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British call for knighthood for Lewis
LONDON (CP) -- The man who won boxing gold for Canada at the 1988 Olympics was hailed as "Britain's Goliath in the ring" and "the pride of Britain" on Monday.Lennox Lewis's defeat of American Evander Holyfield to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion filled Britain's sports pages with streams of patriotic phrases, despite debate over performance and the ensuing controversy over the withheld International Boxing Federation's belt.
Several papers even started the call for the former Canadian Olympian to become Sir Lennox Lewis.
The fact that a couple of other countries have as much right to claim Lewis as Britain does didn't appear to concern anyone in the slightest.
"Lewis was born in London, won a gold medal in the super-heavyweight division for Canada in the 1988 Olympics and is probably emotionally most at home in Jamaica," Paul Hayward admitted in the Daily Telegraph.
"Never mind. He fights under the Union flag and said on Saturday night: 'I want to thank all the people back home who have supported me."'
Britain's newspapers were unanimous in their praise of Lewis, who was described as a gentleman and a dignified ambassador for a sport which in recent years has displayed little of that attribute.
"It couldn't have happened to a nicer Englishman," said the Daily Mail.
"Boxing could not have a better role model than Lennox Lewis," columnist Colin Hart wrote in The Sun.
"And the fact that he wears the Union Jack on his trunks gives a tremendous boost to the sport in Britain."
Both Hart and Kevin Garside of the Mirror called for Lewis to receive a knighthood, an accolade traditionally awarded to the country's top sporting heroes. Lewis was made a Member of the British Empire last year.
Knighthoods are traditionally awarded either in the New Year's honours list after Christmas or in June when the Queen's official birthday is celebrated.
Coach Alex Ferguson of Scotland, who led Manchester United to a soccer treble last season with the league championship, F.A. Cup and European Champions' Cup, was knighted earlier this year.
Lewis is the first Briton this century to hold the undisputed world title. Bob Fitzsimmons was the last from this country to make that claim, back in 1897.
Frank Bruno carried Britain's heavyweight hopes for a while but was destroyed by Mike Tyson. Henry Cooper was another heavyweight hope, somewhat akin to a British George Chuvalo.
Many of the British newspapers praised Lewis's low-key approach to stardom, his dedication to charity work and his close relationship with his mother, Violet, who moved from Jamaica to London before he was born and who later took Lewis to live in Canada. She now lives in Brampton, Ont.
But at least one commentator bemoaned the fact that Lewis had won a crown tarnished by the antics of a sport which was once revered but is now more likely to be reviled.
"Boxing is utterly defiled. Poor Lennox Lewis, of whom no one can speak badly, is merely kind of a heavyweight derision," Sue Mott wrote in the Daily Telegraph.
"Men were once ennobled when they stepped into the ring. Now all they are is paid."
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