Deontay Wilder aims to be undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder aims to be undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Close Deontay Wilder aims to be undisputed heavyweight champion IBTimes UK WBC world title holder Deontay Wilder said that he wants to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Britain's Lennox Lewis in 1999. Lewis unified all four boxing boards belts when he beat Evander Holyfield 16 years ago, a feat not emulated since in the heavyweight division, something 30-year-old American Wilder would like to change. "Every heavyweight champion wants that crown. Everyone wants to be labelled as the best heavyweight in the world . I know it takes a lot of time, I know it takes a lot of fights to build that up," Wilder said on 4 December. "I definitely want it bad, I'm ready to do anything that it takes to get that crown, the best heavyweight champion of the world. There hasn't been an undisputed champion since 1999 and that was Lennox Lewis, so it's been well over a decade," he said.

Standing in the way of Wilder is Britain's Tyson Fury, who beat Ukrainian-born Vladimir Klitschko on points in Dusseldorf in November to become IBF, WBA and WBO title holder. "I predicted that he was going to win," Wilder said. "I said that if Tyson Fury took this fight seriously he had a great chance of winning and that's what he did. I felt Klitschko's been fighting these sort of guys for so long in his career now that a taller guy was going to be very difficult, awkward for him." "I also feel that Klitschko was fighting two guys in the ring, not only was he fighting Fury, he was fighting this little old man who walks around with a cane and glasses, we're all going to have to meet him in our career and his name is Father Time. I think Father Time is knocking at his door too," said Wilder of the 39-year-old Klitschko, who has exercised his option for a rematch with Fury. "If you're going to go out and do it why waste any more time?" Wilder said about the rematch.

"It was at different times throughout the fight you could tell that his mind wanted to throw a couple of punches but his body wasn't reacting. Even he said he isn't feeling fast like he was, Father Time is clicking so why waste any more time, any more seconds, any more days, any more months?" Wilder promised that a fight with Fury would happen whatever the outcome of their respective title bouts. "Many heavyweights have lost and won, lost and won and came back. It doesn't eliminate it, it just puts it on hold, that's all. "I still want to fight Fury, me and Fury have been advertising our fight for four years now so this fight is already sold out, whether he's a champion, whether I'm a champion or not, that fight must take place sometime in history somewhere in the future. So whether he loses or wins, that fight must happen," he said. "I'm on a journey, I'm on a destiny. I want to be crowned the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and bring all the belts back to America.

No matter how many times those belts change hands I will get that, I promise you that." Wilder's next title defence will be against an as yet unnamed opponent on 16 January at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Related Tyson Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko to become Britain's eighth world heavyweight boxing champion, but who are the other seven? | Daily Mail Online Next Tyson Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko to become Britain's eighth world heavyweight boxing champion, but who are the other seven? Tyson Fury joins the likes of Lennox Lewis, and Frank Bruno on list of British world heavyweight champions Fury picked up a unanimous decision win over long-time ruler of the heavyweight division Wladimir Klitschko Lennox Lewis has three spells as heavyweight king while Bob Fitzsimmons was the first three-weight champion Michael Bentt and Frank Bruno both lost their heavyweight crowns in their first ever title defences Britain's world heavyweight champions Britain's world heavyweight champions 29 Nov 2015 11:47 Tyson Fury became Britain's eighth world heavyweight champion by producing a stunning victory over Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf on Saturday.

Fury landed the WBA, WBO and IBF belts after a unanimous points win, having dominated the fight against the long-time champion. Here, Press Association Sport takes a look at the previous seven Britons to have laid claim to the fabled 'richest prize in sport'. BOB FITZSIMMONS (1897-99) Cornwall-born Fitzsimmons, raised in New Zealand from the age of nine, won the title against Peter Maher but his true defining moment was his defence against Jim Corbett. Outboxing and outpunching a man a stone heavier, Fitzsimmons finished it in the 14th with his now famous 'solar plexus punch'. Fitzsimmons also holds the distinction of being the first three-weight champion, reigning at middle, then heavy, then later at light-heavy. MICHAEL BENTT (WBO, 1993-94) Following a decent amateur career, London-born, New York-raised Bentt seemed destined to fail to live up to his promise when he was knocked out on his professional debut.

After a fractured spell of rebuilding, though, he shocked 'Great White Hope' Tommy Morrison to claim the WBO title with a first-round stoppage in just his 12th fight. His reign was brief, however, losing to Herbie Hide in his first defence and retiring immediately on medical grounds. HERBIE HIDE (WBO, 1994-95 and 1997-99) Explosive Hide won the lesser WBO title against Bentt in 1994 at Millwall's Den with a seventh-round knockout. However, making his first defence some 12 months later, he lost it to the impressive Riddick Bowe, being floored six times before getting knocked out in the sixth. His second reign was even less distinguished, winning the vacant belt against hapless Tony Tucker, and making two low-level defences before being exposed by current WBC champion Vitali Klitschko. FRANK BRUNO (WBC, 1995-96) Folk hero Bruno seemed destined never to capture the title despite the weight of both his punches and the public's support.

However, on September 2 1995, in the twilight of his career, Bruno reached the pinnacle of the sport at the fourth attempt with a unanimous decision win over American Oliver McCall at Wembley. Defeat by former conqueror Mike Tyson in his first defence was emphatic but not disgraceful and Bruno retired with his head held high. HENRY AKINWANDE (WBO 1996-97) Akinwande was a decent world-level operator who will be remembered more for his pitiful challenge of Lennox Lewis than his own reign as a world champion. The British-Nigerian beat American Jeremy Williams to win Bowe's vacated WBO title and defended it twice, before giving it up to face WBC king Lewis. However, he wasted his big chance with an off-colour performance which saw him disqualified for repeated holding in the fifth round. LENNOX LEWIS (various 1993-94, 1997-2001, 2001-03) Only in retrospect are Lewis' achievements finally being recognised in Britain.

