Lewis tempted as Klitschko throws down the gauntlet

Last updated at 12:32 07 May 2004

Lennox Lewis as good as admitted that the clamour for him to come

back and reclaim his bloody kingdom was becoming irresistible as Vitali

Klitschko won the world heavyweight title here.

'The temptation is there,' said Lewis after his own nomination for the

succession to the WBC title, South African slugger Corrie Sanders, was

battered to a standstill in the third minute of the eighth round. 'It's

always there.' The financial lure to Lewis of a rematch with Klitschko - the

British ringmaster's last, lacerated victim before he declared retirement -

ticked towards $25million in the hours after this stop-start battle for the

championship which he now concedes he vacated in haste.

That was the magic number floating in the night air as I put it to Lewis

that he alone of the world's heavyweights can relieve Klitschko of his

hard-won crown.

'One or two people are talking to me about that already,' he confirmed.

Some of that talking was done in the dressing room at the Staples Centre

when Lewis went to congratulate Klitschko, who had achieved the target he has

pursued from Ukraine, across Russia and Germany and all the way to southern

California.

No other opponent could compensate Klitschko so generously. His purse here

was little more than $1m and his adviser, Bernd Boente, said: 'The rematch

with Lennox would be fantastic. The money? Enormous.'

Their mutual paymaster, HBO cable television's Kerry

Davis, said: 'I cannot begin to speculate on what that fight would be worth,

but it is the biggest out there.' The long dance of negotiations began as

Klitschko told Lewis: 'You are a big gentleman and absolute champion but when

I was cut 10 months ago you promised me a rematch. So I was upset when you

suddenly retired. I challenge you to make your comeback.' Lewis had no doubt

about the outcome. He said: 'If I train correctly next time I will take him

out easy.' It was hard to disagree.

Sanders, a 38-year-old twohandicap golfer with designs on turning

professional, came for his last hurrah in the prize-ring carrying some

surplus poundage and hoping to win the fight with one huge left hook.

He landed one early in the first round but when Klitschko slumped to the

canvas, referee Jon Schorle ruled he had slipped.

However, Klitschko demonstrated a more resilient chin than his brother

Wladimir, who was knocked out by Sanders.

Vitali survived another scare in the third but let Sanders off the hook in

the sixth. But in the eighth he launched a two - fisted assault and Schorle

stopped the contest with 14 seconds of the round remaining.

Lewis enjoyed what he called 'a fun night as a fan', especially when

Sanders shook Klitschko in the first.

He said: 'If Corrie could have landed another left hand it would have been

interesting. I was so excited that when I jumped up on to my seat I caught

myself with my right hand and nearly knocked myself out.' At that he winked

and grinned. Had we got the message?

Come November in Los Angeles, Las Vegas or New York - or early next year

at the latest - let battle recommence.