Lewis prepared to wait for elusive title
By Steve Ninvalle in Las Vegas
His mood belies the fact that he has recently been denied a chance of fighting for a world title. When Stabroek Sport finally caught up with World Boxing Association (WBA) top ranked welterweight boxer Andrew Lewis he could have easily been mistaken for a newly crowned champion. Wearing a big smile and obviously relaxed, the man from Alboystown joked about everything before touching on his cancelled fight with James Page, which would have had the WBA welterweight belt at stake. "I'm not going to get stressed out over what happened. I know that when it all boils down I'll be champion of the world whether it's against James Page or anyone else. The title is there for me and I'm going to get it. Five months, two weeks or one month I'll get it," a smiling Lewis told Stabroek Sport at the Maxim Hotel. "What has happened is a test of faith. The fittest of the fittest shall survive. Page has shown that he is not fit to be among the fittest so he took the easy way out. He was forced to play his trump and still lost the game," Lewis said. In a move that stunned boxing buffs, Page failed to turn up for the official weigh-in at the Paris Hotel yesterday afternoon. His action forced promoter Don King to cancel the eagerly awaited showdown with Lewis AKA `The Albouystown Cyclone' The cancellation has left many Guyanese, who travelled to Las Vegas to support their compatriot Lewis, in distress. President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control K.D. Persaud and treasurer Andrew Thorne both expressed gross disappointment at the cancellation. "I'm very upset with all that has taken place and hope that it does not have a psychological effect on Andrew. I can understand how the entire Guyana feels about this. He (Lewis) has worked so hard only to be told that he has to endure another wait," Persaud said in an invited comment. Thorne who says he is depressed by the outcome echoed his statements. "Having travelled all this way and not be able to see my compatriot fight is depressing. I had and still have confidence in Andrew Lewis bringing home that crown. I just ask that the Guyanese public keep supporting him," Thorne added. Lewis confessed that there had been reports that Page, who underwent substance abuse therapy less than a year ago, was having problems but could not say if they were related to what he had received therapy for. "I can't say if he still has a drinking problem or what, but I have heard that he has some problems. It may be a problem with fighting me," Lewis joked. Lewis's manager Nelson Fernandez disclosed that his charge will be back at the Rocky Marciano Gym in Jersey City as of Tuesday to continue preparation for whenever the big day comes. "Right now I'll just take a three-day break and then its back to the gym and the hard work. In the meantime, Lewis says he plans staying focused and reiterated that he will make Guyana proud. "My mind is at ease. I was training for a tough fight. I never believed for one second that he would have been a push over. But he is more afraid of me than I imagined. I knew something was up when he (Page) didn't show up on Thursday. I never thought that he would have chickened out without a chance to prove himself against me. He knows that I'm an undefeated fighter. I came to Vegas to take care of business," Lewis said. "I was one hundred percent focused and ready for the fight against Page. I think that he may have known how ready I was and decided to step aside to save himself from injury. But I'm keeping a cool head and maybe my next opponent will collect the package I had saving for Page. "Of course, when I first heard that the fight was being cancelled I was hurt but I know that everything is planned by God. This may have been for a good. I know that I will have a world title shot. I have patience and you know patience is virtue. I want to be the one to break Guyana's world title jinx. I want to break that spell. The WBA is supposed to strip Page of his title today (yesterday). Then we'll be back on the road to making my country proud." "Right now I'm looking forward to either fighting on August 26 on the Vernon Forrest/Raul Frank card or maybe later on September 8. My manager is working something out. So I just need for the people in Guyana to hang in there. I say to my mother and brothers, Keith Bazilio, Compton Beckles, `Canchie' (George Oprecht), Stabroek News and the entire Guyana that we'll be jumping for joy soon. As the saying goes nothing good comes easy. You have waited since January a few more weeks can't hurt".
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