Telling it like it is
Steward not impressed with Lewis' next opponent
Posted: Monday July 27, 1998 07:10 PM
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Lewis (33-1, 27 knockouts) stopped Andrew Golota of Poland in the first round November 4, 1997 |
NEW YORK (AP) -- Emanuel Steward told it how it is. At a boxing news conference, no less.
"He has one of the least impressive records I've seen," Steward, the trainer of WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, said of the unbeaten No. 1 challenger, Zeljko Mavrovic of Croatia. "There's no important names on it."
Well, there's Przemyslaw Saleta and Lajos Eros. Or how about Vincenzo Cantatore.
Perhaps U.S. boxing fans would recognize the names of James Pritchard and Nathaniel Fitch.
Steward, however, saved himself from a public relations TKO Monday by later playing up Mavrovic's 27-0 record, with 22 knockouts, against nondescript opponents.
"But that can be deceiving," Steward said. "He has a burning desire to beat Lennox Lewis."
Lewis, who said he wants to fight Evander Holyfield and suggests the WBA-IBF champion is ducking him, will fight Mavrovic on September 26 because it is a mandatory defense. The HBO-televised bout will be held at the Mohegan Sun Casino at Uncasville, Connecticut.
It will only be the 29-year-old Mavrovic's fifth fight in the United States and first since he stopped Ken Smith in the second round on June 17, 1995, at Las Vegas. He hasn't fought anywhere since October 18, 1997.
"I'm motivated, I'm looking forward to it," Lewis said of his match against the European champion. "He has a great European style, but for most of my amateur career I fought Europeans."
Lewis, the 1988 Olympic champion who fought for Canada although he is a native of England, has already made a WBC title defense against an East European. Lewis (33-1, 27 knockouts) stopped Andrew Golota of Poland in the first round November 4, 1997.
In his last fight, Lewis got out of serious trouble in the first two rounds and stopped Shannon Briggs in the fifth round April 28 at Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Mavrovic spoke to the news conference by telephone from Croatia, where he is training.
The first thing Mavrovic, who speaks English, did was pronounce his name, which sounded like "Zzz-jeko Mavrovich."
"It is very hard to say in English," he said, "But my nickname is Zed if you want to say something short."
Lewis tried out the short name immediately.
"Zed has never seen anybody like me," he said.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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