In April 2026 Lennox Lewis hailed Oleksandr Usyk as a great champion and a worthy successor. Fair praise from the man who was the last undisputed heavyweight king before Usyk.
Olympic champion, three-time world heavyweight champion and one of the few big men to retire on top, Lewis beat almost everyone who mattered. Here is his story, and find more ring legends in our Boxing collection.
Lennox Lewis Fact File
| Full name | Lennox Claudius Lewis |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 2 September 1965 (age 61) |
| Place of birth | West Ham, London, England |
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) |
| Weight class | Heavyweight (super-heavyweight as an amateur) |
| Nationality | British and Canadian |
| Current status | Retired (2004); former HBO analyst and youth foundation co-founder |
| Nickname | The Lion |
Career History
| Years | Stage | Key milestones |
|---|---|---|
| 1983–1988 | Amateur (Canada) | World junior champion 1983; Commonwealth Games gold 1986; Olympic gold, Seoul 1988 |
| 1989–1992 | Professional rise | Debut at the Royal Albert Hall; European, British and Commonwealth titles; named WBC champion December 1992 |
| 1993–1994 | First WBC reign | Beat Tony Tucker, Frank Bruno and Phil Jackson; lost to Oliver McCall |
| 1997–2001 | Second reign | Regained WBC title against McCall; drew then beat Evander Holyfield to go undisputed; lost to Hasim Rahman |
| 2001–2003 | Third reign | Knocked out Rahman in rematch; stopped Mike Tyson; beat Vitali Klitschko |
| Career total | Professional | 44 fights: 41 wins (32 KOs), 2 losses, 1 draw |
Note: Professional record covers 1989 to 2003, from Wikipedia and Boxing Ontario. Both defeats were avenged in rematches.
Early Years: From East London to Kitchener
Born in West Ham to Jamaican-born parents, Lewis moved to Kitchener, Ontario, at 12. He took up boxing there and was world junior super-heavyweight champion by 1983. A year later he boxed for Canada at the Los Angeles Olympics, losing a quarter-final decision to eventual gold medallist Tyrell Biggs.
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Breakthrough: Olympic Gold and a World Title
Lewis stayed amateur for four more years, winning Commonwealth Games gold in 1986 before stopping Riddick Bowe in the second round of the 1988 Olympic super-heavyweight final in Seoul. He then returned to Britain, debuting as a professional at the Royal Albert Hall in June 1989. European, British and Commonwealth belts followed, and after flattening Donovan Ruddock in two rounds in 1992, the WBC named him champion when Bowe refused to face him.
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Defining Moments: Undisputed King
Lewis beat Tony Tucker, Frank Bruno and Phil Jackson before a shock loss to Oliver McCall in 1994. He regained the title against McCall in 1997, then drew with Evander Holyfield in March 1999 in a verdict most felt he deserved to win. In November he outpointed Holyfield to become undisputed champion, the first Briton since Bob Fitzsimmons. Hasim Rahman upset him in 2001, but Lewis knocked him out in the rematch that year.
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Later Career: Tyson, Klitschko and Going Out on Top
In Memphis in June 2002 Lewis dominated Mike Tyson and knocked him out in the eighth round, the defining night of his career. A year later Vitali Klitschko pushed him hard, but the fight was stopped after six rounds because of a bad cut to the Ukrainian. In February 2004 Lewis retired at 38, the first reigning heavyweight champion to do so since Rocky Marciano.
Honours
Amateur
- Olympic gold medal, super-heavyweight, Seoul 1988
- Commonwealth Games gold medal, Edinburgh 1986
- World junior champion, 1983
Professional
- Undisputed world heavyweight champion (1999)
- WBC heavyweight champion three times
- European, British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion
Awards and Recognition
- BBC Sports Personality of the Year, 1999
- Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (2008) and International Boxing Hall of Fame (2009)
- Ontario Sports Hall of Fame (2012)
- Member of the Order of Canada; CBE (2002)
Away From the Ring
Lewis later worked as an HBO boxing analyst and remains a respected voice on the heavyweight scene. With his wife Violet he co-founded the Lennox Lewis League of Champions Foundation, which runs free summer sports camps for young people in western Jamaica.
FAQs
How old is Lennox Lewis?
Born on 2 September 1965, he is 61.
Where was Lennox Lewis born?
West Ham, London. He moved to Kitchener, Ontario, aged 12.
How tall is Lennox Lewis?
He stands 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in).
Which countries did Lennox Lewis box for?
He boxed for Canada as an amateur and for Britain as a professional.
What was Lennox Lewis's professional record?
41 wins (32 KOs), 2 losses and 1 draw, with both defeats avenged.
When did Lennox Lewis fight Mike Tyson?
On 8 June 2002 in Memphis, winning by eighth-round knockout.
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Part of our Player Profiles series. Read next: Tyson Fury Career Story and Mike Tyson Career Story.
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