Kicking down the door towards the sculpting of the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis monument

May 14, 2016 Sports

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By Michael Benjamin

On May 4, 2015, a car accident on the East Bank thoroughfare snuffed out the life of Guyanese boxing icon, Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis.  Upon being informed of the mishap, some hours after it happened, my mind immediately went back to that historic night when Lewis had used his fists to make a definitive statement to the world about Guyana.

It was February 17th 2001 at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, when Lewis, defied the naysayers and pounded the then World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion, American, James Page, into submission with a 98th second stoppage in the seventh round of their world title fight.
I remember that historic night as though it was but a mere few seconds ago. Guyana was preparing for another historic General and Regional elections and someone had set up a television set just under the shed to the southern part of Congress Place and dozens of eager, excited fans congregated there to have a first-hand view of our boxing stalwart in action.
This was not just a casual occasion; Lewis was aspiring to do what several of his countrymen had failed to do and place Guyana high up on the world sporting map. Patrick Forde had almost clinched the accolade against Mexican, Salvadore ‘Baby Face Assassin’ Sanchez in San Antonio Texas and many are still convinced that the late Guyanese world rater who lost by a close margin after a spirited effort, was ‘done in.’
The Aaron Pryor/Lennox Blackmore showdown was another anti-climax and a rampaging Pryor simply bulldozed his way to a knockout over his Guyanese challenger. Many other local boxers entered the ‘square jungle’ in pursuit of that elusive belt but were forced to make ignominious retreats. Wayne Harris against Reggie Johnson, Anthony ‘Pearl’ Andrews against Jorge Castro, Terrence Alli against Harry Arroyo, Jose Luis Ramirez and then Caesar Chavez, our boxers just failed to mesh up.
There was always the argument that Lewis was not Guyana’s first world champion after Guyanese born, Dennis Andries defeated JB Williamson to win the WBC World Light Heavyweight Title in London in 1986.
Notwithstanding, the contention of many is that though he is of Guyanese birth, Andries had relinquished those ties and proclaimed himself to be British. It was amidst such pressures and many odds that Lewis entered the ‘square jungle’ to bring glory to Guyana.
Lewis became the first Guyanese fighting under the Golden Arrowhead to win a world title when on the 17th February 2001, at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, amidst all odds, he challenged the then World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion, American, James Page and came away with a stunning victory after stopping his man in the 98th second of the seventh round.
Those that understand the intricacies of the sport will never forget the demolition of a once great fighter (Page) by a nonentity (Lewis) from a country that merely occupied a dot on the world map (Guyana).
Most boxers emanate from among the proletariat and it has not been easy making the expected transition to the celebrity realm. Lewis was no exception and his vernacular coupled with his crude way of dealing with human relations issues soon earned him the wrath of many of his fans. That apart, Lewis drifted slightly from the path and the hunger, evident in his Page matchup, had dwindled considerably in his first defence against American, Larry Marks. Fate was good to Lewis and he was given a chance to reassert himself after the Marks encounter which he won on points. Obviously, he blew the opportunity against Nicaraguan, Ricardo Mayorga, but received yet another opportunity to take command of his career when a clash of heads in the 2nd round forced a stoppage of the bout due to a nasty cut over Lewis eye, caused by accidental head butt and ruled a technical draw by dint of the rules.
Many are adamant that boxing promoter, Don King, who had had a big input in Lewis’ world title feat, was responsible for his downfall after Lewis uttered certain statements that gravely irked the top promoter. King had not hidden his disgust and annoyance and had vowed to have Lewis’ head.
Touted as a boxing mercenary, King slid over to Mayorga’s camp and it was no surprise that after the aborted encounter, Lewis was hustled into the second encounter and lost by knockout in 2002 via 5th round TKO.
Around that time the experts were visualizing a Lewis/Shane Mosely matchup with possible fights against Vernon Forest and a few other big names. All that went down the drain after the Mayorga defeat, especially against the fury of Don King who seemed to have developed a personal grouse against the late world champion.
Lewis’ efforts to rekindle his career dwindled to naught when in 2003 he challenged WBO Welterweight Champion Mexican Antonio Margarito but was TKO’d in the 2nd round. He returned to Guyana and from 2005 to 2007 battled Denny Dalton in a 3 fights series for the Guyanese Light Middleweight Title.
These fights are most notable, marked by the controversial and bizarre nature of the ending of the second fight. Ahead on points in the 7th round, Lewis retired from the fight due to an extreme need to defecate, blamed on consumption of a pre-fight milkshake.
His returned to the ring almost 12 months to the day from this embarrassment to avenge the defeat against Dalton and claim the Guyanese Light Middleweight Title. This would prove to be the final victory of his career, which ended in October 2008 when he dropped a split decision to Howard Eastman.
Lewis’ ascension to the top echelons of the boxing world was as brief as it was devastating yet amidst all the faux pas his momentous achievement of being the first homegrown Guyanese to win the first world title cannot be diminished nor must be obscured.
It seems though that Lewis’ feats will be reduced to nothing judging from the posthumous treatment being meted out to him. It was refreshing to see sports and government officials observing a period of silence to honour him during the recent sports awards ceremony. Obviously, this is not enough. It would be nice if those officials could spruce up the Andrew Lewis Boxing Gym, constructed in honour of his momentous achievement, even as they outfit the facility with modern day equipment for the development of the boxers that practice their trade there.
At the moment the structure is in urgent need of some paintwork and the bottom flat is in a dilapidated state. The ring is literally an accident waiting to happen and the only piece of training equipment is a ramshackle piece of iron that was once a weightlifting device.
Earlier, President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control, Peter Abdool, had suggested the sculpting of a monument in honour of the fallen champion. Abdool feels that Lewis’ achievement is worthy of such recognition and he is absolutely correct.
It would be interesting to note just how far negotiations for the establishment of this structure have gone. Mr. Abdool was quoted sometime last year as saying “I think that it is only fitting we might better appreciate what Andrew’s achievement meant to our country and the sporting history of our nation and its extraordinary significance at that particular moment in time.”
Mr. Abdool had also said that ever since that historic night he has had renewed respect for Lewis and holds him in high esteem. “I speak on behalf of the entire executive of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control when I say that Lewis will forever be our eternal hero.”
The GBBC President is bent on this project so much so that he is willing to invest personal funds and time into its realization and had beseeched Government input as well as support from the corporate community. Lewis’ victory opened the floodgates and several other (local) pugilists capitalized and followed suit. They are Wayne ‘Big Truck’ Braithwaite, Vivian Harris, Gary St. Clair, not to forget the females Shondell Alfred, Gwendolyn O’Neil and Pamela London.
The nation is still holding its breath for the commencement of the project.
In essaying Lewis’ achievement Abdool had said, “He came to a door that advocated ‘world champions only, no Guyanese allowed’ and he simply kicked it down.” The officials are now at a similar door. Emulation of Lewis’ action would be only too fitting in recognition of the fallen champion.

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