By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
May 18, 2001

THREE months to the day after winning the World Boxing Association welterweight title, Andrew `Sixhead' Lewis, touched home soil, bearing the WBA world welterweight and WBA North American welterweight belts and was greeted by huge crowds yesterday.

The champion disembarked a North American Airways aircraft at 15:45 at Timehri, the first time since he gave Guyana the country's first-ever world title on February 17.

Lewis, dressed in black and wearing the WBA world welterweight belt, was garlanded by Minister of Sport, Gail Teixeira after he deplaned. But before that, the champion was greeted by close relatives and friends halfway down the stairway.

Among the crowd to greet Lewis at the bottom of the stairway were members of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control led by the body's president K.D. Persaud.

He also got a steelband welcome from 12 students of the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School.

The local celebrity boxer was accompanied by his manager Nelson Fernandes, trainer Angel De Jesus, both waving the Golden Arrowhead, and co-trainers Quinto Soto and Butch Sanchez.

Lewis told Chronicle Sport that it was good to be home because it is a long time since he was here.

Fernandes said he felt he was a Guyanese because he was part of the country's history having been the manager when Lewis gave Guyana the country's first world title.

After meeting other close relatives, friends and dignitaries, Lewis had to use another door out of the Executive Lounge because of the large crowd which braced themselves onto the original exit door to get as close as possible to the boxing star.

Lewis climbed into a red Wrangler army-styled open vehicle to lead a huge motorcade to the capital Georgetown, complete with Police escort.

The motorcade took over both lanes of the roadway and vehicles travelling due south had to pull off the road to make way for the long line of vehicles which stretched for several kilometres.

People of all ages and ethnic backgrounds lined the East Bank Demerara public road to greet the champion with greater build-ups at Timehri Docks, Soesdyke, Grove, Little Diamond, Providence, Peter's Hall, Bagotstown, Eccles, Agricola, West Ruimveldt and of course City Hall.

Some onlookers were perched on roofs or sheds attached to the front of buildings to get a bird's eye view of the `Sixhead'. One such group in Agricola comprised women and girls.

The motorcade left the Public Road at Houston, taking the road passing through Industrial Site, turning onto Mandela Avenue.

Eventually, the World champion travelled down Regent Street to City Hall for the Civic Reception hosted by the Mayor & City Council.

People tried every means possible to get into the historic Concert Hall on the top floor which was jam-packed. People stood on the stairway and in the compound, still hoping to greet the champion in person.

Mayor Hamilton Green called `Sixhead' Lewis, Guyana's first "authentic" hero, then presented him with the Mayor's medal. Part of the programme was chaired by president of the Guyana Olympic Association K.A. Juman-Yassin.

Lewis presented to the public his management staff, two daughters, his present fiancee and his son, and dignitaries, including Prime Minister Sam Hinds.

The world champion also met Guyana's only Olympic medallist, Michael Parris, with a warm bear-hug and former First Lady Viola Burnham whom he kissed several times on both cheeks.

After a dance by some energetic young men and women, Mayor Green had to appeal to the big crowd to make way for the boxing star to leave the Concert Hall, lest he be injured unintentionally.

Lewis has a packed homecoming itinerary with visits to Bartica, Linden, Corentyne, East Berbice and West Coast Berbice. But today, the champion pays a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sam Hinds, after which he will meet the media at GTV's Homestretch Avenue studios at 09:00 hrs.

Then the World boxing star returns to his boyhood neighbourhood, Albouystown, to a Homecoming Welcome at 16:00 hrs.