MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Lennox Lewis sees himself as boxing's antidote to Mike Tyson.
Lewis stands 6 feet 5, plays chess, sips tea, contributes regularly to charity and has money up to his ears.
Tyson stands about 5-11, is a convicted rapist, has wasted so much money he is in debt up to his ears - and bites ears.
"Mike Tyson wants to be the baddest man on the planet. He is trying to prove that. He is trying to show people that he is a bad man," said Lewis, 36, who will defend his International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council titles against Tyson at the Pyramid on Saturday night.
"Everyone knows Mike Tyson is a dirty fighter in the sense that he always is trying to break your arm in there, [or] he is head butting you and he definitely bites you. I am an honorable man. I play by the rules. ... My goal is to go out there and win honorably."
In the past two days, the contrast between the two fighters showed yet again in their approaches to public appearances.
On Tuesday, Tyson, 35, dodged the media, briefly working out before the press and then leaving his trainers to face questions.
Yesterday, Lewis answered questions during a news conference, played an impromptu chess match with a seventh-grader from Oakhaven Elementary School - which named its chess team after the champion - and then Lewis worked out to the accompaniment of reggae music before taking more questions.
But the entire world seems to be buying into Tyson's act.
Meanwhile, Lewis, a stand-up guy with a stand-up fighting style, can hardly buy fans in his own country of England - not even for what many believe is his career-defining fight.
In anticipation of a high demand from his countrymen, Lewis purchased "upwards of 4,000 tickets," but ended up trying to return most of them, according to British boxing historian John Rawling.
With England playing Argentina on Friday in a World Cup soccer match, many British fight fans - 6,000 of whom witnessed Lewis' 1999 victory over Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas - are passing on Saturday's fight.
"Most football [soccer] fans are boxing fans, and, unfortunately from their point of view, it's the biggest game England has had in the past four years," said Rawling, a reporter for the Guardian. "Tyson is a bigger ticket-seller in Britain than Lewis. It's unquestionably true that Tyson is more popular in Britain than Lewis."
Tyson's bout against no-name Julian Francis in January 2000 - a second-round knockout - sold out 21,000-seat Manchester Evening News Arena - England's largest indoor sports venue - in two days.
"A lot of people remember Tyson past tense and still believe in him. His skills are great. He's the best out there," said Lewis. "But I'm going to prove that that's what he was. I'm the best there is now."
Born in London of Jamaican parents, Lewis won an Olympic gold medal for Canada but considers himself a British citizen. He is a three-time world heavyweight champion - surpassed only by four-time champ Holyfield.
Despite his accomplishments, Lewis still is fighting for worldwide recognition and respect, particularly on his home turf.
"Lewis is the champion, but people in Britain aren't saying, 'Are you going to the Lewis fight?' They're saying, 'Are you going to the Tyson fight?' " Rawling said. "Tyson has an excitement that Lewis has never quite been able to achieve. Lennox Lewis is a great guy, but Tyson has an appeal in Britain which is difficult to put your finger on."
Lewis said: "All the fans that love Mike Tyson and believe that he is the best, when I beat him, I am taking my respect and showing that I'm the best. I don't expect [Americans] to give me respect. I am just going to go out and take it, simple as that. This is a fight that is very important for historians and definitely my legacy."
Tyson twice bit Holyfield's ears in a disqualification loss in 1997. He also bit Lewis' thigh during a fracas at a Jan. 22 New York news conference promoting their bout. But even if Tyson should be in a fouling mood on Saturday night, Lewis said he is prepared to take the high road.
"I realize there are many boxers that go against the confines of the rules. Hopefully, the referee will step in and say, 'You can't do that' and take points away," said Lewis. "When [fighters'] skills are deteriorating, this is what they do."
But Emmanuel Steward, Lewis' trainer, said his fighter isn't above resorting to dirty tactics himself. In a knockout of Michael Grant, who rushed right at Lewis, the British champion held the loser's head down and ripped home brutal uppercuts.
"I'm very concerned about Lennox being disqualified. He has that side in him, and I know it," said Steward.
"I think this will be a devastating finish. Lennox is not coming in concerned about Mike's punching power, but he's going to come out and put a lot of pressure on Mike that he's not used to."
"I am an action man; I just go straight for you," Lewis said. "My confidence is great. I'm going to go in there and show the world that I am the best heavyweight on the planet. Tyson is into talking and saying what he's going to do and what he wants to do. I will do my talking in the ring and also get rid of the last misfit in boxing."
Fight facts
Who:Lennox Lewis (39-2-1, 30 KOs) vs. Mike Tyson (49-3, 2 no-contests, 43 KOs)
When:Saturday, approximately 11:15 p.m.
Where:The Pyramid, Memphis, Tenn.
Titles:For Lewis' International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council heavyweight championships
Rounds:12
TV:Pay per view
Purse:$17.5 million each