24 Nov 2008

Lewis says he'd need plenty of money to return to ring

7:39 am on 24 November 2008

Retired heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis says he'd be tempted to return to the ring only if he was offered a hundred million US dollars for a rematch with former foe Vitali Klitschko.

37-year-old Klitschko came out of retirement last month to be crowned world champion for the third time when he beat Nigeria's Samuel Peter to win the WBC crown and last week called for a re-match of his 2003 fight with Lewis.

The Briton has not fought since retaining his WBC title against Klitschko in 2003, but he says he'd need to see an offer near 100 million dollars to entice him back into the ring.

The 43-year-old, who once held the WBO, IBF and IBO belts, admits he has been tempted to return after watching Klitschko beat Peter and is back in training, but the money would need to be big.

Lewis quit in June 2003 after he won a technical knock-out victory over Klitschko when the referee had to intervene in the sixth round with the Ukrainian suffering a badly cut eye.

Klitschko, along with brother Wladimir who holds the IBF, WBO and IBO belts, has said he wants the siblings from Kiev to hold all the world titles.