The Londoner with a Canadian accent won the WBC title in 1993 but it was in 1999, defeating rival Evander Holyfield, that Lewis became recognised as the overall, undisputed top dog. A shock 2001 loss to Hasim Rahman was immediately avenged and Lewis eventually went out on top after beating Vitali Klitschko via a cuts stoppage. DAVID HAYE (WBA, 2009-2011) A flashy, exciting 'alphabet' champion holding the WBA bauble wrested from Nikolai Valuev in style in 2009, Londoner Haye had the chance to become the recognised king of the heavyweights against Wladimir Klitschko in 2011 but came up well short in a feeble showing in Hamburg. List of undisputed boxing champions | Boxing Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia List of undisputed boxing champions 482pages on This is a list of current and past undisputed champions of boxing . Contents The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), founded in 1920.

The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA). The World Boxing Organization (WBO), founded in 1988. Criteria 1920-1963, a boxer who held both the NYSAC and NBA (WBA) titles simultaneously. 1963–1983, a boxer who held both the WBA and WBC titles simultaneously. 1983–2009, a boxer who held the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles simultaneously. 2009–Present, a boxer who holds the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO titles simultaneously. Muhammad Ali as Cassius Clay NYSAC, WBC & WBA Ali was stripped of the WBA title in September 1964, after agreeing to an immediate rematch with Liston, which was against the body's rules at the time. February 6, 1967 Muhammad Ali NYSAC, WBC & WBA Ali reunited the belts by beating WBA champion Ernie Terrell on February 6, 1967.

He was stripped of the WBA belt on April 28, 1967 for refusing induction into the United States army, but retained recognition by the WBC until February 16, 1970. February 16, 1970 Joe Frazier NYSAC, WBC & WBA On February 16, 1970, Frazier defeated Jimmy Ellis for Ellis' WBA belt and the vacant WBC belt. Frazier gained universal recognition by defeating Ali on March 8, 1971. January 22, 1973 Leon Spinks WBC & WBA Leon Spinks was stripped of the WBA belt for defending against Muhammad Ali instead of Ken Norton, who was their #1 contender. August 1, 1987 Mike Tyson WBC, WBA & IBF Mike Tyson became the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion by unifying his WBA and WBC, with Tony Tucker's IBF belt. The Ring Magazine later recognized him as champion on June 27, 1988.

February 11, 1990 Bowe was stripped of his WBC championship for refusing to fight Lennox Lewis . November 13, 1999 22x20px Lennox Lewis WBC, WBA & IBF Lennox Lewis became undisputed champion by defeating Evander Holyfield, successfully unifiying his WBC belt with Holyfield's WBA and IBF belts. With that victory, he was also awarded the vacant IBO title. Lewis was stripped of his WBA belt due to a contract dispute regarding a clause in the 2nd Holyfield contract which stipulated he must fight the WBA number 1 contender next. The number 1 contender at that time was Henry Akinwande but he was ill so John Ruiz was later moved up to number 1. The WBA gave Lewis permission under these circumstances to fight WBC ranked contender Michael Grant next as long as he agreed to fight Ruiz in the following bout. Lewis agreed but Ruiz's promoter challenged the WBA's decision in court.

Cruiserweight Lennox Lewis, Heavyweight Boxing Champion | Lennox Lewis, Heavyweight Boxing Champion Leave a comment Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE (born September 2, 1965) is a retired boxer and the most recent undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship. As an amateur he won gold representing Canada at the 1988 Olympic Games after defeating future heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe in the final. Lewis turned professional in 1989, winning his first 21 fights. In 1992 he knocked out Donovan Ruddock to take over the number one position in the World Boxing Council (WBC) rankings and eventually be declared WBC heavyweight champion in 1993. Lewis lost the title to Oliver McCall in 1994 but defeated McCall in a rematch to win the vacant WBC title in 1997. Lewis went on to defend the title four times, becoming the Lineal Champion after beating Shannon Briggs by KO in 1998. He became undisputed champion after defeating Evander Holyfield in November 1999.

After defeating Mike Tyson by KO in 2002 and stopping Vitali Klitschko in 2003, Lennox Lewis retired from boxing in 2004. Throughout his professional career, Lewis suffered two losses, both of which he avenged in rematches, both by knockout. Lewis won the heavyweight championship three times and was the fourth man to reclaim the lineal championship. Lewis is 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) tall and has an 84-inch (213 cm) reach, much longer than average for his height. During his boxing prime, he weighed about 250 pounds (113 kg). Lewis often referred to himself as “the pugilist specialist.” Early lifeLewis was born on September 2, 1965, in West Ham, London, England to Jamaican-born parents.[2] At birth he weighed 10 pounds 10 ounces (4.8 kg), and was given the name Lennox by the doctor, who said he looked like a Lennox.[3] Lewis moved to Kitchener, Ontario, Canada in 1977 at the age of 12.

He attended Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute for high school, where he excelled in Canadian football, soccer and basketball.[4] Amateur careerLewis eventually decided that his favourite sport was boxing. He became a dominant amateur boxer and won the world amateur junior title in 1983.[5] At the age of 18, Lewis represented Canada as a super heavyweight at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He advanced to the quarter-finals, where he lost a decision to American Tyrell Biggs, the eventual gold medalist. Lewis chose not to turn professional after the Olympics, and instead fought four more years as an amateur, hoping for a second chance to win a gold medal. After winning several more amateur titles during those years, he travelled to Seoul, South Korea for the 1988 Summer Olympics and achieved his goal. In the gold medal match, Lewis defeated future world champion Riddick Bowe by a second round technical knockout (TKO). Professional boxing careerHaving achieved that goal, Lewis declared himself a professional boxer and moved back to his native England.

