Merciless Lewis joins the ranks of legends

LENNOX Lewis called it his "defining fight." The same could be said for Mike Tyson, although for very different reasons.

Lewis bloodied both of Tyson’s eyes and his nose before knocking him out two minutes and 25 seconds into the eighth round with a punishing overhand right to the jaw.

"I wanted to complete my legacy as the best fighter on the planet," said Lewis. "I showed boxing who is the best in the world. I can adapt to any style. No-one escapes my jab."

Lewis’s performance, which earned him $17.5m in the highest-grossing fight of all time in front of 15,327 fans at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis early yesterday morning was stunningly complete.

The champion’s stinging jab kept Tyson off balance and searching - unsuccessfully - for ways to turn the fight into a toe-to-toe brawl.

"It was quite easy in one sense," said Lewis. "I showed him I was a pugilist specialist. I showed him the sweet science of the sport. He was trying to get me out with that one big punch, but I wasn’t really allowing it. It was a defining fight."

As for Tyson, the 35-year-old former champion is not ready to retire, but his big-money pay days may be over unless he can goad Lewis into a rematch. He is reported to be £10m in debt, although he did earn the same as Lewis for the fight.

Lewis punished Tyson for most of the fight, winning the final seven rounds on each of the judges’ cards. The American suffered a nasty cut on his right eye in the third round and never recovered. It was the most merciless performance of the Briton’s career as he rammed Tyson’s words back down his throat for a devastating knockout victory.

The win was so emphatic that he not only left Tyson flat on his back on the canvas, but also managed to knock graciousness back into his skull.

"In competition you have to admit when the better man’s won and that’s what happened here," Tyson said. "I take my hat off to Lennox Lewis. He was masterful."

Lewis, 36, exploded the myth that the once ferocious Tyson might be able to repair the damage done by years of bad living and be great for just one more night. Tyson had insisted he was going to knock Lewis out early and reclaim the WBC, IBF and IBO world titles.

He won the first round on all three judges’ scorecards but that was it.

The former champion was knocked down in the third round from a right hand which referee Eddie Cotton ruled out for an alleged push.

He dipped on his haunches from a left early in the eighth before the swinging right which ended it.

Tyson lay flat on his back on the canvas with cuts around both his eyes and blood streaming from his nose.

Lewis pounded his chest and was mobbed by his ecstatic cornermen, before embracing his opponent with equal dignity.

Lewis said: "Mike Tyson behaved like a true professional. I once thought whether he might punch me low or bite me. But I am glad he has been able to eat humble pie."

Tyson was battered and beaten but did not engage in any of the activities borne out of frustration which many had feared he might. He was second best and he knew it, but in the manner he accepted defeat he regained a little bit of his long-lost honour.

Lewis won behind a left jab so accurate and relentless it brought occasionally brought to mind the great Larry Holmes, the only other man who can present a justifiable argument to Lewis’ trainer Emanuel Steward’s assertion that he is the best since Muhammad Ali.

The atmosphere in the home of the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team was scintillating as the ring cleared and two men who had been kept apart since their infamous January press conference brawl finally came face to face again.

Tyson might have won that first round on his own jab but from the second Lewis’ left started to work like a dream and the challenger was afforded few chances to make his still-dangerous power tell.

Tyson, who had knocked out Frans Botha in the fifth round in 2000 after being outboxed, did land a good left hook in the third round. But Lewis was not fazed and responded with a short left of his own which drew blood from Tyson’s right eye.

From the fourth onwards what was supposed to be one of Lewis’ toughest fights of his career turned into a masterclass. He was harshly punished for his first knockdown by being docked a point.

"I wanted to stick to the game plan, stay with the jab," Lewis added. "Manny told me to take him out in the fourth round. He said, you can see the food, now go and eat it. But I didn’t want to take any chances, I just wanted to keep softening him up."

At that stage his points deduction was never likely to matter. Steward told him in the corner to follow his jab with his favourite overhand right which left Hasim Rahman flat out in his last fight in Las Vegas seven months ago. Lewis wobbled Tyson with that shot in the sixth and almost landed at will in the following round. Tyson threw on-target punches just 49 times in the whole fight.

Tyson insisted his lack of recent activity was a factor and asked Lewis to fulfil the rematch obligation inserted into both men’s $17.5million contracts.

But while Lewis hits the best form of his career at the age of 36, the youngest heavyweight champion in history has been found out.

"I’m happy for him and I hope he gives me a fight one more time," Tyson pleaded. "I said it would take two or three more fights before I fought him and I just wish I’d had those."

Tyson’s demise was almost sad. But it could not detract from a Lewis performance that should earn him the reputation long denied him by critics.


Round By Round

ROUND 1:

Both fighters look nervous as they enter the ring, but the early action is ferocious as Lewis lands with two crunching right upper cuts after Tyson rushes in. Tyson rams home his first meaningful punch with a stiff left jab which forces Lewis backwards. A left hook from the challenger also lands on Lewis’ chin as Tyson shades the round.

ROUND 2:

Tyson again rushes out and Lewis is reprimanded for holding on. The champion again lands four solid blows with his right upper cut. A second warning from the referee for holding on follows, but Lewis goes on to control the round with his left jab. Another vicious right upper cut brings gasps from the crowd as Lewis definitely takes the round.

ROUND 3:

Tyson’s lunging tactics almost bring about a clash of heads. Lewis settles into his routine, pushing out the left jab with regularity and accuracy. A sweeping left hook from the challenger sends spray flying off the champion’s face, but Tyson finishes the round with a cut above his right eye and the round goes to Lewis.

ROUND 4:

Tyson lands a left hook, but Lewis soon has the challenger beating a retreat with an array of strong punches. An overhand right from Lewis brings gasps from the crowd. Lewis fires home a solid right, but loses a point for forcing Tyson to the deck with a push to the back of the neck.

ROUND 5:

Lewis evades a wild, swinging right and rams home his left jab at will. The champion gets a verbal warning for again leaning on Tyson’s neck. Another upper cut follows from Lewis as he jabs his way to victory for another round.

ROUND 6:

Tyson can do nothing about the champion’s clear reach advantage. Lewis backs up yet another solid jab with a powerful straight right. There is almost nothing coming back from the challenger until he connects with an overhand right halfway through the round. It is only a brief glimmer of hope as Lewis forges ahead on the scorecards.

ROUND 7:

Tyson’s left eye shows signs of wear and tear, but he lands with a short right. Lewis hits back with a series of left jabs before again falling foul of the referee for using his elbow. Tyson forces in a decent left to the body, but otherwise it is all Lewis with a left jab overhand right combination. Tyson trudges back to his corner as Lewis takes another round.

ROUND 8:

Tyson shows signs of distress as he is treated for damage to both eyes between the rounds. There is no let up from Lewis’ left jab in the opening seconds. Tyson does land a decent right, but Lewis hits back with a stunning left which forces the challenger to touch down. Another straight right sends Tyson sprawling to the canvas where he fails to beat the count.