THE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport is deeply saddened by the news of the passing of one of Guyana’s greatest athletes in the boxing ring. We, at the Ministry, express sincere sympathy to the Lewis family on the untimely passing of Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis. ‘Six Head’, as he is well known to us, is one of our professional boxers in the middleweight division and was the former WBA World Welterweight Champion in 2001. After that bout and his notable exciting style and power in both hands, Lewis quickly became a popular fighter on HBO.
The nickname ‘Six Head’ tells a fascinating tale of Lewis’s strength and agility in the ring. He got the nickname ‘Six Head’ after knocking out an opponent and all he saw was six heads, therefore the name stuck.
Lewis’s rise to fame as the former Guyana and International Boxing Champion, placed us on the international scene in terms of boxing. After turning pro in 1993, with 8-0-1 in his first nine bouts (all by knockout) under his belt, Lewis moved to the USA where he continued his knockout record.
‘Six Head’ was one of the first Guyanese boxers to headline at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and as can be expected he did not disappoint in that fight against former welterweight champion James Page.
It was in the seventh round that Lewis delivered his winning punch which saw him earn a World title. For many of us that was the fight of the century because we were seeing one of our own in an international boxing ring.
Following that win, the Andrew Six Head’ Lewis boxing gym, located at Callender Street, Albouystown, was opened in his honour.
“We are grateful for the foundation laid by Andrew Lewis for young Guyanese bowers. It is our hope that Lewis’s legacy will be honoured by all Guyanese boxers in and out of Guyana.
May his soul rest in peace!