He claimed he’d always considered himself British,[6][7][8] but many British fans regard him as “a Canadian at heart and a Briton for convenience”, as he had trained only in Canada and the United States and already lived half his life in North America.[9] He signed with the boxing promoter Frank Maloney and the early part of his pro career was filled with knockouts of journeymen. After he signed with American promoter Main Event[citation needed] he captured the European heavyweight title late in 1990 against Frenchman Jean Maurice Chanet. In his next fight in March 1991, Lewis won the British title against the undefeated world ranked Gary Mason, then won the Commonwealth title in April 1992 against Derek Williams. By this time, Lewis was a consensus top-five heavyweight in the world. During this period Lewis defeated former WBA heavyweight champion Mike Weaver, 1984 Olympic Gold medalist Tyrell Biggs, former world cruiserweight title holders Glenn McCrory and Osvaldo Ocasio, and journeymen Levi Billups and Mike Dixon.

WBC championOn 31 October 1992, Lewis knocked out Canadian Donovan “Razor” Ruddock in two rounds for the number one contender’s position in the WBC world rankings. At the time it was Lewis’ most impressive win, and established him as one of the world’s best heavyweights. Sportscaster Larry Merchant declared following the win “We have a great new heavyweight.” The win over Ruddock made Lewis the number one contender for Riddick Bowe’s heavyweight championship. Bowe refused to face Lewis, and held a press conference to dump the title in a trash can and relinquish it. On 14 December 1992, the WBC declared Lewis its champion, making him the first world heavyweight titleholder from Britain in the 20th century. Lewis successfully defended the belt three times, defeating Tony Tucker, who was decked (in the third and ninth rounds) for the first time in his career, and he followed this up with knockout victories over Phil Jackson and Frank Bruno. The Lennox Lewis vs.

Frank Bruno fight was the first time that two British-born boxers had fought for the world heavyweight title.[10] Loss to McCallLennox Lewis lost his WBC title to Oliver McCall on 24 September 1994 in a huge upset at the Wembley Arena in London. In the second round, McCall connected with a powerful left/right combination, putting Lewis down on his back. Lewis was up at the count of six, but stumbled forward into the referee. The referee felt Lewis was dazed and ended the fight, giving McCall the win by technical knockout. Lewis and others argued that the stoppage was premature and that a champion should be given the benefit of the doubt.[11] Regaining the WBC titleIn his first comeback fight Lewis was given a chance to fight for the mandatory challenger position within the WBC and won it by knocking out American contender Lionel Butler. However, at the behest of promoter Don King[citation needed] the WBC chose to bypass him and give Mike Tyson the first shot at the title that had recently been won by fellow Briton Frank Bruno against Oliver McCall. Bruno had previously lost to both Lewis and Tyson. While Lewis had the No.

1 contender’s slot in the WBC rankings he knocked out Australian Justin Fortune, then defeated former WBO Champion Tommy Morrison in October 1995, and Olympic gold medallist and former WBO champion Ray Mercer by a close majority decision in May 1996. Lewis successfully sued to try to force Tyson to make a mandatory defense of the WBC title against him or force Tyson to give up the title, winning a four million dollar settlement from promoter Don King. Rather than fight Lewis, Tyson relinquished the WBC belt to fight Evander Holyfield, and the title was declared vacant. This set up a rematch between Lewis and McCall, who squared off on February 7, 1997 in Las Vegas for the WBC title. In one of the strangest fights in boxing history, McCall refused to box in the fourth and fifth rounds, then began crying in the ring, forcing the referee to stop the fight and award Lewis the victory and the title. As newly re-crowned WBC champion, Lewis successfully defended the title during 1997 against fellow Briton and former WBO world champion Henry Akinwande, who was disqualified after five rounds for excessive clinching.

Lewis then met Poland’s Andrew Golota, whom he knocked out in the first round. During 1998, Lewis again retained the WBC world title when he knocked out lineal champion Shannon Briggs in five rounds (Briggs had recently outpointed George Foreman in a controversial fight, to win the lineal title) and beat formerly-undefeated European champion Željko Mavrović from Croatia in a 12-round unanimous decision. Lewis stated in 2006 that his fight with Mavrovic was the most awkward win of his career.[12] Lewis Vs. HolyfieldOn March 13, 1999, Lewis faced WBA and IBF title holder Evander Holyfield in New York City in what was supposed to be a heavyweight unification bout. Lewis fought a brilliant tactical fight, keeping Holyfield off balance with a long jab and peppering him with combinations almost at will. Although most observers believed Lewis had clearly won the fight, the bout was declared a draw, to much controversy. The raw statistics of the fight suggested the bout belonged to Lewis, who landed 348 punches compared to Holyfield’s 130.

Lewis also out-jabbed Holyfield 137 to 52.[13] Judge Eugenia Williams, who scored the fight in Holyfield’s favour, said she saw Lewis land fewer punches than Holyfield.[14] Lewis Vs. Holyfield IIThe sanctioning bodies ordered a rematch.[15] Eight months later in Las Vegas (November 13, 1999), the two men fought again in a more open and entertaining contest than the original fight, with the two boxers having some heavy exchanges from rounds 6 to 9. The punch stats however still clearly favoured Lewis who landed 195 punches to Evander Holyfield’s 137 punches, although interestingly Lewis landed 119 power shots and 76 jabs, showing a definite shift in his tactics from the first fight when he focused more on the jab. This time around the 3 Judges did score the fight unanimously (115–113, 116–112 & 117–111) all in favour of Lewis who became undisputed heavyweight champion of the World.

