Adrian Frater, News Editor

Lennox Lewis makes a presentation to camper at last week's SOS Football camp. - Photo by Adrian Frater

Western Bureau;

Former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion, Lennox Lewis, whose enviable reign as world champion lasted from 1999 until 2004 when he retired, believes the division has lost the lustre which made it the most exciting category in boxing prior to his departure.

In an interview with The Gleaner in Montego Bay at the SOS football camp in Rose Hall last Friday, the 41-year Lewis, dubbed "the greatest heavyweight of his generation" by pundits, said the top division is suffering from too many one and two-dimensional boxers and not enough five dimensional boxers like him.

"Heavyweight boxing is definitely not as exciting as it is supposed to be because it now has only one and two dimensional boxers, no five dimensional boxers like Lennox Lewis," said the former boxer who defeated Evander Holyfield to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world in November 1999.

Explaining the philosophy behind his five dimensional principle of boxing, the knowledgeable and quite articulate Lewis, who described himself as a natural boxer and a pugilist's specialist, said it was a combination of punching power and exceptional boxing skills.

"I am a puncher, a boxer, a mover, I have good defence, deliver plenty jabs and big right hands that can come at you at anytime," explained Lewis. "I then back that up with big left hooks and big uppercuts."

He then vented his frustration at the current state of the heavyweight division, painting an ugly picture of numerous big boxers who are basically lacking in skills and general excitement, which for the most part devalues the sport.

A different type of boxing

"What we are seeing today are boxers with big right hands, little jabs and lot of swinging punches," said Lewis, the BBC's Sports Personality for 1999. "The boxing we are seeing is not the boxing you would like to watch on television. You can no longer be watching and saying you are seeing a punch coming from left field."

While he believes that all his basic boxing skills are intact, Lewis nonetheless says he has nointention of following the likes of Holyfield back into the ring. According to him, he does not want to fall into the trap of saying each fight is his last fight and then being pressured into another fight each time a worthy candidate appears.

"I still believe I am big enough and fast enough. I have my speed and I still have my movement," stated Lewis. "I am a natural-born fighter ... a pugilist's special ... the thing is, if I should train and come back and beat one guy there would be other guys lining up wanting to fight me. That is the trap of boxing."

In regards to Holyfield's latest comeback announcement, Lewis said he does not think it is a good idea admitting that Holyfield, who has had several previous comebacks in his career, might still be good enough to beat some of the heavyweights around today.

"I would hate to see Evander Holyfield back in the ring again but apparently he needs the money," said Lewis. "He was an exciting fighter at one time but I believe the time has come for him to give it u he might be able to beat a few of the guys out there."