Boxing: Correa leaves Lewis camp

THE AXE has finally fallen on the Puerto Rican-born trainer of Lennox Lewis.

Lewis and Pepe Correa have parted company by 'mutual consent' - but Correa was due to leave the camp of the ex-heavyweight champion anyway after the defence against the American, Oliver McCall.

Lewis's handlers should be in a position to name a new trainer within the next 10 days - and a man will be chosen from four candidates, including such top American fight figures as George Benton and Emanuel Steward.

It will be somewhat ironic if Steward were named as it was the Detroit overlord of the Kronk gymnasium who plotted Lewis's second-round downfall at Wembley two weeks ago.

Correa, 54, joined forces with Lewis after the victory over Levi Billups in Las Vegas in February, 1992.

Lewis's training schedules had hitherto been handled by John Davenport after the ex- champion had turned professional following his 1988 Olympic gold medal.

Correa first came under criticism following Lewis's victory over Frank Bruno in Cardiff just over a year ago.

Lewis took time to warm up and Bruno was ahead on points before being nailed by a big left hook.

The McCall fight was Correa's sixth with Lewis, in which time he beat Razor Ruddock to earn the World Boxing Council title.

McCall, meanwhile, is reported to have rejected the pounds 6.6m offer from Main Events for a rematch with Lewis.

Mickey Duff, the promoter, is keeping Bruno and Billy Schwer in line for the High Noon multi-million pound promotion in Hong Kong on 23 October.

Duff is 'hopeful' that the problems which have hit the show in the last 24 hours over letters of credit and air tickets will soon be resolved.

But Barry Hearn, who will be supplying the World Boxing Organisation champions, Herbie Hide and Steve Collins, feels time is running out.