In 1999, Lewis was given one of the most prestigious sports awards in Britain, being voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Reign as Undisputed ChampionAfter Lewis defeated Holyfield the WBA ordered Lewis to defend the title against John Ruiz of Puerto Rico, then an obscure Don King fighter who had been made the WBA’s #1-ranked contender. The WBA gave permission for Lewis to fight his WBC mandatory Michael Grant first if he would fight Ruiz next, which Lewis agreed to. Opposed to this, Ruiz’s promoter challenged this decision in court on the basis of a clause in the Lewis-Holyfield rematch contract that said Lewis’s first bout as undisputed champion would be against the WBA’s number one contender. Lewis was therefore to be stripped of his WBA belt if he fought Grant first. Lewis proceeded to fight the 6 ft 8 inch American Michael Grant who he considered the best contender available. He successfully defended his WBC, IBO & IBF titles against Grant with a second round knockout victory in Madison Square Garden in April 2000.

Later that same year Lewis knocked out South African Francois Botha in two rounds in London, before winning a 12-round decision against New Zealander and IBF mandatory opponent, David Tua in Las Vegas. Lewis Vs. RahmanOn April 21, 2001, Lewis was knocked out by 15-to-1 underdog Hasim Rahman in a bout in South Africa. The loss, coupled with Lewis’s earlier TKO loss to McCall, led many ringside observers[who?] to question Lewis’s heart and chin. Prior to the bout, Lewis had a role in the film Ocean’s Eleven in which he “boxed” against Wladimir Klitschko, and many feel that the distraction and disrupted training schedule contributed significantly to his loss.[citation needed] Lewis Vs. Rahman IILewis immediately sought a rematch with the new champion; however, Rahman, now being promoted by Don King, tried to secure another opponent for his inaugural title defence. Lewis took Rahman to court to honour the rematch clause in their contract. Rahman was ordered to honour the clause and give Lewis a rematch in his first title defence.

While promoting the rematch with Rahman on ESPN’s Up Close, the fighters got into a brawl[16] similar to the one between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in front of Howard Cosell on Wide World of Sports. Many felt the brawl was staged to promote the fight, so the reality of the episode is still a matter of debate. Lewis regained the title on November 17 by outclassing and then knocking out Hasim Rahman in the fourth round of their rematch. Lewis vs. TysonMain article: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson The Lewis-Tyson fight was one of the most anticipated heavyweight fights in years.On June 8, 2002, Lewis defended his title against Mike Tyson. A fight many had hoped would be a classic turned out to be one-sided as Lennox used his jab and superior reach to score a dominant knockout victory over “Iron Mike.” By the end of the seventh round Tyson was tired and sluggish, his face swollen and his eyes cut. He was knocked out in the eighth by a right hook from Lewis. After the fight was over, George Foreman declared “He [Lewis] is, no doubt, the best heavyweight of all time.

What he’s done clearly puts him on top of the heap.”[17] Lewis was an HBO fighter and George Foreman often promoted HBO and their fighters during broadcasts. This fight was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the U.S., until it was surpassed by De La Hoya-Mayweather in 2007.[18] Ticket sales were slow because they were priced as high as $2,400, but a crowd of 15,327 turned up to see the biggest sporting event ever in the city of Memphis, Tennessee. Tyson also had to pay Lewis $335,000 out of his purse for biting him at the news conference to announce the fight, which was originally scheduled for April 6, 2002 in Las Vegas. Las Vegas, however, rejected the fight because of Tyson’s licensing problems and several other states refused Tyson a license before Memphis finally bid $12 million to land it. Lewis vs.

KlitschkoIn May 2003, Lewis sued boxing promoter Don King for $385 million, claiming that King used threats to have Tyson pull out of a rematch scheduled with Lewis then scheduled a fight with Kirk Johnson, but when Johnson suffered an injury in training, Lewis fought Vitali Klitschko, the WBC’s #1 contender and former WBO titlist at short notice. Lewis had planned to fight him in December, but since Klitschko had been on the undercard of the Johnson fight anyway, they agreed to square off on June 21. Lewis entered the ring at a career high 256½ pounds.[19] Lewis was dominated in the early rounds and was wobbled in round two by solid Klitschko punches. Lewis opened a cut above Klitschko’s eye with a right cross in the third round and gave a better showing in the fourth round, and gaining the upper hand in fifth and sixth rounds. Before the start of round seven the doctor advised that the fight should be stopped because of a severe cut above Klitschko’s left eye, awarding Lewis victory by TKO.

Klitschko was leading 58–56 on all three judges’ scorecards when the fight was stopped. Interviewed about the fight by HBO, doctor Paul Wallace explained his decision: “When he raised his head up, his upper eyelid covered his field of vision. At that point I had no other option but to stop the fight. If he had to move his head to see me, there was no way he could defend his way against a punch.” Klitschko’s face required sixty stitches.[20][21][22] Because Klitschko had fought so bravely against Lewis, boxing fans soon began calling for a rematch. The WBC agreed, and kept the Ukrainian as its No. 1 contender. Lewis initially was in favour of a rematch: “I want the rematch, I enjoyed that fight. It was just a fight. We went at it. You have to play dollars and cents but I’m opting more for the rematch.”[23] Negotiations for the rematch followed but Lewis changed his mind [24] Instead, Klitschko fought and defeated Kirk Johnson on December 6 in WBC Eliminator, setting up a mandatory rematch with Lewis.

