Lennox Lewis: 'I have all the stories and I’m ready to tell the fans. I will share stuff that I have never shared'

Exclusive interview: After so many years of silence, the British and Canadian great tells The Independent why he'll be opening up to fans in an upcoming one-man show

Lewis has remained as private since his last fight in 2003 as he was during his career, but has promised to tell his audience the 'truth' (Getty)

Lennox Lewis owns any room he enters and if the space has three boxing rings, nine hanging bags and about 30 boxers he walks through the commotion with a regal swagger.

Lewis was at the Peacock gym in London’s Canning Town, just a few miles from where he was born, to talk about his first one-man show, which is at the O2’s Indigo on 6 September. Lewis has remained as private since his last fight in 2003 as he was during his career, but has promised to tell his audience the “truth about all the boxing politricks,” as he calls the nauseating secret deals that harm the sport and keep boxers from meeting each other.

“I trained here, sparred in that ring for fights,” said Lewis. “It brings back a lot of memories being back here. I’m an East End boy. This is where I’m from.” On the wall at the Peacock there is a picture of a wide-eyed Lewis, one afternoon in the Nineties, relaxing and sweating after a session. Lewis was fearsome then, make no mistake.

In 1988 Lewis won a gold medal at the Seoul Olympics, boxing for Canada, where he had moved to join his mother. In 1989 he returned to London, signed a deal with manager and promoter Frank Maloney and turned professional without very much glitter or glitz. It was a hard apprenticeship, not a sweet journey with hand-picked losers dropping at the first sign of confrontation.

“I had to earn the right, earn the chance to fight for a title and even then the politricks started to get in the way: Don King, man. I had to deal with King back when he controlled everything,” continued Lewis.

Lewis did beat King outside the ring, beat King’s fighters inside the ropes, resisted the promoter’s powers and for 12 years was in some big world title fights, 19 in total. Some were controversial and at the very heart of many memorable nights. He won most, but lost a couple and quit the ring at the very top with senses, cash and respect intact.

“I have all the stories and I’m ready to tell the fans,” added Lewis. “I will share stuff that I have never shared. I will answer every question I’m asked.” The old Lennox never gave away a single thing, was available for his guarded thoughts only until the final bell of his fights and then he vanished. Nobody made contact with Lewis when he was between fights, very few knew where he even was.

Lennox Lewis celebrates his WBC victory after a 2nd round knockout of Donovan Razor Ruddock on 31 October 1992 (Getty Images)

“I would take my breaks and then tell Frank Maloney to make the fights happen,” added Lewis. “Fighters have to make fights happen or they will regret it forever and that is because it will become part of a big debate - I had that with Mike Tyson: I needed to know I would beat him.” Lewis did, ruining the last of Tyson in a fight with few brutal limits.

That was a fight Lewis forced, but he was disappointed when the negotiations for the Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder fight collapsed, leaving a gap for Tyson Fury to fill. “I was pleased for Tyson, he had to take it,” said a Lewis.

However, Lewis did have one opponent he failed to meet as a professional and it was a fight that was hanging over a lot of his career. Lewis did meet and beat every single one of his contenders and rivals but could never agree terms for a fight with Riddick Bowe. Both Lewis and Bowe held versions of the world heavyweight title only briefly at the same time.

Lewis quit the ring at the very top with senses, cash and respect intact (Getty Images)

Lewis had beaten Riddick Bowe in the Olympic final in 1988 and their rematch was the subject of a decade of vile behind-the-scenes talks, with so many outrageous claims from both intransigent camps.

“Bowe never wanted the fight, his manager never wanted the fight and they made so many ridiculous demands - it was truly impossible, they demanded millions and millions. The truth is they had no intention of ever making the fight happen,” said Lewis.

The new Lewis, open and smiling and comfortable as a roving ambassador just might reveal a few truths when he speaks. Before I left him I asked if he had ever met a happier retired fighter? It took him a few Lennox seconds to reply with a hefty full-face grin: “No”. He is right.

https://www.theo2.co.uk/events/detail/undisputed-an-evening-with-lennox-lewis