Forget a 3rd match

Dean Juipe

Monday, Nov. 19, 2001 | 10:35 a.m.

Don't worry. There won't be a Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman III.

Lewis and Rahman may have split a pair of fights, yet Lewis made it clear through an array of comments and anecdotes attributed to him in the aftermath of his Saturday night victory over Rahman at the Mandalay Bay Events Center that neither he nor anyone associated with him has any desire to do business with Rahman again.

Rahman alienated the Lewis camp in the weeks and months leading up to their second fight, and there certainly won't be a third.

"He's the Buster Douglas of the 21st century," Lewis said of Rahman, calling to mind the plump heavyweight who upset Mike Tyson in 1990 only to eat his way into oblivion.

Lewis also repeatedly called Rahman "Hasim Has Been" at the postfight press conference, again reflecting his dislike for a man who beat him in April and then fancied himself as a rising star.

Instead, at the age of 29, Rahman's briefly held bubble has burst, courtesy of a brilliant game plan and crushing final right by Lewis at 1:29 of the fourth round.

"That's three times, baby," Lewis proclaimed, referring to his ascension to the heavyweight throne for the third time in his 12-year professional career. By raising his record to 39-2-1 with 30 knockouts, Lewis, 36, has restored the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation belts to his inventory.

"I told you that was a lucky punch in South Africa," Lewis said of the right hand from Rahman that ended their April fight. "I've got too many attributes for him."

Lewis will leave Rahman behind and pursue a fight with former champion Mike Tyson, which is apt to fall into place and be held next spring in Las Vegas.

"Where is he?" Lewis asked, calling out Tyson. "After that last fight of his when he boxed that blimp (Brian Nielsen), he said he needed two more fights.

"The world wants to see Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson and it might be right around the corner. If not, there are other guys out there, like Chris Byrd."

Byrd is ranked No. 1 by the IBF.

Tyson did say he wanted another fight or two before a lucrative bout with Lewis, and one with Ray Mercer has been discussed for January. Yet the risk factor is immense, and Tyson is just as likely to pass on any other interim fights with Lewis agreeable to a match that could bring each man $20 million.

Rahman, whose 209-day title reign is the shortest in heavyweight history, is strictly rear-view mirror material at this point in time.

"Everybody thought that Rahman got under my skin, and he did ... a little bit," Lewis said, holding his right forefinger and thumb slightly apart. "But like I told our guys, he's going to have to pay."

Rahman paid by taking a thorough beating that opened cuts near his left eye, and inside and outside of his mouth. He did not attend the postfight briefing but has no lingering injuries.

"He is a big, strong guy with enormous weight," Rahman said before leaving the arena. "He landed the right hand and I couldn't continue."

Referee Joe Cortez, who was pleased afterward to have had an uncomplicated fight, stopped the carnage -- which will be rebroadcast by HBO Saturday at 10 p.m. -- with Rahman face down and without any protestations from his camp.

"Lewis won the fight fair and square," said Rahman's co-manager, Steve Nelson. When Nelson offered the possibility of another rematch, Lewis and his followers scoffed.

"Lennox is the consummate pro," said his promoter, Gary Shaw. "He said, 'Let that clown have his 15 minutes of fame.' One lucky punch in South Africa was not going to deter him.

"He said the other guy was a pretender."

Lewis expressed a similar sentiment to his trainer, Emanuel Steward.

"We were watching a tape of the first fight and Lennox said 'This man does not have any class,' " Steward said. "Lennox has so much talent and he's been totally focused.

"The only thing he wanted was to get Rahman back in the ring before someone else fought him."

Lewis got Rahman back in the ring by court order and then dominated the rematch, something he has now done in each of the three occasions he has faced a man who had beaten him or held him to a draw in an earlier fight.

"I watched his antics for six months," Lewis said of Rahman, 35-3, who a year ago was regularly fighting such lesser opponents as Frankie Swindell.

"As soon as I saw his head hit the canvas after my final punch, I knew he wasn't going to get up."