Lewis announced his retirement shortly thereafter and vacated the title. Lewis stated when he had decided not to fight: “So, when it came time for me to see if I should fight Klitschko again, I thought – at my worst, at my worst! I beat Klitschko and look what I did to his face! I was at my worst – just think [what would’ve happened] if I’d trained just a little bit harder. I didn’t need to fight him again.”[25] Hanging up the gloves Lewis at the premiere of Hereafter during the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.Lewis announced his retirement in February 2004 and decided to pursue other interests, including sports management and music promotion. Lewis said he would not return to the ring. At his retirement, Lewis’s record was 41 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw, with 32 wins by knockout. Though it was rumoured in an article published by the Daily Mail on the February 24 that he would return to fight Klitschko once again, Lewis quickly shot down those rumours on his personal website. In 2008 Lewis commented on a possible match up with Riddick Bowe.

“He waits until I am in retirement to call out my name,” said Lewis. “I will come out of retirement to beat up that guy. I’ll beat him up for free.”[26] Along with Gene Tunney and Rocky Marciano he is one of three world heavyweight champions to have retired with no unavenged defeats. Outside of boxingIn 2000, Lewis appeared on Reflection Eternal’s debut album Train of Thought, giving a shout out on the track “Down for the Count.” In 2002, Lewis was reportedly offered £5m by WWE chairman Vince McMahon to take up wrestling with WWE. His camp held discussions over a possible match with former WWE superstar Brock Lesnar in February 2003, at the No Way Out pay-per-view event.[27] He had borne the Union Flag for the British Bulldog before his match against Bret “The Hitman” Hart at SummerSlam in 1992. In 2003, Lewis made a brief cameo appearance in the Jennifer Lopez and LL Cool J video “All I Have”. Lewis played in the World Series of Poker in both 2006 and 2007, and was knocked out without winning any money.

Lewis appeared on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice in 2008. He came in fourth place (out of 14). Lewis has also done a public service announcement against domestic violence for Do Something.[28] In 2008, Lewis was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.[29] In 2009, in his first year of eligibility, Lewis was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.[30] On May 8, 2010, Lewis was let go by HBO as a commentator for Boxing After Dark. In 2011 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. Personal life Lewis in January 2008Upon retiring from boxing, Lewis moved to Miami Beach with his wife, Violet Chang, a former Miss Jamaica runner-up. The couple have a daughter named Ling (born 2004), a son named Landon (born 2006) and in 2009 the couple welcomed their third child, a daughter.

Lewis told AventuraUSA.com in 2007 that he is contemplating opening an “international boxing academy” and perhaps one day starting a record label, but contrary to rumours, he has yet to embark on either endeavour. Lewis supports the English football team West Ham United, the local team for the place of his birth. Lewis is an avid amateur chess player, and funded an after-school chess program for disadvantaged youths, one of whom earned a university chess scholarship at Tennessee Tech.[31] Share this: The Best of the Big Men: Recalling Britain's 8 Heavyweight World Champions | Bleacher Report The Best of the Big Men: Recalling Britain's 8 Heavyweight World Champions By Rob Lancaster , Featured Columnist Mar 19, 2016 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Simon Bruty/Getty Images Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis do battle in Cardiff, Wales, in 1993. 5.8K 6 Comments Heavyweight boxing is big in Britain right now—and not just because of the fighters' size. Tyson Fury is the reigning WBA and WBO world champion, having sensationally beaten Wladimir Klitschko.

David Haye's return to action has also increased interest in the division, while Anthony Joshua has become a huge hit with fans since turning pro after his gold-medal success at the 2012 Olympics. While both Fury and Haye—a former WBA champion himself—have won major belts, Joshua is preparing for his opportunity to join a select band of British heavyweights who have won a world title. The Londoner takes on IBF holder Charles Martin on April 9 in just his 16th professional bout. Ahead of the showdown, Bleacher Report has looked back at the eight previous British heavyweights who ruled the world (or at least one governing body's version of it). Bob Fitzsimmons was a three-weight world champion. Record: 63-8-4 (59 KOs) Bob Fitzsimmons is one of only two British fighters to win world titles at three different weights (the other being Duke McKenzie, in case you didn't know). Born in Cornwall, England, Ruby Robert emigrated to New Zealand with his family at the age of nine and began his boxing career in Australia. Having already reigned at middleweight, he officially became heavyweight world champion in 1897, knocking out James J.

Corbett with a body punch in Round 14. Fitzsimmons' reign came to an end against James J. Jeffries in 1899, as he was stopped by the heavier man. A rematch in 1902 produced the same outcome, although Jeffries said of his rival, according to Matt Christie of Boxing News: "You’re the most dangerous man alive.” Fitzsimmons would drop down to light heavyweight, beating George Gardner on points to become a world champion again. He retired in 1914 and died three years later at the age of 54. Lennox Lewis retired as a world champion after beating Vitali Klitschko. Professional record: 41-2-1 (32 KOs) Born in London, Lennox Lewis won a gold medal boxing for Canada at the 1988 Olympic Games—he defeated future world champion Riddick Bowe in the final. However, in the paid ranks, WBC champion Bowe opted against a rematch. After the American dumped the belt in a bin, Lewis defeated Tony Tucker on points to claim the vacant title in 1993.

