BOXING: Lewis backs longer bouts (From Oxford Mail)

BOXING: Lewis backs longer bouts

2:07pm Friday 27th March 2009 in Search

The decision to extend the length of bouts for this year’s ABA senior championships has been backed by a former finalist.

The world’s oldest amateur boxing competition has been staged over four two-minute rounds for most of the last decade, but this season bouts will consist of three three-minute rounds – the format used for more than a century until the 1990s.

Oxford Boxing Academy’s Lawrence Lewis, who bids for a second starring role on amateur boxing’s night of the year said: “I always feel stronger the longer the round goes on and having that extra minute at the end suits me better.

“I’ve never been the quickest into my rhythm at the start of the contest, so this change is a blessing for boxers like me.”

Lewis, 29, comes from a distinguished boxing pedigree. His grandfather, Percy Lewis, turned professional and held the Commonwealth featherweight title for three years between 1957 and 1960.

He was also denied the chance to contest the then unified world title, despite beating European champion Gracieux Lamperti in an official eliminator.

Even at 81 years of age, he is always in his grandson’s corner.

Lawrence even emulated his grandfather by competing in the featherweight division over the past few seasons. But now he is reverting to bantamweight – the category in which he reached the 2003 ABA finals where he lost to Nick McDonald.

Lewis explained: “Moving up to featherweight often put me in with taller opponents and that did not help me.

“But dropping back to bantam has overcome that problem and with added bonus of three-minute rounds I feel better prepared than I have for a long time.”

Lewis is the lone OBA competitor on this year’s blue riband title-trail which starts next week.

Light heavyweight Vince Sessegnon – ranked in the nation’s top ten light heavyweights – is studying to become an osteopath.

And middleweight Chris Wood has withdrawn due to a torn shoulder muscle. Oxford Boxing Academy stage their next dinner tournament at the Kassam Stadium on Friday, April 24. Tickets from chief coach Faz Keyani on 01993 774407.