‘Stone’ on way to Pennsylvania
-grabs job as Lewis sparring partner
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
May 25, 2003
Guyanese heavyweight Andre `Stone’ Purlett arrived in New York yesterday on his way to Pennsylvania where he will provide at least two weeks of glove work for world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.
Purlett and trainer Darius Forde were expected to travel to the Poconos Mountains early this morning to commence a job which will serve two purposes.
Forde disclosed that Purlett will fight Jeremy Williams on June 10 in Texas and that Purlett while giving glove work to Lewis would be sharpening up for the Williams bout.
The June 10 fight will be televised live on ESPN2 Forde said. “We will use the opportunity of sparring with Lewis to prepare for the next month’s fight. Lewis is the best in the business and I’m sure that we can learn a few things from him,” said Forde.
Speaking with Stabroek Sport Purlett, who has only lost once in 37 fights and has over 90 percent knockout average said that he is excited at the prospects of sparring with what he termed a living legend.
“You can’t get it better than that. This is the guy who knocked out Mike Tyson. It is reaching the pinnacle. I’m excited about sparring with him,” Purlett said.
