Recently I donated money to the establishment of the Muhammad Ali Foundation in Louisville. I regard that as a kind of payback. He smoothed the way for us. He wasnยt just a great person who had conviction, but made the sport of boxing great. He was the first superstar, he made our stock rise. Without him we wouldnยt have earned so much. Americans from every walk of life have contributed to the foundation: Bill Clinton, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt. Unfortunately I was the only American athlete to make a donation. Thereยs not enough respect in our business.
Lennox LewisPatience is a part of boxing. After I had missed out on the Olympic gold medal in 1984, a lot of people tried to talk me into turning professional quickly to make money. They told me that the next Olympics in Seoul would be boycotted again, that I was wasting my life, blah blah. But I still had unfinished business. I wanted the gold medal, and I got it in ย88. Only then was I ready to turn professional.
Lennox LewisI was very aggressive as a child. At primary school in London my attitude was 'If you don't do what I say, I'll knowk you out', and I was eventually expelled for fighting.
Lennox LewisAt first I didnยt give a damn to go down in history. I wanted to win. But the more I won, the more I thought about leaving something behind. Yes, it's as important as hell to me. I want to leave something that people will remember me by. Of course, a lot of boxers want to do that. But it's not easy. Take Larry Holmes, he was the big man after Muhammad Ali, he wanted to emulate him, but for some reason the public didnยt take him like they did to Ali. I think people wonยt fully understand what I contributed to the sport for years.
Lennox LewisBoxing and chess are similar. Itยs about the choice of means. Sometimes I need a pawn, a bishop or a knight to defeat my opponent. Itยs about finding the best way. A good boxer has to be variable. He doesnยt just need to know how to punch. He must also know how to protect himself, how to defend, how to avoid the opponentยs punches. Only a complete fighter can become champion.
Lennox Lewis