LONDON, Feb 15: World heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis was awarded more than $8 million in damages Thursday after a US District Court found he had been defrauded by his former promoter and manager Panos Eliades.

“Today a New York jury ruled that my former promoter and manager, Mr Panos Eliades, committed fraud upon me and is also guilty of racketeering,” said Lewis in a statement issued by his co-promoter Main Events.

“I should like to thank the US jury for finding Mr Eliades liable for more than $8 million as a result of his misconduct.—Reuters