Promoter predicts early KO for Lewis

The man who would be king hopes to ascend to the throne Saturday night and his promoter feels the coronation might not take but a few minutes.

Panos Eliades, who promotes World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, said Tuesday at Lewis' open workout at Mandalay Bay that he believes Saturday's fight with Evander Holyfield at the Thomas & Mack Center could be over in a hurry.

Eliades thinks Lewis, 35, is at the top of his game, while speculating that Holyfield, the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation champ, is spent at 37.

"We may see a quick fight," Eliades said. "I'm predicting Evander will come out fast, and that could lead to an early knockout for Lennox. If Evander is cautious the fight may go longer, but my honest opinion is that Lennox will give a professional, clinical exhibition and knock out Holyfield within the first couple of rounds.

"It may be just like Lennox's fight with (Andrew) Golota."

Golota was knocked down twice and failed to finish the first round when he fought Lewis two years ago.

Lewis, 34-1-1 with 27 knockouts, has been bet up to a minus 200 favorite in the Mandalay Bay sports book. Holyfield, 36-3-1 with 25 KOs, is a plus 160 underdog.

"The second time around can always be better," Lewis said of the rematch with Holyfield for the unified heavyweight championship. "If I had the first fight to do over, I would have stepped up my pace and knocked him out when I had him in trouble in the fifth round."

Lewis and Holyfield fought to a disputed draw March 13 in New York, although the public perception was that Lewis won the fight with some ease.

"We've got better judges this time," Lewis said of the trio selected by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. "I care what they think and you can see from how they scored the De La Hoya fight that they're not looking for you to run around the ring."

De La Hoya lost a majority decision to Felix Trinidad Sept. 18 at Mandalay Bay.

Eliades doesn't believe the judges will be a factor Saturday.

"Evander may be damaged," he said. "He's had a lot of tough fights and he took more punches from Lennox than people realize. With Lennox looking very good and feeling very confident, I can't see this fight lasting too long."

The primary round-prop bet is 10 at some sites and nine at others. In most cases it's a minus 120 either way.

"The only strategic change I'm making is that I'm looking more for a knockout," Lewis said. "I'm going to try harder to get him out of there. I did OK last time but I probably should have been more aggressive, and this time I will be."

Unlike his promoter, Lewis is looking for an improved Holyfield when they step into the ring for their pay-per-view fight in the sold-out T&M.

"Evander is always better the second time around," Lewis said of Holyfield's penchant for winning rematches, as he did with Michael Moorer and Riddick Bowe. "But I'm ready to see it. I don't know what else he can do, but I've prepared for him to be at his best."

While Eliades said "there have been times" he saw Lewis merely go through the motions in camp, this time both agree he's in peak condition for the biggest fight of his life.

"My basic attitude is that if it's not broken, don't fix it," Lewis said. "But I know if you want to be the best, you have to do the work.

"This time I've done the work."

He has also altered his diet to some extent, adding vegetables and cutting back on meats. But what he eats has nothing to do with his corner's greatest concern, which is Holyfield's willingness to bull into his opponent and create a head butt.

"We're worried about Holyfield's head," Eliades said. "It's difficult to defend against because he rushes in as a battering ram. It's a tactic he has used in the past and one I'm afraid he may try again."

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