GUYANA'S first world boxing champion, Andrew 'Sixhead' Lewis, has signed a contract for a world title fight on September 11 in London, which could open the doors for him again to make a grand entrance into the boxing world once he is successful.
Lewis will take on Jawaid Khaliq, who resides in London for the World International Boxing Organisation (IBO) title.
Khaliq won the title in 2001 when he defeated Willy Wise, the man famous for beating Julio Chavez and has a record of 22 wins and three losses.
Lewis' promoter Odinga Lumumba said that the fighter is a formidable opponent but not a knock-out specialist and is a steady boxer; one the promoter said Lewis can handle.
He said Lewis is mentally and physically prepared for the fight against Khaliq.
Lewis, who won the WBA welterweight title when be beat James Page in 2001, will have as his chief trainer Maurice 'Bizzy' Boyce with assistant trainer being Lennox Daniels and special support from Michael Parris, Olympic bronze medallist.
Lewis will be training in his recently commissioned Albouystown gym, while negotiations are in train to have the fighter go through one month of rigorous training in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
"I've held discussions with the army and it’s a preliminary agreement from some of the officers in the army, hopefully Tacama, where he will get better or he will die.
“It’s a serious exercise and I said that to him, he will be there, he either comes back good or comes back dead.
“We intend to send a well prepared, better skilled, more effective and more conditioned boxer. We're not going to London to lose," Lumumba said with conviction and peering through his brown lens sunglasses in the dining room of the Water Chris Hotel.
Lumumba said that the 'army' training should be able to improve the fighter's stamina to go the full twelve rounds with pace and fire so he will need the high level of training.
He said the fighter would also be away from distractions once the discussions are fruitful.
"Once he wins this title the door would be wide open for him again and as part of the agreement there will be two other defences while there are preliminary discussions with another boxing association for another world title fight."
The veteran promoter said that the fighter has a lot of time to prepare and to 'get his head right'.
The fighter began his medical testing yesterday and he will be seeing a psychiatrist as part of this training as a confidence-booster and also he will be taught some confidence-building techniques.
The team is expected to depart for London some two to three weeks before the fight date to become acclimatised.
Lewis, who lost his title to Ricardo 'El Matador' Mayorga, last fought in February 2003 against Antonio Margarito, who also defeated him. He said that he had initial thoughts of quitting boxing, but is now back into the game.
"I'm just thinking about getting back into the boxing business. I just really appreciated what Odinga did. Age is just a number and there is still a lot of boxing in me but I'm a fighter. I'm not washed up and I have a lot of strength and energy and I feel I can go a far way. I'm good right now, but the sport keeps calling your name and I'm up for it."
The fight will be organised and promoted by Matchroom Promotions which is owned by the 'number two' man in boxing, Barry Hernes, while Lumumba paid tribute to Buxo Putts of Trinidad and Tobago who he said was very instrumental in making the initial contacts.
Lewis signed the contract for the fight at the hotel but the purse was not disclosed.