Sports Notes - Tiger Cup - Lennox Lewis & ???

Thailand coach Peter Withe goes full circle in Tiger Cup - NR photo

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Should, as expected, Thailand meet Vietnam in the final it will bring full circle the job that Thailand's English coach Peter Withe was hired to do. Withe came on board in 1998 following Thailand's disgraceful showing against Indonesia in that years Tiger Cup. Both squads tried to lose the match so they wouldn't have to face Vietnam in the semifinal in Hanoi.

Bangkok, Thailand - November 15, 2000

Thailand's Coach Withe Takes on The Challenge

Tiger Cup semifinal qualifiers Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia will begin battle for the title Thursday. Thailand faces Malaysia and Vietnam takes on Indonesia.

Thailand and Vietnam were undefeated in their first round matches. The Thais were victorious over Burma 3-1, Indonesia 4-1, and the Philippines 2-0. The Vietnam defense was spotless in their opening round matches. They had a scoreless draw in the opening contest with Malaysia. They followed with decisive wins over Cambodia 6-0; Laos 5-0 and a 1-0 squeaker against defending champion Singapore. Should, as expected, Thailand meet Vietnam in the final it will bring full circle the job that Thailand's English coach Peter Withe was hired to do.

Withe came on board in 1998 following Thailand's disgraceful showing against Indonesia in that years Tiger Cup. Both squads tried to lose the match so they wouldn't have to face Vietnam in the semifinal in Hanoi. Bangkok's The Nation newspaper reported that Indonesian skipper Mursyid Effiendi scored in his own goal for a 3-2 Thailand win.

Asian football authorities banned Effiendi for life and Indonesia was fined $40,000 and barred from playing in the 1998 Asian Games. The Bangkok Post reported that both teams were banned from playing football for three months. Withe was then hired to right Thailand's sinking ship and restore national pride in its players and the will to win.

He did so by leading the Thais to an impressive fourth place finish in the Asian Games. The will to win was evidenced when Thailand, with only nine men, defeated South Korea on a golden goal.

Should Thailand and Vietnam meet in the Tiger Cup finals it would bring full circle what Withe was hired to do.

CAMBODIA won its first International match since returning to International competition in 1995 after years of civil war. Cambodia defeated Loa 3-0 in their final Tiger Cup first round match. The squad scored more goals, five, than defending champion Singapore, which notched only four.

LENNOX LEWIS win over David Tua proved that Lewis is a smart tactical boxer. That's the upside. The downside is the television entrance Lewis made. Away from view of the boxing crowd at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas Nevada, Lewis was pictured on television waiting behind a fake castle gate. The television commentator said that the crowd couldn't see Lewis' television entrance. The gate opened and Lewis came out and walked to the ring to defend his heavyweight crown against the Samoan Tua.

It raises the question is professional boxing going the way of the NBA? Is it getting too theatrical? Rocky Marciano would turn over in his grave if he were to see such a thing. This is not boxing… its show business.

Much of the pre-fight focus was on the hairstyle of both fighters. Tua sporting a spiked Afro similar to boxing promoters Don King's electric shock look. Lewis adorned his long dreadlocks. Please…. He is not to be confused with Venus or Serena Williams.

If boxing is to follow the NBA's lead will it ever have respectability?

In real life I met Lewis at a HBO media preview of the Don King film. My impression was that he's a polite man and very humble. I've also interviewed him prior to his match with Andrew Golota. At that time he showed a great sense of humor.

A match with Mike Tyson is on the horizon for Lewis.

HBO's Ross Greenburg who has the television rights for Lewis' fights has put out the word to Showtime's Jay Larkin that they could work together and make a deal to make the fight to come off. Greenburg also let it be known that his fighter is the champion. Does that mean he should have home field advantage? Or control the money? Ohh well…..

Should the fight come to pass Lewis should leave the theatrics at home and concentrate on boxing Tyson or he may be in for a rude awakening… regardless of Tyson's diminishing skills. Tyson ain't no Tua. He's a former champion and angry as hell. Greenberg and Larkin might have to lean how to coexist. To get this fight done they will have to leave their egos at the door when they sit down to negotiate.