HAMBURG, Nov 20: World heavyweight champion Witali Klitschko is hoping for a re-match of his June 2003 defeat by Lennox Lewis and to coax Britain's former champ out of retirement.

Klitschko, 37, won the WBC title against Nigeria's Samuel Peter last month to be crowned world champion for the third time.

But after the Ukrainian suffered a technical knock-out at the hands of Lewis in their famous June 2003 fight, Klitschko wants a re-match and there are reports here of a multi-million dollar purse set to be tabled.

“We know that Lennox has trained again and has already spoken to HBO,” Klitschko's manager Bernd Boente confirmed to German sports agency SID.

“If Lennox returns, there is the chance of another fight with Witali. Boente said there will be further negotiations with Lewis' camp in the first week of Dec.

So far Lewis, 43, has always ruled out any possible come-back and expressed no desire to win back the WBC, WBA and IBF titles he once held. “Now we must wait whether he actually gives us a green light,” added Boente.—AFP