Lewis Makes Fight Offer To Bruno

Lennox Lewis has offered Frank Bruno $5.1 million for a fight to reclaim the WBC heavyweight title.

Lewis’ backer, Panos Eliades, contends that his offer will be more than any money put up by promoter Don King to bring together Britain’s present and past world heavyweight champions.

Bruno beat American Oliver McCall for the title two weeks ago at London’s Wembley Stadium, but Lewis on Thursday insisted that Bruno was only “keeping it warm” for him. Lewis lost the title to McCall in September 1994 after successfully defending it against Bruno earlier in the year.

If King and Bruno do not accept the fight, Eliades has asked WBC president Jose Sulaiman to call for purse bids by Oct. 9, when the biggest money bidder will get the fight.

Lewis won the right to fight for his former title by stopping Lionel Butler in an elimination bout at Sacramento, Calif., in May.

“Right now, Bruno is keeping my title warm,” Lewis said. “He can’t call himself a champion because another British champion - me - has beaten him.

“Brunomania is only going to last until I get to him. I think what he’s done is good for British boxing. But he’s only going to be champion for a little time.”