Lewis set to defend title against Klitschko

[Louis Cypher]

Associated Press


HAMBURG, Germany -- Lennox Lewis is set to defend his WBC title against Vitaly Klitschko, with the bout expected to take place in late February or early March.


Lewis manager Adrian Ogun said Friday the site and exact time will be set as soon as possible.


Klitschko, a Ukrainian who trains in Hamburg, is ranked No. 2 by the WBC. He positioned himself for the bout with a knockout of Larry Donald on Saturday.


Ogun said promoters will meet in the next few days with representatives from HBO, which will broadcast the fight, to complete arrangements.


Klitschko, 32-1 with 31 knockouts, is a former WBO champion. He is the older brother of Wladimir Klitschko, also a top heavyweight.


"Lennox has been interested in the Klitschkos since they met two years ago during filming of 'Ocean's Eleven,''' Ogun said. "He likes both of them and still loves the challenge.''


Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko squared off for the movie in a mock bout during scenes shot at a Las Vegas casino.


Lewis, a 37-year-old Briton, is widely acknowledged as the world's heavyweight champion, although he has given up several of his titles.


Klitschko is 6-foot-8 and is known for his punching power. He had been sidelined for nine months with a back injury, but made a successful return with his 10th-round knockout of Donald.


"If Klitschko had lost, we wouldn't be sitting here now,'' Ogun said.


Klitschko and his younger brother, are popular in Ukraine and Germany. The brothers have cultivated an image of being gentlemen and have earned doctorates from a university in Ukraine.

[Oddessa]

Lewis -400/ Klitschko +300

10.5 OVER -280

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[BENN]

o

[Railbird]

Lewis is a choke artist, just like


Frank Bruno
Tim Henman
Weir of UFC
Ian freeman
England WC soccer team


Give this coward Lennox a chance to choke and he will, your joking on the -280 right

[you dirty rat]

Let's see, Lewis won the Gold Medal at the Olympics. He's lost only twice in a great pro career, getting stopped by two of the better punches I've ever seen. He avenged both those losses with ease. Yet Railbird calls him a "coward." This is an idiotic statement even by Railbird's standards. If he were indeed a coward, he wouldn't be fighting for a living, wouldn't have achieved all that he has...and most importantly, would hardly have dared stepped back between the ropes against the guys who flattened him the first time around.

I have to say that I have never met anyone in my entire life who can so consistently be wrong about virtually everything, and whose ludicrous declarations are easier to punch holes in.

[BENN]

[Railbird]

what are this guys quality wins? A controversial decision over holyfield and a washed up Tyson. This guy is an overrated joke.

[you dirty rat]

Railbird...how in hell is Lewis overrated? He is not regarded as one of the all time heavyweight greats by anyone of note, and I am not suggesting he should be. He is basically the best of a mediocre bunch. He's an unexciting fighter who unless really motivated seems to do just enough to get by. I will say that there have been a few occasions where he was truly awesome, but those have not been frequent enough to merit consideration as an all time great. Basically, he's a bland guy (both in the ring and out) whose primary goal seems to be avoiding the limelight. Perhaps this explains his often uninspired wins, not to mention the two losses that were as much a result of poor preparation than anything else.

But since this is the widespread general consensus on Lewis, he therefore is not overrated. His place in boxing history is right about where it should be. My objection to your post was in labeling him a coward. You offered nothing to substantiate this opinion. That, in essence, is the problem I have with many of your posts and is why I give you a hard time. Certainly you're entitled to voice your opinion, but you generally do so without backing it up with any real facts.