Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LENNOX: FURY WILL BE FIRED UP AFTER BEING ROBBED LAST TIME
LENNOX LEWIS claims Tyson Fury will be fired up for his rematch with Deontay Wilder because he was robbed in their first fight.
Lewis knows the anger Fury felt at the highly controversial draw 14 months ago (top right) because he was also the victim of some disgraceful judging in his first fight with Evander Holyfield in 1999.
That fight in Madison Square Garden (top left) was scored a draw, even though virtually everyone watching felt Lewis had won. He used the controversy as motivation for the rematch, nine months later in Las Vegas, and won by a unanimous decision.
“Absolutely, Fury will be feeling that injustice,” said the former world heavyweight king (inset). “Fury says he got ripped off. He believes he won the fight, so that’s got to give him confidence.
“I felt confident after my first fight with Holyfield. I knew I had to let everyone know who the best heavyweight was, and I did that.”
Lewis is not convinced by Fury’s claims he can knock out Wilder to avoid suffering another controversial decision, and feels he will try to outbox the WBC heavyweight champ.
“If Tyson Fury says he’s going to go out there and try to knock him out, he may try, but I think he’s going to resort to what he knows and that’s boxing,” Lewis said. “All of a sudden, he says he’s going to go in against arguably the best heavyweight out there and knock him out? That’s a tall order.”
Lewis feels victory for Fury would confirm him as the division’s No.1, ahead of Anthony Joshua, and an all-time great. “If he wins, he will be the best heavyweight in the world,” Lewis added.
“Everybody would also know that. Joshua’s not here. Fury would be up there with the greats. He would be up there as someone who spoke it, did it, and was able to achieve it.”