Offers flood in for Lewis

wWorldwide offers, including one from China, have been flooding in for Lennox Lewis, who also admits "I'd love to fight Mike Tyson".

wWorldwide offers, including one from China, have been flooding in for Lennox Lewis, who also admits "I'd love to fight Mike Tyson".

Just 10 days after becoming Britain's first undisputed heavyweight champion of the century, the telephone has hardly stopped ringing for his promoter Panos Eliades.

Approaches have come not only from Beijing and Shanghai, but also Tokyo, Toronto and South Africa.

Lewis wants to pursue "new goals" so such destinations would fit conveniently into his ambitious agenda.

But when Lewis sat triumphantly before the British media and cameramen in London today, his camp had no conclusive idea as to the identity of his next opponent.

Lewis's American cable network company Home Box Office want the champion to fight again in April and big prospect Michael Grant is high on the agenda.

But it is too soon after Lewis's momentous victory over Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas for any positive business to be done.

For the moment, Lewis wants to bask in the glory of his historic achievement.

Tomorrow, Lewis will meet members of his fan club at Shoeless Joe's in Chelsea's, Kings Road, as well as appearing on Friday's Ian Wright TV show.

Lewis said: "It's been a long journey to the undisputed title, no easy road and I had to box 24 rounds to do it.

"Most people didn't believe me when I said I would make it, so its a nice feeling to have proved them wrong. I'm taking it all in kind of slowly.

"But the fact that I've done it when I said I'd do it gives me a great feeling.

"I want to set more goals for myself. It's been a great ride, but its not over, and there are still some hills to climb. I've got to see what else I can achieve and what else I can do.

"I'd love to fight Mike Tyson as I am undisputed world champion. He is a boxer of my era.

"Most of his fans and most of my fans would want to see it. But he's been a naughty boy lately, and there's a lot of pressure on him.

"Grant is a big guy with a lot of strength. But I say he lacks a lot of amateur experience which people like myself, Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield have had."

Lewis also lists WBO champion Vitali Klitshcko, David Tua and South Africa's Corrie Sanders as possible opponents next year.

His American trainer Emanuel Steward, while rating Lewis as the most talented heavyweight he has seen, believes there is more to come from Britain's finest during the remainder of his career.

A fanfare from the Coldstream Guards was afforded to Lewis today followed by his usual ring walk music, Bob Marley's: "Chase those Crazy Bald Men out of Town".

The bald facts were that Lewis was enjoying his moment of triumph, looking forward to bringing back the credit due to boxing's premier division.