Boxing: Lewis has to adjust to geographical and commercial pressures

The Lennox Lewis body-clock is having to make some necessary adjustments to the geographical and commercial demands of becoming the biggest boxing missionary in Africa since Muhammad Ali.

A 5am first bell at 6,000ft, to fit in with American television, must rate as a wholly different package to performing in the more familiar desert air of Las Vegas well-acclimatised at 8pm.

And the world heavyweight champion has revised his training timetable to cope with dawn dust-up against Hasim Rahman under the Big Top at Carnival City on Sunday morning.

But Lewis is no stranger to lacing up gloves for serious business when most folk are sound asleep. His major clashes against Razor Ruddock, Frank Bruno and Oliver McCall were all in the small hours.

Manager Frank Maloney said: ‘‘People talk about the altitude, but you’ve got to remember he’s been on American time. I don’t think the altitude will come into it, I don’t think the fight will go more than four or five rounds.

‘‘Commitments as champion of the world dictated that he stayed in the United States. But we have adjusted everything to suit the time of the fight. Remember, we’ve fought at this kind of time before; Ruddock, Bruno and McCall were all early fights. It’s nothing new to us.’’

Lewis insists: ‘‘Altitude doesn’t really bother me. I’m much better suited to boxing at five in the morning because I find I’m waking up at four. It means my body is ready at that time.

‘‘It’s after three days the plane drag really sets in. When I got here I felt okay, but after the third day I felt really tired and I slept all day.’’

It is looking likely that Lewis will be heavier than for his last outing against David Tua.

His sports physiologist Joe Dunbar brought Lewis into South Africa carrying an extra 10lbs to account for diet and conditions but, in fact, the champion is carrying more muscle.

His body fat is lower than what was for the Tua bout last November.

Trainer Emanuel Steward believes Lewis is in the mood to make it a quick night.

‘‘Lennox will put the pressure on Hasim because he wants to get it over with quickly,’’ says Steward.

‘‘He wants to make an impressive and explosive performance for the people of Africa. I can’t see Hasim lasting the distance. In fact I don’t think it will go beyond the fourth round.

‘‘People don’t believe it, but if Hasim were Tyson he would have been knocked over within three rounds. Lennox doesn’t like opponents he considers a threat.

That is why he knocked out Andrew Golota (first round), Michael Grant (second) and Francois Botha (second).

‘‘Lennox uses his reach to keep opponents at a distance. But he can close the distance and make opponents fight his way. And he can punch.’’

Meanwhile, Rodney Berman, the local promoter of the fight, has thrown a verbal left-hook at the champion’s camp.

Berman, head of the local Golden Gloves organisation, hit out: ‘‘Look, Lewis himself is a nice enough guy, but Team Lewis, as the whole entourage is called, displays pure arrogance.

‘‘They are simply not approachable, and in the production of this magnitude that is not acceptable. Quite frankly it’s the only thing that’s marring this truly world event for me as the promoter.’’

But Lewis has been out and about the city and its surrounds, and attended the service on Sunday at Ellis Park where 43 people died in the recent soccer tragedy.

Maloney counters that Lewis has done all that has been asked of him since arrival, adding: ‘‘Berman’s demanding more out of us than any other champion has had to do. I haven’t seen Rahman do one public work out since we got here; Lennox has done three.

‘‘I think the excitement of being in Africa and following in the steps of Muhammad Ali is motivating Lennox.

‘‘He is motivated by certain things and this is a challenge to him, completely different for him. Rahman is very confident, he won’t freeze, he’s determined. He wants to win.’’