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The champ speaks Lewis ready to defend titles against Grant
Posted: Tuesday May 02, 2000 03:28 PM
From hunter to hunted, undisputed heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis of Great Britain is now the guy that's being chased. But it's a role he cherishes. On Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York, Lewis will defend his IBF and WBC titles against American challenger Michael Grant. CNNSI.com's Nick Charles recently sat down with the champ to talk about the upcoming fight. Their conversation is the topic of this edition of Page One . Lennox Lewis: I've always said it's something to be undisputed heavyweight champion and to be successful at it. Now finally when I've reached that pinnacle, that goal of mine. Now I've set a new goal and that's to keep it. I realize there's a whole set of guys of out there after the number one guy that is me. So its gonna be difficult to keep it. But I feel I'm the best heavyweight on the planet. There's no guy who can test me. So I'm very focused right now. Nick Charles: You could've taken an easier payday. Why pick Michael Grant? Lewis: I want to box the best boxers that are available right now. I realize that my time is short in the sport of boxing. In a sense I'm just adding to my legacy. I want to show the world that once I've become undisputed champ, I never took any easy fights. I just went after the best boxers that are out there.
Charles: Given what your saying now, isn't there a chance of a let down against Michael Grant? Lewis: I'm a natural competitor. I realize that there's a lot of different reporters, people out there that believe that he's 6-foot-7, and he's gonna be able to beat me and he's a powerhouse, he's the new young heavyweight, he's the best of the Mikes out there right now. I believe the only way Michael Grant can beat me is if I stick my chin out and say "hit me." There's no way I'm gonna be in there to lose it. I've worked so hard to become unified champion, now I'm not gonna let down against a Michael Grant. Charles: Finally Lennox Lewis, it's your world. It's your stage. It's your heavyweight title. How different does that feel? Who's out there? What do you need to accomplish? Lewis: I think I've accomplished what I need to accomplish right now because my main goal was to become undisputed champion of the world. For myself, I wanted to box guys in my era. I've boxed all the guys in my era that wanted to fight me. I'm sure that there's Mike Tyson out there. A lot of people want Mike Tyson and me to get together. Hopefully, the end of the year, we'll get it together.
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