/ 30 August 2002

Lewis says competition too weak, purse too small

World heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, in Accra for his 37th birthday, has reiterated that it would take a lot of money and stronger opposition to entice him into the ring.

Lewis, who celebrates his birthday on Monday, told reporters that the competition is weak and the cash is not big enough. ”There is still a long way to go,” he said of the current crop of heavyweight boxers.

”I don’t think the money is out there for me to actually get out of bed and really go fight these guys. Hopefully one great boxer will emerge out of all these young boxers and maybe I may come back.”

Lewis intends to meet Ghana’s president John Kufuor, visit Cape Coast, about 160 kilometres west of Accra, which is noted for castles used in the slave trade and Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city.

Boxing promoter Don King, who arrived on a separate flight, said he was in Ghana at the invitation of a Ghanaian friend to meet Ghana’s boxing legend, Azumah Nelson, who for several years was the WBC featherweight and super featherweight champion.

The controversial King said he also intends exploring

opportunities to give Ghana boxing a new lease of life. – Sapa-DPA