When Eddie Futch, a man who can with justification be described as one of the most respected voices in boxing, tells you Lennox Lewis's world heavyweight title defence against David Tua in Las Vegas tonight "could be a great fight", it pays to listen. The legendary trainer has been involved in some of the most extraordinary contests in heavyweight boxing's history.
Now 89 and physically frail, Futch was the man in the corner for Joe Frazier in his three epic bouts with Muhammad Ali. He also coached Ken Norton, another outstanding heavyweight of the 1970s, Larry Holmes and more recently Riddick Bowe in his three fights with Evander Holyfield.
As a fleet-footed young welterweight amateur, Futch provided speed work during sparring sessions in Detroit for his great friend Joe Louis, when the Brown Bomber was dominating the heavyweight division more completely than any man has before or since. So his assertion that "Lennox Lewis could have held his own with many of the best heavyweights of all time" comes from a depth of experience which is probably unrivalled.
"I think Joe Louis would have beaten him, because he was so accurate with his punches and hit so hard. You only gave Joe one chance and the fight was over. And he would have had a hard time with Muhammad Ali because Ali was so fast," Futch added, as he watched Lewis and Tua exchange good-natured verbal blows that have already gone some way to re-establishing goodwill towards boxing after Andrew Golota's abject surrender to Mike Tyson three weeks ago.
"But Lennox Lewis is a very good fighter and David Tua has got the style to give him a real test. Lennox has great boxing skills and a terrific right hand. But Tua has the power, real power."
Futch's belief that Lewis, despite crushing knockout wins this year over Michael Grant and Frans Botha, could be in for an awkward night surely lays to rest claims that heavyweight boxing is in terminal decline, with Lewis standing head and shoulders above not very much.
Bob Sheridan has commentated on US radio and television for more than 30 years and tonight marks his 666th TV slot for a world-title bout. Like Futch, he views the modern era from a perspective few can match, and he defends Lewis's right to be rated an outstanding champion.
"I actually do not believe that the heavyweight division is in bad shape at all," says Sheridan. "Tua is a worthy challenger. Tyson is still haunting the picture, and there are plenty of people who say he could win the title again. Then there are the two big Klitschko brothers fighting in Germany. They are all potential champions.
"Things were much worse after Larry Holmes had gone out of the picture in the 1980s. A whole bunch of guys were called champions: men like Pinklon Thomas, Mike Weaver, Trevor Berbick, Greg Page and Bonecrusher Smith. They were better than journeymen fighters but not real heavyweight champions, not as good as today's top fighters.
"A young Mike Tyson came along and looked incredible as he beat them. But the division was bad. And go back to Joe Louis's time. For years they said he was fighting the "bum of the month", but now people say Louis may have been the best ever."
The argument is supported by historical fact. Only the Welshman Tommy Farr, the brilliant light-heavyweight Billy Conn and the wily Jersey Joe Walcott gave Lewis trouble during his 11-year reign as world heavyweight champion.
The golden era unquestionably came in the early 1970s when Frazier, George Foreman and Norton vied with Ali for supremacy, while capable fighters such as Ernie Shavers and Ron Lyle were also dangerous fringe contenders.
"Even then, though, there is a danger of looking back and seeing things as better than they actually were," argues Sheridan.
"Sure, there were great fights. But there were times in Ali's career, particularly early on, when people were thinking things were pretty bad and that there were no great heavies capable of pushing him. But somebody comes along, they always do."
Emanuel Steward is the trainer who is believed to earn around half a million dollars a fight for masterminding Lewis's preparations, and he has always been quick to talk up his fighter's talents. Five years ago, his suggestions that Lewis would one day be ranked alongside the greats were greeted with derision, especially by a sceptical American media. But now more people are prepared to listen.
"If he gets to fight Tyson, and I am still not convinced that Tyson is really interested, it would be a mismatch," says Steward. "Tua is more dangerous, but Lennox has so many ways in which he can beat him.
"And after that, Lennox and I will sit down and discuss the future. I see another two years, with him perhaps fighting four times a year, and in that time he can go a long way towards persuading everybody he is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, heavyweight ever. I like to think of Lennox as my last and finest masterpiece."
The master of Kronk Gym has never been slow to blow his own trumpet. But his influence on Lewis is self-evident. Where once there was indecision, the champion now fights with impressive authority. Nevertheless Tua (27) has shown no nervousness during the final days of the build-up.
"Samoans are not arrogant people," says Tua. "We do not boast of what we are going to achieve, but we are strong and proud and this is the start of my time. Lennox Lewis has had his day."
Lewis remains dismissive of such claims. At 35, there has been no sign of any decline in his powers and he has developed an intimidating presence in the ring and replies to the claims of the challenger and his camp saying: "Tua's showing no fear so far. But everybody who steps in the ring with me always shows fear. So we'll see when the first bell goes. This is all new to him. He's great in the press conference, but when the bell goes it's a different story."
