UK: BOXING - LENNOX LEWIS RETAINS HIS WBC AND IBF HEAVYWEIGHT TITLES WHEN HE BEAT FRANS BOTHA OF SOUTH AFRICA

Record ID: 648708

  • Title: UK: BOXING - LENNOX LEWIS RETAINS HIS WBC AND IBF HEAVYWEIGHT TITLES WHEN HE BEAT FRANS BOTHA OF SOUTH AFRICA
  • Date: 18th July 2000
  • Summary: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 15, 2000) (MUTE) (REUTERS) 1. STILL OF LENNOX LEWIS FIGHTING FRANS BOTHA 2. LEWIS DELIVERS KNOCKOUT PUNCH IN SECOND ROUND 3. BOTHA ON FLOOR AFTER KNOCKOUT PUNCH IN SECOND ROUND 4. REFEREE LARRY O'CONNELL STOPS FIGHT AS LEWIS CELEBRATES 5. LEWIS RAISES ARMS IN VICTORY AS O'CONNELL LOOKS AFTER BOTHA 6. LEWIS RAISES ARMS IN VICTORY WITH MANAGER FRANK MALONEY IN BACKGROUND 7. LEWIS POSES FOR VICTORY PHOTOGRAPHS WITH ENTOURAGE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd August 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVAAVDDIPE26SILW1J5EUYSRPCR0
  • Story Text: Lennox Lewis of Great Britain sent South African
    challenger Frans Botha sprawling in the second round of their
    scheduled 12 round fight to retain his WBC and IBF heavyweight
    titles in short order on Saturday (July 15).

    The Briton had rocked Botha in the first round and,
    towering over his opponent, stopped him after two minutes and
    39 seconds of the second round with two crashing rights in
    quick succession.

    The second blow literally swept the self-styled "White
    Buffalo" out of the ring, lifting Botha off his feet and
    sending him sprawling halfway through the ropes.

    British referee Larry O'Connell, who had controversially
    judged a previous Lewis title fight against Evander Holyfield
    that ended in a draw, stepped in although Botha was back on
    his feet at the count of six.

    The crowd had booed o'Connell when his name was announced
    before the fight but they were cheering him and Lewis within a
    matter of minutes.

    Lewis, who entered the ring to a Tower of London theme
    with flaming braziers lighting his entrance and ring card
    girls dressed as scantily clad Beefeaters, started cautiously
    but Botha never troubled him.

    The World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing
    Federation (IBF) champion now has a record of 39 fights and 37
    wins, one defeat and one draw.

    Botha, who arrived in a white animal fleece that may or
    may not have been buffalo hide, now has a record of 45 fights
    with three defeats, one draw and one no contest.

    "Tell Mike Tyson to put up or shut up," the 34-year-old
    Lewis, who was stripped of his World Boxing Association (WBA)
    belt in April, immediately declared from the ring.

    Lewis against former undisputed champion Tyson is the
    fight boxing fans most want to witness at the moment and both
    men have said repeatedly they want to meet.

    The Briton easily showed that he can match Tyson for quick
    demolitions at the London Arena.

    Tyson's last fight in Glasgow in June against Lou Savarese
    lasted 38 seconds while the one before that in Manchester
    against Briton Julius Francis went just over four minutes
    before the American won.

    Lewis was slower off the mark, but not much slower,
    against a man who took Tyson to five rounds before walking
    into a knockout blow last year.

    "It was very special to come back here and show the world
    how much I've improved," said Lewis, whose last fight in
    London in 1994 ended in a two round defeat when he succumbed
    to American Oliver McCall.

    "It was a good stop. When the referee asked him to come
    forward he was still wobbly," he added of Botha.


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