Legendary boxing promoter Butch Lewis dead at 65

(AP) - Butch Lewis, the colorful boxing promoter who worked with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Michael and Leon Spinks, has died. He was 65...

TheGrio Staff

Jul 23, 2011

Butch Lewis, the colorful boxing promoter who worked with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Michael and Leon Spinks, has died. He was 65.

Funeral home owner Sammy Congo of Congo Funeral Home in Wilmington, Del., says he received notification of Lewis’ death on Saturday morning and was expected to meet family members on Sunday.

He did not have information about how Lewis died.

From TheGrio: Lewis’ legacy extends beyond boxing

Lewis was best known in the ring for sporting tuxedos with no shirt and being involved in some of the sport’s biggest fights. He promoted the Michael Spinks-Mike Tyson fight in 1988 that ended with a first round knock of Spinks, who earned more than $13 million for the fight.

He began his career in boxing in the 1970s, but later branched into music and entertainment.

Before the Zab Judah-Amir Khan fight in Las Vegas on Saturday, Lewis was honored by ring announcer Michael Buffer and given a 10-bell count.