Lennox Lewis wants more funding for Canadian boxing

Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis continues to follow Olympic boxing and is well aware of the medal drought Canada is currently enduring.

Lewis, who was named to the Canadian Sport Hall of Fame in May, won Olympic gold for Canada at the 1988 Seoul Games before moving on to have a highly successful pro career.

The former three-time world champion said Canadian amateur boxers need more funding in order to prosper at the Olympics.

"There are a lot of young, bright stars out there for boxing and they're not getting the opportunity," Lewis said during a recent conference call. "We have a lot of talent and lot of good prospects. We just need to feed them and nourish them."

Led by Lewis, Canadian boxing flourished in the 1980s, which included silver medals earned by Shawn O'Sullivan and Willie DeWit at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

However, the program has struggled for more than a decade and the participation has dwindled. David Defiagbon's silver in Atlanta 12 years ago was the last medal Canada earned at the Summer Games, and things don't look bright for Beijing.

Adam Trupish, from Windsor, Ont., was the only Canadian boxer to qualify for the Olympics this summer and isn't expected to advance far in the 69-kilogram division.