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Brown likes Lewis' power
"Oh yah, I'd love to see Evander win, because he's got such a big heart and he's such a good, stand-up type of guy," said Calgarian Brown, the defending North American Boxing Federation cruiserweight champion.
"While my heart is with Evander, my mind says Lewis will beat him. And like my dad says, always bet with your mind, not your heart."
Brown, who trains out of Montreal, was commenting on tonight's world heavyweight unification title fight between Holyfield, the American, and Lewis, the expatriate Canadian who now calls England home.
"Lennox is such a big man, with such a long reach," added Brown.
"I think his size will be the big difference. Lewis is also a very strong man and he has great movement for a heavyweight. Holyfield might really begin to age in this fight."
But Brown expects an incredible rumble.
"I think it's going to be an extremely good, very tough fight," he said.
"I can see this fight going the distance -- 12 rounds. I think it's a fight that will be remembered. And it's a unification title fight -- something we haven't seen in quite a long time.
"You know, a lot of people are saying the heavyweight division won't be the same with Mike Tyson out of the picture (and in prison). Well, the Holyfield-Lewis fight will make them change their minds very quickly."
Brown has an abiding respect for Holyfield as both a boxer and a person.
"I really respect the way Evander controls himself, how he handles himself as a champion," Brown said.
"He's a really good role model. Even after he beat Tyson for the heavyweight title, he didn't let it go to his head. Other champions, like Tyson, went to jail or like Buster Douglas, gained 100 pounds.
"I remember in the 1992 Summer Olympics at Barcelona when I first met Holyfield. He was a good guy then and he stayed that way."
As for Lewis, Brown never did meet him, although the two both went through the amateur system in Canada.
"He was a couple of years ahead of me in amateur, so our paths never did cross," Brown said.
But then, adds, Brown, "I think Holyfield will also still have a lot of motivation, because he has a lot of pride."
But in the end, Brown figures the taller, heavier, stronger and perhaps quicker Lewis should prevail. It's a prediction of the head, not the heart.