Lewis re-match on, says Maloney

Lennox Lewis is no longer number one

By BBC Sport Online's Tom Fordyce

Lennox Lewis' manager Frank Maloney has insisted that Lennox Lewis will get the chance to win back his world titles this summer.

Speaking exclusively to BBC Sport Online, Maloney dismissed reports that new WBC and IBF heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman would prefer to fight Mike Tyson first.

"I'm very confident that the re-match will happen, and HBO have pencilled in a date of 18 August," he said.

"Lennox wants to get back in there, to correct what went wrong on that night - and the sooner the better.

Rahman may try to string things out, but eventually he's got to come to the table

  Frank Maloney

"There is a contract in place, and in the contract it says the fight must take place within 150 days.

"I'm confident that contract will be held up, and so is American television, and so are all the people involved with Lewis.

"The next stage is to negotiate the involvement of everyone in the fight, and to get a site and to get the fight on."

But Maloney admitted that the fight could take weeks to set up.

"I'd like to see it confirmed as soon as possible, but these things do take time," he said.

"People string these things out.

"Maybe Rahman enjoys being world champion, which I'm sure he does because everyone else does.

"He may try to string things out, but eventually he's got to come to the table.

"There's a contract that he has signed himself with a re-match clause in it."

Maloney: Tough negotiation ahead

Maloney said Lewis did not care where the fight was held.

"I'm happy if the re-match is on Mars," he said.

"I'll just keep the pressure on everyone."

Lewis lost his WBC and IBF heavyweight titles when he suffered a shock fifth-round knockout at the hands of Rahman in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Maloney admitted that the crucial re-match clause had not been a part of all Lewis' fights as world champion.

"I wouldn't say there's an automatic re-match clause in every contract, because we've never needed it before," he said.

"There was a re-match after the Holyfield fight, but that wasn't in the contract - that was ordered by the governing bodies.

Positive and determined

Maloney said that Lewis was recovering well from his shock defeat on Sunday.

"He's coming to terms with what happened," he said.

"I believe you'll see a more positive and determined Lennox Lewis come back and regain his titles."

Maloney admitted he had been as stunned as anyone by the manner of his fighter's defeat.

"My first reaction was shock," he said.

Lennox's chin

But he defended Lewis against criticisms of the way he prepared for and fought the bout.

"That punch would have knocked anyone out," he said.

"It wasn't anything to do with Lennox's chin or anything like that.

"Whoever that punch hit, it would have knocked out - it was probably one of the best punches I've seen in all my years in boxing.

Maloney conceded that the defeat may have tarnished Lewis' reputation for good.

"Obviously he's lost, so it may affect him in the eyes of the public and diminish his standing in history," he said.

"But I think when he corrects the defeat that will probably put all that right.

Pressure always on

"Now he's got to go out there and do it again.

"He has to be hungry to do it again.

"It's easier to win a title than to defend one, because the pressure's always on you when you're a champion.

"You have nothing to lose as a challenger, and everything to lose as a champion."

Maloney would not reveal how Lewis intended to combat the fearsome Rahman right if the re-match takes place,

"That's something that we'll look at when we all sit down and talk," he said.