Tears and nostalgic memories characterize funeral service of Guyana’s first world champion

May 15, 2015 Sports

A slight drizzle dampened the atmosphere and mingled with the tears of relatives and friends as hundreds converged at the Parade Ground, Middle and Carmichael Streets, to bid farewell to former World Boxing

Lewis belt is draped over his casket along with the Golden Arrowhead, a fitting tribute to his contribution to Guyana.

Association welterweight champion, Andrew ‘Sixheads’ Lewis yesterday afternoon.
Among those present were President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control and Caribbean Boxing Federation, Peter Abdool and other executive members, Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green, official of the National Sports Commission, Gervy C. Harry boxers, trainers and other affiliates. Executive member of the A Partnership for National Unity, Joe Harmon also attended the ceremony.
Mr. Abdool eulogized the former champion in glowing terms and underlined the greatness of his achievement. “Lewis took a pair of gloves and beautifully painted the greatest moment of Guyana’s history.”
The GBBC President recounted the failed attempts of several boxing greats that have preceded Lewis including Patrick Forde who lost to Salvadore Sanchez and Eusebio Pedroza, Lennox Blackmore’s failed attempt against Aaron Pryor and Anthony ‘The Pearl’ Andrews who was knocked out by Jorge Castro among others.
Afterwards, several other boxers had emulated Sixhead’s achievement but Abdool felt that

Guyana’s lone medalist at the Olympics, Michael Parris sits serenely with his wife Ursula and other mourners while paying tribute to his fallen colleague.

Lewis’s victory was special. “He kicked down the door and paved the way for his colleagues to enter,” Abdool reminded.
Harry delivered a similar fitting eulogy stating that Lewis’s accomplishment was attainted through hard work and discipline. He labeled Lewis as a national hero while stressing that his death is a loss of national proportions. “It is for this reason that Government decided to construct the Andrew Lewis gym in his honour,” Harry concluded.
The ceremony was also graced by City Mayor Hamilton Green who reminisced on his first meeting with the former champion. “He was merely a twelve-year old tot practicing his trade at the Young Achievers Boxing Gym in Albouystown” said Green. He also felt that Lewis’s death was a great loss to the nation.
Lewis’ daughter Annastatia and another family member Atoya Caesar read from the scriptures while Annyha eulogized the fallen champion in dance. Kenneth Chance a resident of Albouystown said that the community had lost a valued son. Chance, also known as Sixheads laid claim to being the original. He said that residents of the Ghetto had been especially

Olympic Games bronze medalist Michael Parris and his wife Ursula takes a final look at Lewis remains.

delighted by Lewis’ achievement which endorsed that good things can come out of the Ghetto.
Reverend Michael E. Perreira acknowledged Lewis’s feat and said that he is assured that the fallen champion has already cemented his place in Paradise. “Some of us may live to the day of the Lord’s coming while some may pass on but we all will die at some point. He then beseeched the congregation to accept the lord in readiness of such an eventuality.
Lewis commenced his career with a humiliating 2nd round stoppage of Fitzroy Davidson and chalked up 4 other victories against his countrymen before he was matched against a South Korean, Han Kim, and surprisingly was held to a technical draw after a mishap in the 2nd round forced a premature end to the scheduled 6 rounder.
The fallen champion fought in several American States and maintained his unbeaten streak right up to his 3rd defense of the World Boxing Association welterweight title he won from James Page in March 2002.
The tears flowed freely as Lewis lay serenely in his casket while his many fans filed by to pay their final respects. He was dressed in white track suit and appeared to be in deep sleep. Tucked at his side was the championship belt, a fitting reminder of a true son of the soil whose historical achievement had opened the floodgates and placed this country on the world map. May his soul rest in peace!