Lewis upset with Bruno’s popularity in U.K.

Robert Millward

Friday, July 14, 2000 | 10:27 a.m.

LONDON -- Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis can't afford to look past an opponent -- any opponent.

Lewis knows that he must beat Frans Botha on Saturday before he can face the one man, Mike Tyson, who can bring Lewis the fame he desires.

"There's a lot of things I can say about Mike Tyson and a lot of things that I can do better than Mike Tyson, and I will tell you after the fight," Lewis said. "He called me out on TV, but before I box Mike Tyson, I have to fight Frans Botha. He's the man in front of me."

At Thursday's weigh-in for Saturday's defense of the WBC and IBF world titles against Botha, Lewis towered over the South African challenger and outweighed him 250-236.

The difference in height and weight was typical, Lewis believes, of the way he dominates the heavyweight scene right now.

"It is not my fault that I am the outstanding heavyweight of my era, the way Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis were before me," he said.

Lewis knocked out Frank Bruno in October 1993. Bruno, who briefly held the WBC title before being stopped in the second round by Tyson, has now retired.

But Lewis, who fought for Canada as an amateur and won the Olympic super-heavyweight title at the 1988 Seoul Games as a Canadian, isn't regarded here with the same affection as Bruno, who also made a name for himself as a star of pantomime stage shows.

"Unlike Bruno, I will go into the ring believing I can beat Mike Tyson," Lewis said. "When Bruno went in with Tyson, he turned into a statue.

"I listen to Frank Bruno talking about me on television and I smile. It has got on my nerves at times, no question.

"But if I fought the same caliber of opponents who were fed to Bruno, I would be accused of taking easy fights. Yet he made hard work of many of them."

Beaten just once in 38 fights and preparing for his eighth title defense, Lewis still calls himself undisputed world champion even though he was stripped of the WBA crown two months ago in a dispute over his next opponent.

"The WBC belt is the one that matters to me, my first belt," Lewis said. "The two boxers who are fighting for that other belt are fighting for a paper championship. I am the true champion.

"I believe I am the best," he said. "I believe I am head and shoulders over everybody in world heavyweight boxing. I know that in a room full of men I would be the last man standing."

Lewis takes on an opponent who has won only one of his last three fights. Botha flattened Steve Pennell in the first round at Albuquerque, N.M., in January after being knocked out by Tyson and then fighting to a draw with Shannon Briggs last year.

Botha said Lewis doesn't have Tyson's power and believes his own punching strength will surprise the champion.

"He hasn't taken the Buffalo's power yet," Botha said, using his own nickname. "I'm not here to lie down, I'm here to take the titles."