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Lewis-Tyson bout raises as many questions as it answers

Random thoughts on Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and the heavyweight division as the world of boxing slowly returns to normal:

Before we start calling Lewis one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, remember: He was knocked out by Hasim Rahman and Oliver McCall, and wouldn't have beaten a 20-year-old Tyson.

For one night, he was brilliant, just as he was in his rematch against Rahman. But I'm not ready to put him in the class of Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali or even a young Tyson.

Truth is, Lewis reminds me more of Larry Holmes in his prime (though a tad better), than any of the "great" heavyweights.

I can't figure out what was more astounding: The way Lewis dominated the fight, or the way Tyson fought with such an absence of passion. It was almost as if he were heavily medicated, say, in order to avoid any of the outbursts he has shown in the ring in recent years; as if, say, his handlers knew another one would get him banished from the sport for life and preventing that was more important than having the old fierce, vicious and violent Tyson on display.

Tyson's corner was useless, as usual; "Let your hands go, Mike" was all they offered as their fighter was held, leaned on, hammered with right crosses and jabbed into oblivion; Emmanuel Steward was inspiring in Lewis' corner.

Tyson may be the only fighter whose fans openly pine for past trainers, in this case Cus D'Amato and Kevin Rooney.

What might have been ...

Watching Tyson grovel for a rematch, rather another a payday, was almost as sad as watching Ali in a 1980 title fight sitting on the stool and failing to answer the bell for the 11th round against Holmes.

What's next for Lewis? And does anyone care? He never will have as big a fight as Saturday's, and at age 36 is he willing to risk having his legacy, which at the moment is rosy, besmirched by a young up-and-coming heavyweight in the great tradition of fighters hanging on too long?

Speaking of the new wave of heavyweights, who's next as Tyson, Lewis and Evander Holyfield fade out in the next two years or so?

Plan on waiting a while for the next golden age for the division, likely to be led by the likes of Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, Fres Oquendo and Jameel McCline.

LENO BEATS TYSON: Tyson not only got clobbered by Lewis, but Monday Jay Leno laid a few verbal licks on the former champ.

"Tyson said right after he would like a second fight. Second fight? How about a first fight?" Leno said in his monologue.

Leno added: "He got beat up pretty bad. Both of his eyes were cut, his nose was bleeding, he got a big, fat lip. He looked like he'd been on a date with himself."

LOCAL FLAVOR: Two area amateurs will compete this weekend in national championships.

At the National Junior Olympic Championships in Marquette, Mich., which runs Saturday-June23, Tampa's Jahaad Wingfield will compete in the 132-pound division.

Wingfield trains with his father, Gary, at the T-N-T Boxing Gym in Tampa. The Brandon High student returned to fighting after almost two years off while trying other sports, and has been sharp. He won his weight class at recent Junior Olympic and Golden Gloves events in St. Petersburg, and in the Junior Olympic region championships in Wilmington, N.C., he qualified for nationals by beating No.5-ranked Zacchaerus Hardrick in the final.

Wingfield, 16, will leave for Michigan at 2a.m. Friday. He is driving with the other Florida representative from the Southeast Coast Region, Hardee 139-pounder Toribia Ramirez.

Driving also was the choice of transportation for St. Petersburg's James McGirt, who is in Denver preparing for the National Golden Gloves.

McGirt, who has a fear of flying, and trainer Jason Byers (of the Arena Boxing Gym) drove to Mississippi on Thursday as Byers worked the corner for St. Petersburg's Shirevell Williams in her loss to Laila Ali. McGirt and Byers left for Denver after the fight.

McGirt, a middleweight, is rated No.6 by USA Boxing.

-- John C. Cotey covers boxing for the Times and can be reached at (727) 893-8129, or by e-mail at cotey@sptimes.com.

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