By Robert Taylor Jr.
DIMENSIONS Staff Writer
For years, Lennox Lewis has long wanted to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the boxing world. Born Sept. 2, 1965 in London, England, he began to take boxing seriously after moving to Canada at age 12.
Five years later, he became the World Junior Champion, and in 1988, won the Gold Medal in the Olympic games in Seoul, South Korea. Lewis moved back to England in 1989, and moved closer to the distinction of best boxer in the world by claiming the World Boxing Council (WBC) title in 1993. However, he kept it only a year, as Oliver McCall shockingly defeated him in 1994. Never deterred from his goal, Lewis got a rematch with McCall in 1997 and regained the title.
The other belts Lewis wanted were the World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) titles, of which belonged to Evander Holyfield. On Mar. 13, 1999 in New York City's Madison Square Garden, Lewis and Holyfield fought for the belts. At the conclusion of the match, Lewis seemed to have won the 12-round bout, landing 218 more punches and 193 more jabs than the 37-year-old Holyfield.
If only the judges saw it that way. Instead, the combined scores of judges Stanley Christodoulou, Eugenia Williams and Larry O'Connell ended up in a draw.
After months of controversy, the anxious, determined Lewis got his rematch with Holyfield on Nov. 13 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV. This time, there was no controversy. Lewis dominated the first six rounds of the fight, keeping Holyfield on the defensive, while he attacked the body. Holyfield (36-4-1) tried to make a comeback in the seventh round, but Lewis (35-1-1) was too strong and confident to let it happen. Lewis connected on 195 punches in the 12-round fight, compared to Holyfield's 137.
Judges Chuck Giampa, Bill Graham and Jerry Roth scored the fight in Lewis' favor, 116-112, 117-111 and 115-113, respectively.
The win unified the three championship belts, and Lewis became the first heavyweight to hold all three titles since Riddick Bowe did so in 1992 when he defeated Holyfield in 12 rounds.
Each fighter received $15 million for the fight, but when asked after the fight which was better, the money or being the undisputed champion of the world, "being undisputed champion (is better), because you go down in history," Lewis said.
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