BOXING: Round 1: Both fighters looked nervous as they entered the ring, but the early action was ferocious as Lewis landed with two crunching right upper cuts after Tyson rushed in. Tyson rammed home his first meaningful punch with a stiff left jab. A left hook also landed as Tyson shaded the round.
Round 2: Tyson again rushed out at the start and Lewis was reprimanded for holding on. The champion again had some success with his right upper cut, however, landing with four solid blows. A second warning from the referee for holding on followed the last of them, but Lewis went on to control the round with his left jab. Another vicious right upper cut brought gasps from the crowd as Lewis definitely took the round.
Round 3: Tyson's lunging tactics almost brought about a nasty clash of heads at the start of the third. Lewis soon settled back into his familiar routine, however, pushing out the left jab with great regularity and accuracy. A sweeping left hook from the challenger put an end to Lewis' dominance, but Lewis had probably done enough in the first half of the round to get the judges' vote and Tyson finished the round with a nasty looking cut above his right eye, caused by a short left.
Round 4: A left hook from Tyson landed at the start, but Lewis wasn't ruffled and soon had the challenger beating a retreat with an array of solid punches. Yet another right upper cut stopped Tyson in his tracks, and then a peach of an overhand right brought more gasps from the audience. Tyson looked bewildered as Lewis fired home a solid straight right, but Lewis was then amazingly docked a point for forcing the challenger to the ground with a push on the back of his neck.
Round 5: Lewis easily dodged a wild, swinging right and showed he had not been affected by the referee's actions by ramming home his left jab at will. Again the official intervened, however, as Lewis leaned down on Tyson's neck, the champion receiving a strong warning. That was the only plus point for Tyson's fans, however, as Lewis landed with another right upper cut and jabbed his way to victory for another round.
Round 6: It was more of the same at the start of the sixth as Tyson could do nothing about the champion's clear reach advantage. Lewis then backed up yet another solid jab with a powerful straight right. There was almost nothing coming back from the challenger until he did finally connect with an overhand right halfway through the round.
Round 7: Tyson's left eye was also now showing signs of wear and tear but he did land with a short right at the start of the seventh. Lewis hit back with a series of left jabs before again failing foul of the referee for using his elbow. Tyson forced in a decent left to the body but otherwise it was all Lewis, a left jab overhand right combination particularly catching the eye. Tyson trudged wearily back to his corner.
Round 8: Tyson had shown clear signs of distress as he was treated for damage on both eyes between the rounds, and there was no let up in the punishment from Lewis' left jab. Tyson did manage to land with a decent right, but Lewis hit back with a stunning left which forced the challenger to touch down. Another superb straight right then sent Tyson sprawling to the canvas and he failed to beat the count.