Lewis suffered a shock loss to Oliver McCall just over a year later, only to gain revenge—and claim the belt back—in a rematch, although the result was overshadowed by the American's odd behaviour in the ring . He added the IBF, IBO and WBA titles by beating Evander Holyfield at the second attempt in 1999, albeit he was stripped of the WBA version after choosing to face Michael Grant instead of John Ruiz. Hasim Rahman dethroned the undisputed heavyweight champion in 2001 with a stunning knockout in South Africa. Lewis won their second meeting, then rounded out his career with victories over Mike Tyson and Vitali Klitschko. After roaring one last time, The Lion retired as holder of the IBO and WBC belts. He said, per BBC Sport : "It's not easy being heavyweight champion, even harder to keep it and stay at the top." Michael Bentt became a world champion in just his 12th pro fight. Record: 11-2 (6 KOs) Michael Bentt became world champion in just his 12th professional fight, sensationally knocking out Tommy Morrison in Oklahoma to pick up the WBO title.

The heavyweight was hardly a novice, however. Born in London but raised in New York, Bentt won the United States Amateur Boxing Championship five times. He missed out on competing at the 1988 Olympics, with rival Ray Mercer going on to win a gold medal, and instead turned pro in 1989. Morrison had plans to fight Lennox Lewis, per BoxRec , and the bout with Bentt was seen as good preparation. Instead, the challenger knocked his rival down three times to win in 93 seconds. However, his reign, as well as his career, proved to be short-lived. Bentt lost in his first defence, a bad-tempered clash with Britain's Herbie Hide. He also nearly lost his life, as he collapsed after being knocked out in Round 7. He spent the next four days in a coma with brain injuries but made a full recovery. With his boxing career over, Bentt moved into acting. He did return to the ring again, though, as he played the role of Sonny Liston in the film Ali directed by Michael Mann. Herbie Hide twice held the WBO title during his professional career.

Record: 49-4 (43 KOs) Herbie Hide—whose full name is Herbert Okechukwu Maduagwu—was born in Nigeria but raised in Britain. He was WBO champion not once but twice, beating Michael Bentt to claim the belt for the first time in 1994. It wasn't the first fight between the pair—they had also scuffled in the street after a press conference. Hide's initial reign was brief, with Riddick Bowe knocking him out in Round 6 of his maiden defence. However, Hide had the chance to regain the belt when it became vacant in 1997. He duly stopped Tony Tucker in a hurry in his adopted home of Norwich, England. The Dancing Destroyer did manage to hold on to the WBO strap for a little longer second time around, beating Damon Reed and Willi Fischer in his next two bouts. Hide did lose to Vitali Klitschko in 1999, but that wasn't quite the end of the road for him. He dropped down to cruiserweight as he carried on fighting until 2010.

Henry Akinwande defeated Jeremy Williams to claim the vacant WBO title in 1996. Record: 50-4-1 (30 KOs) Henry Akinwande was born in Dulwich, London. He moved away to Nigeria at the age of four, only to return to England 17 years later. He represented Great Britain at the 1988 Olympics before turning pro the following year. After becoming Commonwealth and European champion (beating Axel Schulz at the second attempt after their first contest was judged as a draw), his chance at a world title arrived in 1996. Akinwande eased to victory over Jeremy Williams, knocking out the American in Round 3 to pick up the WBO strap that had been vacated by Riddick Bowe. He made two successful defences before giving up the belt to fight WBC champion Lennox Lewis in 1997. It should have been his big opportunity, but instead, Akinwande saw his unbeaten record come to a sorry end. Having shown little interest in fighting, referee Mills Lane disqualified him for persistent holding.

Glyn Leach wrote in the Independent: "Intimidated by the power and strength of the champion, Akinwande, 31, clung on for dear life wherever possible, ruining the contest as a spectacle." Akinwande never received another opportunity to fight at the highest level, despite continuing his career for a further 11 years. There was barely a dry eye in the house when Frank Bruno finally struck gold. Record: 40-5 (38 KOs) Franklin Roy Bruno has to be the most popular British boxer to ever win a heavyweight title. The big man with the big smile won the hearts of the public with his ability to flatten opponents, as well as his post-fight interviews with respected commentator Harry Carpenter. Yet Bruno struggled desperately to clear the final hurdle, as he lost three world-title challenges. His defeats made him the kind of lovable loser Brits adore. However, the London-born boxer did eventually get his hands on a major belt, holding off a late rally from Oliver McCall to claim the WBC title with a points triumph at Wembley Stadium in the English capital in 1995.

The previous failures against Tim Witherspoon, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis were quickly forgotten, with Bruno even given an open-top bus ride around London to celebrate his success. He did not hold the belt for too long—Tyson beat old foe Bruno in his first defence—but it did not really matter, as Big Frank was already a national treasure. An eye injury forced him to hang up his gloves, with Bruno saying, per the Los Angeles Times : "I've had a good innings; I'm chilled." David Haye Boris Streubel/Getty Images David Haye has returned to the ring with the aim of becoming a two-time heavyweight world champion. Record: 27-2 (25 KOs) David Haye didn't hang around at heavyweight, winning the WBA belt in just his second outing after making the step up from cruiserweight. The Londoner had become the dominant force at the 200-pound weight limit, knocking out Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli in 2008 to hold the WBA, WBC and WBO belts. The following year he took on the monumental challenge of facing Nikolai Valuev.

