Boxing legend Lennox Lewis heading to Gateshead
Three time World heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is heading to Gateshead as part of a UK tour.
The newly reopened centre will be hosting big events moving forward and are delighted to have pulled in such a big name.
Gateshead Active director said " This is a big coup for us. Lennox will be sharing stories about his career and with the VIP option will be meeting fans and posing for photographs. This will be a great opportunity for the people of Gateshead to meet a boxing legend"
In his first three years as a professional, Lewis won several regional heavyweight championships, including the, European, British, and Commonwealth, titles. After winning his first 21 fights, he defeated Donovan Ruddock in 1992 to take over the number one position in the (WBC) rankings.
He was declared WBC heavyweight champion later that year after Riddick Bowe gave up the title refusing to defend it against Lewis. He defended the title three times before an upset knockout loss to Oliver Mcall in 1994. Lewis avenged the loss in a 1997 rematch to regain the vacant WBC title.
Two fights against Evander Holyfield in 1999 (the first ending in a controversial draw) saw Lewis become undisputed heavyweight champion by unifying his WBC title with Holyfield's (WBA) and (IBF) titles. He also won the vacant (IBO) title.
In 2000, the WBA stripped Lewis of his title when he chose to face Michael Grant instead of mandatory challenger John Ruiz. Similarly, the IBF stripped Lewis of their title in 2002 when he chose not to face their mandatory challenger Chris Byrd.
Lewis was knocked out by Hasim Rahman in an upset in 2001, but this defeat was avenged later in the year. In 2002, Lewis defeated Mike Tyson in one of the most highly anticipated fights in boxing history. Prior to the event, Lewis was awarded the Ring magazine heavyweight title, which had been discontinued in the late 1980s. In what would be his final fight, Lewis defeated Vitali Klitschko in a brutal and bloody encounter in 2003. He vacated his remaining titles and retired from boxing in 2004.
Tickets range from ÂŁ39 entry only to ÂŁ89 VIP which includes a photograph. Sponsorship packages are available.
To buy tickets : www.tickettailor.com/events/eventsgatesheadleisurecentre