Lennox Lewis: Professional Boxer

Lennox Lewis, is a former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2003, "a three-time world heavyweight champion, having also held the lineal heavyweight title, and ... the last undisputed heavyweight champion," according to Wikipedia. Lewis retired with 41 wins, against only two losses and one draw. Most of his wins -- 32 -- were by knockout. Below is a decade-by-decade listing of his record, broken down by year.

1980s - Impressive Start

Lewis fought only one year in the 1980s, but it was an impressive start to his professional career. He won five of his six bouts that year, either by KO or technical knockout, where the referee stops the fight because one fighter is unable to continue. In the other fight, Lewis' opponent, Melvin Epps, was disqualified for rabbit punching -- giving Lewis the win.

• Jun. 27 - Al Malcolm, London, KO 2
• July 21 - Bruce Johnson, Atlantic City, New Jersey, TKO 2
• Sep. 25 - Andy Gerrard, London, TKO 4
• Oct. 10 - Steve Garber, Hull, England, KO 2
• Nov. 5 - Melvin Epps, Kensington, England, W DSQ 2
• Dec. 18 - Greg Gorrell, Ontario, Canada, TKO 5

The 1990s - Becomes Champ

The KOs and TKOs continued for Lewis in the 1990s, and he was awarded the heavyweight title when Riddick Bowe refused to fight him in 1992. 

1990

• Jan. 31 - Noel Quarless, London, KO 2
• Mar. 22 - Calvin Jones, Gateshead, England, KO 1
• Apr. 14 - Mike Simuwelu, London, KO 1
• May 9 - Jorge Dascola, London, KO 1
• May 20 - Dan Murphy, Sheffield, England, TKO 6
• June 27 - Ossie Ocasio, Kensington, England, W 8
• July 11 - Mike Acey, Ontario, TKO 2
• Oct. 31 - Jean Chanet, London, TKO 6

1991

• Mar. 6 - Gary Mason, London, TKO 6
• July 12 - Mike Weaver, Stateline, Nevada, KO 6
• Sept 30 - Glenn McCrory, Kensington, England, KO 2
• Nov. 23 - Tyrell Biggs, Atlanta, TKO 3

1992

• Feb. 1 - Levi Billups, Las Vegas, W 10
• Apr. 30 - Derek Williams, London, KO 3
• Aug. 11 - Mike Dixon, Atlantic City, TKO 4
• Oct. 31 - Razor Ruddock, London, KO 2 

1993

Lewis successfully defended the WBC title twice this year.

• May 8 - Tony Tucker, Las Vegas, W 12
• Oct. 1 - Frank Bruno, Cardiff, Wales, TKO 7

1994

Lewis defended his title with an eighth-round KO of Phil Jackson in May but lost the belt in a two-round TKO loss to Oliver McCall in September.

• May 6 - Phil Jackson, Atlantic City, KO 8
• Sep. 24 - Oliver McCall, London, TKO by 2

1995

• May 13 - Lionel Butler, Sacramento, KO 5
• July 2 - Justin Fortune, Dublin, TKO 4
• Oct. 7 - Tommy Morrison, Atlantic City, TKO 6

1996

• May 10 - Ray Mercer, New York City, W 12

1997

Lewis regained the title by beating Oliver McCall in a February rematch and then defended the belt twice in July and October bouts.

• Feb. 7 - Oliver McCall, Las Vegas, TKO 5
• July 12 - Henry Akinwande, Lake Tahoe, W DSQ 5
• Oct. 4 - Andrew Golota, Atlantic City, KO 1

1998

Lewis again successfully defended the title twice this year.

• Mar. 28 - Shannon Briggs, Atlantic City, TKO 5
• Sep. 26 - Zeljko Mavrovic, Uncasville, Connecticut, W 12

1999

Lewis retained the WBC belt when he fought Evander Holyfield to a draw in March and, later, captured the undisputed world heavyweight title when he defeated Holyfield outright in a 12-round November matchup.

• Mar. 13 - Evander Holyfield, New York, D 12
• Nov. 13 - Evander Holyfield, Las Vegas, W 12

The 2000 - More Title Defenses

Lewis did lose one title defense in this decade, but otherwise, his record was spotless -- and he retired as world champ.

2000

Lewis successfully fought off three challengers to retain both the WBC and International Boxing Federation belts.

• Apr. 29 - Michael Grant, New York, New York, KO 2
• July 15 - Frans Botha, London, England, TKO 2
• Nov. 11 - David Tua, Las Vegas, W 12

2001

Lewis lost the WBC and IBF titles to Hasim Rahman in April but regained both by knocking out Rahman in a November rematch.

• Apr. 21 - Hasim Rahman, Johannesburg, South Africa, KO by 5
• Nov. 17 - Hasim Rahman, Las Vegas, KO 4

2002

Lewis knocked out a well-past-his-prime Mike Tyson in his title defense this year.

• June 8 - Mike Tyson, Memphis, Tennessee, KO 8

2003

Lewis retained his title with a sixth-round TKO of Vitali Klitschko in June -- and walked away from the sport on top.

• June 21 - Vitali Klitschko, Los Angeles, TKO 6