Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Lewis' trainer says advantages are all in contender's corner Date: Sun, 22 Nov 92 17:26:45 EST Message-ID: \SE C;SPORTS;SPORTS VIEWS;SPORTS SUNDAY;Q&A \HD Lewis' trainer says advantages are all in contender's corner Veteran trainer Pepe Correa began work last summer with British heavyweight contender Lennox Lewis. Now, Correa and the undefeated Lewis are on the verge of getting a shot at the heavyweight title. Under orders from the World Boxing Council, new champion Riddick Bowe is required to fight Lewis. The Times' Thom Loverro recently caught up with Correa. Q: Were you surprised that Riddick Bowe beat Evander Holyfield? Correa: Not at all. I had picked Bowe to win it, but I didn't want him to know that. In talking to some of my closest friends, I came away feeling that Bowe would win, providing Holyfield fought a stupid fight, which he did. I thought he fought a very dumb fight. Against a man who was much taller (Bowe is 6 feet 5, Holyfield 6 feet 2) and with a much longer reach, decided he wanted to make a war out of it. He played into Bowe's hands. I thought the fight was closer than other people thought it was, until the later rounds, when Bowe began to wear him down with his big right hand, and then the uppercut came into play because Holyfield came inside and fought Bowe's fight. He actually should have turned that punch over earlier, but when he did, he came home the world champion. I'm real happy for Bowe, because he is one of our own in this area. But when he gets through running, we'll gladly take the belt from him. Q: Do you think Bowe will fight Lewis next, as mandated by the WBC?: Correa: I think what is going to happen is that they will try to make Bowe some money first, and then fight us. He doesn't want to lose the title right away, because he has as much chance of beating Lennox Lewis as a snowball in hell, and he knows it. Q: Do you think that Lewis, because of his Olympic win, still holds a mental advantage over Bowe? Correa: I don't know. I know that if I got my behind whipped by a guy who took the gold medal off me, it would be in the back of my mind. Also, I know that Bowe knows he can't beat Lennox Lewis. He knows deep in his heart that he cannot beat Lewis. That was one of the reasons for the lip service after the fight (Lewis, who was a cable commentator for the fight, had a verbal confrontation with Bowe after the fight). Bowe was trying to gain an advantage, but he failed to. Lennox Lewis was just as cool as he could be, and simply said to Bowe, "No problem, I'll knock you out." Bowe would say something and Lennox would answer, "No problem, I'll just have to knock you out." Q: Why do you think can't Bowe beat Lewis? Correa: Lennox Lewis, mentally and physically, is just a better man, in and out of the ring. Riddick Bowe is a good fighter. But he is not the kind of man that should be representing the heavyweight championship of the world, unless he gets his act together and becomes a classy person. My advice to Riddick Bowe, because I like him, is to brush up on your etiquette and the way you carry yourself. Try to be a role model for the young men and women here in the United States and abroad. Q: But what is it about Lewis' skills in the ring that would give Bowe any problems? Correa: Lennox Lewis is just a better all-around boxer. I would be giving something away if I explained to you exactly what we had in store for Bowe. But he is just an all-around better man. If you look at the physical makeup, you can see that he is the better man. He, like Bowe, is 6 foot 5; he usually fights at around 227-228 pounds. But that is a weight that had been molded into shape. It's not 235 pounds of blubber. You'll see the difference on fight night. You'll see that Lewis is much quicker than Bowe. I've studied tapes of Riddick Bowe. My guy is just the better man. Q: Do you think the public wants a Bowe-Lewis fight now? Correa: It's the fight that everyone is waiting for. I heard Rock Newman say that once Lennox Lewis is known better, they would fight him. That's rubbish. That's just talk to stall the fight. They know they are running and hiding now. He understands very well that Lennox Lewis, just on the strength of his fight with Razor Ruddock, when he took him out when everyone else was afraid to fight Ruddock. Newman knows that his big guy is going to get the same medicine, so he wants to make some money before that happens. I can't blame him for that. It's a good business move, to get a few bucks before you get beat. But it is also sour grapes. We lived up to our agreement of fighting that animal first, when everyone else was afraid to fight him, because he is a very good fighter and we knew that. But we dissected him. All I want those guys to do is not to duck. Q: Weren't you even surprised that Lewis was able to knock Ruddock out so quickly? Correa: Was I surprised? When I got my program together, with the help of sparring partners like Tony Tubbs, Mike Weaver and Vincent Bulware, I knew that we could get him in one or two rounds. Everyone said that I was crazy. But I have the ability to read fighters. And let me tell you this: I was once given the opportunity by Rock Newman to be in camp with him while Bowe was getting ready for a fight. So if there is anyone in the world I know how to beat, his name is Riddick "Big Daddy" Bowe. I know what it takes to beat him. He knows that I know what it takes to beat him. And I have the big guy that can beat him. Q: If Bowe does not fight Lewis right away, who do you see Lewis fighting? Correa: We have some names we are kicking around right now, but until his managers sit down and figure out what the future is, there is no sense in throwing names out now. Bowe is talking about fighting Foreman. But that is no sure thing for him. If big George does what he is supposed to do, that fight might end earlier than people think it will. If Bowe stays outside and does what he supposed to do, to hit and pop George, he should win. But if George cuts that ring off like he is known to do, he may be the one on the winning side. Q: With Lewis doing some of his training here in town at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, isn't that sort of one-upsmanship coming to the area to train where Bowe now lives? Correa: Bowe is from New York. It is easier for me to train my fighters here. The area is big enough for two fighters. It's big enough for a whole lot of other fighters. And they do a great job at the Sugar Ray Leonard center. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM