Opposite extremes

Lewis leaves trash talking to Tyson's camp

TUNICA, Miss. -- Score the opening round for Team Lewis. A day after Mike Tyson was a no-show for his own news conference, Lennox Lewis appeared before the media Wednesday and acted the part of a polished sportsman.

This was a jacket-and-tie entourage, a fittingly proper group. The champ's mother, Violet, accompanied her calm, lucid son. Unlike the day before when Team Tyson (sans the headliner) ranted and spewed a variety of four-letter expletives, there wasn't an ugly word in the air and Violet's son even took the occasion to play a game of chess with a local schoolboy.

Tyson isn't one to mince his words, he's a boxer. Lewis described himself as a "pugilist specialist."

"I don't hold no hate for Mike Tyson," said Lewis, basking in the Good Guy role. "We're two combatants in there, two gladiators."

The champ even let Team Tyson off the hook on the fear factor, acknowledging he'll lug a bit of fear into the ring Saturday night. A little fear is a good thing, he rationalizes. And if Tyson isn't man enough to admit it, then fine.

Lewis also put a fresh spin on a memorable four-day training session with Tyson 19 years ago in Catskill, N.Y. Team Tyson tells the world that their guy knocked him cold. Lewis portrays it as an even tussle, with Tyson giving him a fat lip and he in turn leaving Tyson with a bloody mouth.

"The first day, this cat was rushing across the ring," Lewis recalled. "And I predict Saturday will be real explosive, too. The only thing is I'm not going to just give him my Muhammad Ali impression, I'm going to give him my Lennox Lewis impression."

Here again, there's a difference of opinion on what that impression might be.

Team Tyson casts Lewis as a coward, only in more colorful terms. Lewis fancies himself as a big puncher with the best jab in the heavyweight division.

And what's his take on Tyson?

"As a boxer, Mike Tyson matured at a young age," he said. "Now he's dealing with a lot of different situations -- social problems. Even his skill level has gone down."

That's as close as Lewis gets to trash talking.

For now, there's no mention of ugly divorces and money woes. Nothing about jail time for a rape conviction and street brawls. Not a crack about raising pigeons.

The strongest shot comes from Lewis' long-time trainer, Emanuel Steward, who suggests Tyson isn't deserving of a shot at the heavyweight championship. Steward says Tyson is a shadow of the fighter he used to be, and that he's the one who has displayed fear.

"The idea of little small man running [Lewis] around the ring is ridiculous," Steward said. "The only person that ever ran from someone is Mike Tyson. He gave up the most prestigious title in boxing, the WBC, nearly five years ago rather than fight this man. If he was afraid of Lennox Lewis then how has he got any better? And I think about three or four years of that time he's been in prison."

That's the promotion right there -- good vs. evil. Lewis vs. Tyson.

 

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