Adam Smith meets up with Lennox Lewis, who has been phoning in advice for David Haye.
Lennox is predicting a Haye win next Saturday
As we approach the final countdown to one of
the showdowns of 2009, fight fans everywhere are wondering whether David Haye can become our first world heavyweight champion since another certain rather good Englishman, Lennox Lewis.
Apart from the occasional wave from our respective ringside positions (Sky to HBO) Stateside, I don't see Lennox much these days. I am sure he spends plenty of time relaxing with his family between Jamaica and Miami, and why not after everything he gave us during a superb ring career?
Then I heard he was making a rare trip to London, so a chance to catch up, and an opportunity to ask Lennox his views on whether David Haye can emulate even a small part of his achievements.
The former fighter-turned-popular-part-time-promoter-and-entrepreneur, Spencer Fearon, hosted an event at The Real Fight Club, the home of white collar boxing, whose impressive gym is just by Liverpool Street Station.
The idea was for Lennox to give some boxing classes to young hopefuls and keen adults, who had paid up to a £1,000 to the extremely worthy charities the Angus Lawson Memorial Trust and Kids Company.
Lennox pitched up looking happy, relaxed, and in surprisingly good shape. Of course he immediately dismissed any possible ring return, although he did admit that he still pricks up his ears when he hears the sound of a bell!
It was fascinating listening to his instructions. He ordered proper, lengthy warm-up stints which reminded me of his own training camps, mainly in The Pocono Mountains. Lennox could become an excellent boxing teacher - maybe even a trainer; he has so much experience through his awesome amateur and professional careers.
Lennox spoke to his gripped audience about several technical issues. He regards defence and stance as very important, believes that the jab must come in a straight line, and that the body should move with the jab. He talked about how general movement gets one in position to throw a punch, that there should be little indication the jab is coming, and that one's hip must be utilised for a powerful jab.
Lennox taught left-rights with speed during their shadow-boxing, then left-right-lefts, and concentrated a great amount on in-and-out footwork. Instructing work on the punchbag - which he wanted to see the group tap lightly, and quickly - Lennox made a real point that the guys should "keep breathing".
"Back to breathing - that's what people forget," he said.
Jumping jacks started the big warm-down time, and the solid, sensible and hard-working sessions were concluded. It was also lovely to see a very interested spectator in the amazing Michael Watson.
Interesting
Lennox was as professional as ever, and as interesting - when I asked his views on David Haye's chances.
Lennox reads a fight well, and knows this is a tough mission; because of the sheer size difference, and the difficulty of impressing the judges over in Germany. Yet the good news for British fight fans is that Lennox believes David has the talent, class and speed to pull this off.
Lewis knows Haye has an uphill struggle, and told me that several factors are against him. What's concerning Lennox the most is the possibility that Valuev will try and lean on Haye, mauling him in the middle rounds with his immense physical strength.
However, he firmly believes that Haye will be too fast, and too clever. He said that Valuev may be used to fighting smaller guys, but he will find Haye much more difficult to pin down, and will have real problems with the Londoner's movement.
Lewis believes that Haye must use quick raiding tactics to succeed; that he needs to get in, deliver his combinations and get out. He said Haye must utilise the ring to the fullest. He also feels David has the character and perseverance to pull this off; he predicts that we will have a new world heavyweight champion on November 7.
Lennox said he's been regularly talking on the phone to David, who I know really idolises our greatest heavyweight of all time. Haye is so excited about this golden chance.
Tough
The amiable and bright Bermondsey fighter has already ventured to Paris, when he climbed off the canvas to de-rail Jean-Marc Mormeck and win the world cruiserweight belts.
Now he must fly to Germany - where it's always tough to get a decision - especially against a man-mountain weighing 23 stones!
My colleague Ed Robinson recently tracked down Nikolai Valuev to his secret camp outside Berlin. Valuev's a cult figure, almost an institution back in St Petersburg, and also in Germany, where he has amassed a good following from his promotional base.
There are great publicity lines of course. Nikolai's daily intake of meat is over three kilos! Both his parents stand only 5ft 5in inches tall, and his hobbies include opera and hunting.
An intelligent man, Valuev obviously takes exception to being called a 'freak act' or a 'circus show'. Still, Valuev was 'moulded' into a boxer and a good job was done. He's been decent enough to have beaten the likes of Larry Donald, John Ruiz, Jameel McCline and Evander Holyfield. Valuev's won 50 fights, and has improved immensely since we saw him as a raw novice 'perform' in London some 13 years ago.
In 1996 Frank Maloney couldn't find gloves big enough to fit him, a bath long enough at his hotel - and as for the board's scales... Valuev stepped onto them and the needle went off the radar! The scales only went up to 21 stone, so the officials didn't have a clue as to his true weight!
One thing's for certain - Nikolai Valuev's the heaviest world heavyweight champion in boxing history. Can David Haye slay the real-life giant? Lennox Lewis believes he can.
I'll be tactically assessing this compelling clash, and the many possible outcomes in 'The Truth': my final pre-fight blog.
