LOS ANGELES, 11 June 2003 — World Boxing Council champion Lennox Lewis of Britain will defend his crown against top-rated contender Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine here on June 21, promoters announced here Monday.
Lewis has promised a knockout in the matchup, which came about when Canadian Kirk Johnson suffered a chest muscle injury during training and pulled out of the main event on the Staples Center card.
“The fight will not go the distance,” Lewis vowed. “I do not get paid for overtime.”
Lewis has not fought in more than a year, the longest layoff of his career. Rather than extending his idle period, Lewis decided to fight Klitschko, who was set to fight on the undercard against little-known American Cedric Boswell.
“Klitschko has been calling me out for some time, but he is in big trouble,” Lewis said. “He should be careful what he wishes for. On June 21, he is going to find out what it is like to be in with an A-class world champion.”
Instead of two lackluster bouts being used as a tune-up for a Lewis-Klitschko showdown later in the year, the fight at the Staples Center becomes an intriguing matchup that has been much anticipated among fight fans.
Lewis is 40-2 with one draw and 31 knockouts. Klitschko is 32-1 with all but one triumph coming inside the distance.
“This has been a life-long dream of mine to fight Lennox Lewis,” Klitschko said.
