Lewis to the British newspaper. “When I see guys like Shannon and Hasim still fighting (Lewis has beaten both men) it does make me think,” he added. Lewis also believes his age should not coming into question when Evander Holyfield, who holds the lowly recognised WBF title, is 48 going on 49 and is still challenging the world heavyweight champions. “I’m only 45, I can still b...