Lennox Lewis is coming to Birmingham
Boxing's last undisputed world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is coming back to England next month with Birmingham among his destinations.
The last man to rule supreme in the division arrives in the West Midlands for 'An Evening With' event on Wednesday July 6,
The Holte Suite at Aston Villa Football Club will play host to the occasion, with the date one of only two on his visit to the country through promoters Boxfrog.
The 50-year-old British Canadian, who was born to Jamaican parents, now resides in a luxury £4million mansion in Montego Bay.
He continues to travel the world and joined actor WIll Smith to be a pallbearer as the boxing world said goodbye to ring icon Muhammad Ali last Friday.
They most famously took centre stage together at the 1999 BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, where Lewis took the prize while Ali was named Sports Personality of the Century.
No heavyweight has emulated Lewis' achievements since he hung up his gloves in 2004, having beaten every opponent he ever took on as a professional.
He began life in London before moving when he was 12 to Canada, for whom he won an Olympic gold medal at the 1988 Olympic Games.
He turned pro and moved back to his native England and won the British, Commonwealth and European titles early on in his paid career.
He was awarded his first world crown, WBC honours, in 1992 after Riddick Bowe opted to relinquish his belt rather than defend it against him.
He knocked out Frank Bruno in seven rounds of the first all-British heavyweight world title fight of the modern era, staged at Cardiff Arms Park in 1993.
Oliver McCall took his crown in 1994 after scoring a huge second round upset, a loss Lewis would make up for in five nearly three years later.
Four more successful defences would follow before he put up the WBC strap against Evander Holyfield's WBC and IBF titles in 1999, which ended a draw.
He would become undisputed champion through a points win over Holyfield over in the rematch, as he was already in possession of the 'lineal' honours.
He would drop and regain the belts from Hasim Rehman in 2001, a shocking fifth round stoppage in South Africa avenged in the fourth.
His last two fights would see him end the aura of invincibility that still surrounded Mike Tyson, adding that knockout in eight to a TKO on cuts after six with Vitali Klitschko.
Lewis hung his gloves after 44 pro contests, winning 41 with 32 inside the distance. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999.
Tickets to see him are available now online at www.boxfroguk.com. They start at £99, for a 'silver' pass. It offers entry, seating, a three-course meal and photo opportunities for an added fee.
The 'gold' option is £149 with seating closer to the stage, meal, photo opportunity and the chance to be involved in a question and answer session with Lewis.
The 'platinum' choice is £249 with priority seating, a photo included, champagne reception and VIP Meet & Greet with Lewis beforehand.
Two sponsorship packages - costing £5,000 each - are left with the incentives of a seat on Lewis' table, a framed montage photo and a limited edition signed glove.
The sponsor's name will be included in the event program and their advertising will be displayed around the venue and on a promotional video, which will be broadcast on screens.
