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| INTRO | REVIEW BY SPORT | GALLERY | VOTE | LEGENDS REMEMBERED | 2001 CALENDAR | |
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 By BBC Sport Online's Sanjeev Shetty After becoming the undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1999, Lennox Lewis spent the whole of 2000 proving he was fit to carry the mantle. He didn't disappoint. Lewis' three defences against Michael Grant (KO2), Francois Botha (KO2) and David Tua (W12) proved that the Englishman is some distance ahead of his contemporaries. Although a certain Mike Tyson from New York may have words to say on that matter. The 'Iron' one was kept busy with three fights of his own. His first, against Britain's Julius Francis in Manchester earlier this year, created the kind of hype and hysteria not seen in a British boxing ring since the days of Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn. Tyson flattened Francis in two rounds and then returned to the British Isles in the summer to do the same to American Lou Savarese. Unfortunately for the former champion, he couldn't differentiate between his opponent and referee John Coyle and the official was forced to take a shot or two. Finding himself unwelcome on this side of the Atlantic, Tyson finished his year with another controversy-soaked battle, this time against Poland's Andrew Golota, who quit after two rounds despite having battled evenly. Still obviously troubled, the 34-year-old Tyson has hinted at retirement, although it seems one last payday with Lewis is on the cards for 2001. The man that Lewis beat to become undisputed champion, Evander Holyfield, regained the World Boxing Association version of the title - it was stripped from Lewis earlier in the year - when he beat fellow American John Ruiz in August. A third fight with either the Brit or Tyson is in the pipeline for the likeable four-time champion, whose best years are now well behind him. One heavyweight with the world at his feet is Britain's Olympic gold medallist, Audley Harrison. The charismatic Londoner became this country's first boxing gold medallist for 32 years and is set to turn professional to the tune of millions in the New Year. Naseem Hamed had an unremarkable year by his standards. After vanquishing South African Vuyani Bungu in March, he struggled to subdue American Augie Sanchez in August. A fight with Mexican tough guy Marco Antonio Barrera is scheduled for the beginning of March. In the super-middleweight division, Joe Calzaghe remains the man to beat after two successful defences of his WBO title, the second of which was an impressive fifth round stoppage of American Omar Sheika. Bristol-based Glenn Catley won and lost the WBC version of the title, stopping German Markus Beyer on foreign soil in May and then being stopped himself by South African Dingaan Thobela in September. There was more bad luck for super-bantamweight Michael Brodie who failed in his bid to lift the WBC version of the title after a controversial decision defeat by American Willie Jorrin in October. The domestic fight of the year saw Colin Dunne edge out Billy Schwer in a brilliant lightweight battle, whilst on the international scene, Felix Trinidad's brilliant 12th round stoppage of previously undefeated Fernando Vargas just about beat the all-Mexican clash between Barrera and Erikl Morales which was won by the latter. But the boxing year was to end on a tragic and controversial note when Paul Ingle suffered brain injuries during his IBF featherweight title fight with South Africa's Mbulelo Botile at the Sheffield Arena. His plight - and that of Michael Watson, who won a £1m damages judgement which went against the British Boxing Board of Control - brings the whole existence of the sport back into question. There are concerns that public opinion may finally be turning against boxing. back to top |
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