Lewis wants to fight Tyson

Lennox Lewis is eager to defend his undisputed heavyweight title against Mike Tyson because "it is the most exciting fight out there."

Lennox Lewis is eager to defend his undisputed heavyweight title against Mike Tyson because "it is the most exciting fight out there."

"He has that drawing ability," Lewis said today.

A Lewis-Tyson fight is far from imminent, though, according to Lou DiBella, who heads boxing for cable TV channel HBO. "The end of next year at the earliest," he said.

Would Lewis be willing to wait 18 months to fight the former heavyweight champion, even if it meant Tyson's skills would be further diminished?

"Yes, and they will be," the British fighter said.

Lewis said he respected Tyson and was sympathetic toward the troubled fighter because of what Tyson has been through, including three years in prison on a rape conviction and jail time for assaulting two motorists after a minor accident.

"He is a man who used to be great trying to get his life in order," said Lewis. 'He's gone through some bad times, but he's married now, and he has gotten away from people like Don King."

Sociology aside, Lewis said a fight with Tyson would sell because it presented questions the champion believed fight fans would pay to see answered.

"Is he the man he used to be? How would he cope with Lewis? How would Lewis cope with him?" Lewis said. "He had the right moves before his trials and tribulations."

Tyson's camp seemed delighted when told of Lewis' comments.

"At the right time, the fight will happen," said Shelly Finkel, Tyson's manager.

Lewis is under contract to HBO and Tyson to Showtime, but that cable TV conflict would present no problem that couldn't be solved, according to Seth Abraham of HBO.

"Right," agreed Finkel.

Lewis' 12-round victory over Evander Holyfield on 13 November will be shown on HBO on Saturday night before the heavyweight fight between Michael Grant and Andrew Golota.

Lewis will do commentary for his unanimous decision over Holyfield, and then join the announcing team for the Grant-Golota fight.

Lewis may have more than just a passing interest in that fight. A victory by Grant (30-0) might put him in line for a title shot at Lewis.

"He's big, and he's up and coming" was Lewis' assessment of the unbeaten Grant. "But, he's going to have to knockout out (Golota) in less than 20 seconds to beat me."

Actually, Lewis knocked Golota down twice before stopping him at 1:35 in the first round of their fight in October, 1997.

David Tua of New Zealand was another likely opponent for Lewis according to DiBella.

During the news conference, Lewis finally officially became undisputed heavyweight champion when he was unceremoniously handed his ransomed IBF belt.

Delivery had been held up pending payment of a $300,000 sanctioning fee.

"We didn't want the money going into a Bob Lee defense fund," said Kathy Duva, the promoter whose Main Events Productions had kept the money in escrow until it could determine which IBF corporation would get the money. "It finally went to the non-profit IBF of Rhode Island."

Lee, who heads the IBF, has been indicted on federal racketeering charges.

The IBF belt was hand-carried from New Jersey in a box and given to Lewis, who spread it out on a table along with belts from the WBC, WBA and lesser known IBO and admired his loot.