The Russian—who stood 7'0"—had claimed the belt by beating John Ruiz and then successfully defended it against Evander Holyfield. However, Haye had the perfect plan to deal with Valuev. By staying on the move, he made his plodding opponent look lost. He even wobbled him in Round 12, but settled for a majority-decision win on the cards. After defending the title against Ruiz and Audley Harrison, Haye's reign ended at the hands of Wladimir Klitschko after a rather forgettable 12 rounds. A shoulder injury seemed to have sent the Englishman into retirement in 2013, only for him to make a return to the ring in 2016. Haye told Mike Walters of the Mirror: "George Foreman took 10 years out, came back and won the WBA world heavyweight title at 46 when he beat Michael Moorer, so I’m not going to put a deadline on it." Tyson Fury ended Wladimir Klitschko's long reign of dominance in the division.

Record: 25-0 (18 KOs) Tyson Fury can talk the talk (even when he turns up dressed as Batman to a press conference ), but he also proved he can walk the walk by beating Wladimir Klitschko. The Manchester-born fighter ended the Ukrainian's long, long, reign, as he handed Klitschko his first loss in 11 years. In doing so, he claimed the IBF, WBA and WBO belts in Dusseldorf, Germany. Fury flummoxed his rival with clever head movement and an unwillingness to stand still. He had also unnerved the champion with his pre-fight antics, including demanding a layer of foam was taken off the ring and forcing Klitschko to have his hands wrapped twice, per David Anderson of the Mirror. The challenger could even afford to have a point deducted in Round 11 as he recorded a unanimous-points win. Klitschko announced on Instagram he would be taking up the clause in the contract for a rematch, although details of when and where the second fight will take place are yet to be confirmed.

Deontay Wilder aims to be undisputed heavyweight boxing champion - Yahoo Sport Deontay Wilder aims to be undisputed heavyweight boxing champion By Adam Justice 8 December 2015 18:13    WBC world title holder Deontay Wilder said that he wants to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Britain's Lennox Lewis in 1999. Lewis unified all four boxing boards belts when he beat Evander Holyfield 16 years ago, a feat not emulated since in the heavyweight division, something 30-year-old American Wilder would like to change. "Every heavyweight champion wants that crown. Everyone wants to be labelled as the best heavyweight in the world . I know it takes a lot of time, I know it takes a lot of fights to build that up," Wilder said on 4 December. "I definitely want it bad, I'm ready to do anything that it takes to get that crown, the best heavyweight champion of the world. There hasn't been an undisputed champion since 1999 and that was Lennox Lewis, so it's been well over a decade," he said.

Standing in the way of Wilder is Britain's Tyson Fury, who beat Ukrainian-born Vladimir Klitschko on points in Dusseldorf in November to become IBF, WBA and WBO title holder. "I predicted that he was going to win," Wilder said. "I said that if Tyson Fury took this fight seriously he had a great chance of winning and that's what he did. I felt Klitschko's been fighting these sort of guys for so long in his career now that a taller guy was going to be very difficult, awkward for him." "I also feel that Klitschko was fighting two guys in the ring, not only was he fighting Fury, he was fighting this little old man who walks around with a cane and glasses, we're all going to have to meet him in our career and his name is Father Time. I think Father Time is knocking at his door too," said Wilder of the 39-year-old Klitschko, who has exercised his option for a rematch with Fury. "If you're going to go out and do it why waste any more time?" Wilder said about the rematch.

"It was at different times throughout the fight you could tell that his mind wanted to throw a couple of punches but his body wasn't reacting. Even he said he isn't feeling fast like he was, Father Time is clicking so why waste any more time, any more seconds, any more days, any more months?" Wilder promised that a fight with Fury would happen whatever the outcome of their respective title bouts. "Many heavyweights have lost and won, lost and won and came back. It doesn't eliminate it, it just puts it on hold, that's all. "I still want to fight Fury, me and Fury have been advertising our fight for four years now so this fight is already sold out, whether he's a champion, whether I'm a champion or not, that fight must take place sometime in history somewhere in the future. So whether he loses or wins, that fight must happen," he said. "I'm on a journey, I'm on a destiny. I want to be crowned the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and bring all the belts back to America.

No matter how many times those belts change hands I will get that, I promise you that." Wilder's next title defence will be against an as yet unnamed opponent on 16 January at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Related Articles Tyson Fury beats Wladimir Klitschko to become world champion - BBC Sport BBC Sport Tyson Fury beats Wladimir Klitschko to become world champion By Ben Dirs Read more about sharing. Tyson Fury secured a unanimous points decision to become the new world heavyweight champion Britain's Tyson Fury pulled off one of the great boxing upsets as he outpointed Wladimir Klitschko to become heavyweight champion of the world. It was a dour and often messy fight but Fury, courtesy of his superior boxing skills, fully deserved to be awarded a unanimous decision. Ukrainian Klitschko, whose nine-year reign as champion was brought to an end, simply could not work the challenger out and did not do enough to win.

Fury, who was awarded the fight 115-112, 115-112, 116-111 on the judges' scorecards, is now the WBA, IBF and WBO champion. The 27-year-old Manchester fighter is only Britain's fifth bona fide heavyweight world champion after Bob Fitzsimmons, Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno and David Haye. Herbie Hide and Henry Akinwande both held WBO versions of the title at a time when the organisation's title holders were not widely recognised as genuine world champions. Fun and games pay off for Fury Media playback is not supported on this device World champion Fury's crazy antics "You're a great champion Wlad, thanks very much for having me," said Fury, moments after his win was announced in Dusseldorf. The self-styled 'Gypsy King' had taunted his opponent before the fight and even dressed as Batman at one news conference. "It was all fun and games in the build-up, I just wanted to be confident, young and brash," said Fury, who had complained about the thickness of the foam under the ring canvas before the bout.

