Remember the 1979-movie The Champ starring John Voight, Faye Dunaway and Ricky Schroder about an ex-boxing champion (Voight) who had drinking and gambling problems but still managed to be a loving single father? He tried hard in a come back fight but although he won the bout failed to beat the count for life.
In a tear provoking scene Voight’s son (Schroder) pleads with his dead father “wake up Champ!” Chance would have it that Schroder could have been speaking to a Guyanese; our own Andrew `Sixhead’ Lewis.
On February 17, 2001 Andrew `Sixhead’ Lewis became the pride of all Guyana when he dismantled a structure known as James Page to win the vacant World Boxing Association welterweight title.
But since losing his crown to Ricardo Mayorga, Lewis seems to have entered dream world, drifting from the image of the conquering magnificent warrior towards that of one ready to eat humble pie.
Lewis was hungry when he defeated Page and on that night would have brushed aside even Iron Mike Tyson. It is indeed strange how he could have moved to another extreme in such a short space of time.
Since he captured the WBA title we have seen a marked decline in the abilities of one of our most beloved sons. Lewis successfully defended against Larry Marks two months after winning the title but then lost it to the wild swinging Mayorga in March of 2002.
He then took care of an unknown Oscar Delgado inside two rounds but in his very next fight was knocked out by WBO champion Antonio Margarito.
It took the Mexican just two rounds to end Lewis’ hopes of becoming the first two-time Guyanese world champion. Die-hard Lewis fans could not believe their eyes.
Guyana’s junior lightweight champion `Hurricane’ Hugo Lewis would have given Margarito a tougher challenge.
We needed not to look closely to see that `Sixhead’ was lacking and big time at that. His moves were slow, his defence was weak. In a nutshell we were not looking at the `Sixhead’ we had become accustomed to.
It was a return to elementary. Questions are being asked. Is `The Albouystown Cyclone’ still interested in competitive boxing? Does he still hunger to enter the ring? Was his goal just to win the title?
Since losing to Mayorga, Lewis had complained, at times bitterly, about problems with his trainers and he was even considering changing his corner. He had, and still has problems making the 147-pound welterweight limit.
Lewis seemed uncertain about where he wanted to go. The former champ pushed eye brows further up in May when he mentioned to a close friend that the ring no longer commands his priority interest.
But he should be interested. Boxing is his meal ticket and once he plays his cards right he may (just may) be able to retire in style, something many Caribbean fighters know nothing about.
And to add to all the above his manager confessed last month that Lewis had been missing gym sessions because of personal reasons all of which boils down to show that the son of the soil has problems.
Andrew `Sixhead’ Lewis is our fallen champ but that does not mean we should leave his side. This is an attempt to rouse him from a slumber. In December, he will turn 33, quite a ripe age in boxing. It’s up to him now. There is much work to be done. Remember the problems now faced by Terrence Alli. Wake up champ!