To the delight of British fans in the 50,000-capacity Esprit Arena, he burst into a rendition of Aerosmith's hit ballad I Don't Want To Miss A Thing, dedicating it to his wife and his fans in Ireland, the UK, the United States and Germany. More on Fury's victory Confounding the doubters Klitschko had not been beaten since 2004 and his second reign as champion included 19 successful defences. This represented a big step up in class for Fury, whose biggest previous win was against fellow Briton Dereck Chisora (twice). After a build-up which included Fury impersonating Bette Midler at a public workout, few expected the Englishman to make good on his promises and dethrone Klitschko. But Fury's mobility and head movement, as well as his ability to switch between orthodox and southpaw, added up to a puzzle the 39-year-old champion simply could not work out.

Fury wobbled Klitschko with a right-hander in the ninth round How the fight unfolded Fury came charging out of his corner at the sound of the first bell but thereafter it was a cagey first round which the challenger probably won courtesy of a couple of ramrod jabs. The second was another tight affair but with Klitschko unwilling to open up and unleash his fabled right cross, the more ambitious Fury - who looked remarkably relaxed given the circumstances - probably nicked it again. Fury's switch to southpaw at the start of the third failed to draw Klitschko out of his shell and it was becoming apparent that the champion was finding his British rival more difficult to work out than perhaps he had anticipated. After the fourth, during which Klitschko was again frustrated, there was a sense of disbelief among the German fans that their hero was finding the task so onerous. Klitschko did finally land with a big right hand in the fifth but Fury took it well and in the following round he openly taunted his rival, dropping his gloves and offering his chin, which Klitschko was still unable to locate.

Klitschko had to be treated for cuts as Fury landed with some punishing blows Klitschko looks his age In the seventh, Fury went one stage further, crossing his arms behind his back, and at the end of the eighth there were plenty of concerned looks in Klitschko's corner. The cut champion, all of a sudden, looked every one of his 39 years. Both men showed more willingness to engage in the ninth, with Fury sending Klitschko staggering towards the ropes with a meaty overhand right, and by the 10th the champion was showing real signs of fatigue. The fight became messier in the 11th, with American referee Tony Weeks frequently having to pull the boxers apart, and Fury was docked a point for punching the back of the head. With the result in the balance, both men went at it in the final three minutes but neither of them was able to land a clean, knockout blow. Five facts about Tyson Fury Background: Fury was born into a family of Irish travellers.

His father, John Fury, was a bare-knuckle fighter in the 1980s, who was jailed in 2011 for gouging a man's eye out. Lightweight to heavyweight: Tyson was born three months premature and weighed in at 1lb - doctors described his chances of survival as slim. What's in a name? His father named him 'Tyson' as world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was in his pomp when Fury was born in August 1988. Father time: Fury and wife Paris have a five-year-old daughter called Venezuela and three-year-old son Prince. Sporting chance: Fury, a Manchester United fan, represented both Ireland and England at amateur level Tyson Fury - champion of the world Fury has won all 25 of his fights, 18 of them by knockout Unbeaten Fury, written off beforehand by many pundits, was clocking up his 25th straight win. Before Saturday, Klitschko had 65 wins from 68 professional fights stretching back to 1996, and he can take some consolation from the fact he surpassed Joe Louis' previous record of 28 heavyweight world title fights.

There may yet be a rematch although victory over America's WBC champion Deontay Wilder, if that fight could be made, would make Fury the first undisputed world heavyweight champion since Britain's Lewis in 2000. Other potential opponents include compatriot Haye - who twice pulled out of a fight against Fury in 2013 and is making a comeback in January - and Britain's Olympic champion Anthony Joshua, who is unbeaten in 14 professional fights, all by knockout. Joshua's next fight is against Dillian Whyte for the vacant British title on 12 December and while 2016 is probably too soon for a fight against Fury, it could happen the following year.

A win which shook social media David Haye came out of retirement last week but was beaten by Klitschko in 2009 Lennox Lewis was the last Briton to hold all four heavyweight titles, Fury now has three American Deontay Wilder holds the only other world title in the heavyweight division Former heavyweight champion of the world Frank Bruno congratulated his fellow Briton Muhammad Ali: Lennox Lewis and Will Smith to carry coffin at funeral - BBC Sport BBC Sport Muhammad Ali: Lennox Lewis and Will Smith to carry coffin at funeral 7 Jun Read more about sharing. Lennox Lewis was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1999 after beating Evander Holyfield to become undisputed heavyweight world champion, the same year Muhammad Ali was honoured as BBC Sports Personality of the Century Britain's former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and actor Will Smith will be pallbearers at Muhammad Ali's funeral on Friday. London-born Lewis, 50, became undisputed world champion in 1999, while American Smith, 47, played Ali in the 2001 film of the same name. Three-time heavyweight world champion Ali died last Friday at the age of 74 in hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.

His funeral will be held in his home town of Louisville, Kentucky. "I am humbled, and honoured, beyond words to help see my hero, Muhammad Ali, off to his final resting place," said Lewis, in a statement. "Ali has always been an enormous inspiration to me, not only in my boxing career, but also in life. His journey began 74 years ago, and in that time, he not only transformed the world of sport, he used sport to transform the world." Will Smith was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Muhammad Ali The other pallbearers will be Jerry Ellis, the brother of Jimmy Ellis, Ali's former sparring partner and fellow world heavyweight champion, Ali's cousins John Grady and Jan Wadell, nephew Ibn Ali, former brother-in-law Komawi Ali and family friend John Ramsey. Friday's service, which will be attended by a number of world leaders, heads of state and celebrities, will be open to the public and streamed live on the internet. It starts at 19:00 BST.

Question: In 1999, who became Britain's first undisputed boxing heavyweight world champion?
Answer: Lennox Lewis