By Stephanie Wilson / Photography by Holger Keifel

We had the opportunity to sit down and speak with the legendary Lennox Lewis, former Heavyweight Champion of the World, a man dubbed The Emperor of Boxing. Here he talks to Haute Living about his love of sunshine, the city of Miami, and where we can expect this champion to pop up next.

HL You have the ability to live anywhere in the world, but you have chosen Miami as your home. What made you settle down here?

LL I am a very heavy person when it comes to sunshine, and that type of lifestyle. Miami gives me that-We are surrounded by sunshine and water, which are two calming factors in my life.

HL What is your ideal place to live in this town?

LL I think you need at least three different places: You definitely need to live on the beach in a condo, and a house is always better on the beach as well. I think that Coconut Grove and Pinecrest are great areas too. There are different flavors here: North Miami is so different than South Miami, and the beach is different on South Beach than it is on North Beach.

HL And if you had to choose a favorite place to live?

LL If I had to choose, and it was just my choice, I would definitely live on the beach. The only problem with Miami is there are no hills, and I am a hill person.

HL What are some of your favorite places to dine around town?

LL Vita is good, and Smith and Wollensky’s is always a nice choice– those are places I have eaten recently. I like to switch it around, see what all is out there. I love Italian food and Cuban food.

HL We heard you just designed and built a spectacular home in Jamaica. Can you tell us about it?

LL It is my dream home. I used to go to Jamaica a lot, and instead of spending time in a hotel, I would rather spend the time in my own house, and design it the way that I want. I wanted it to be in the sun. Its obviously in the hills, and has an unbelievable view. It took more than two years to build. Right now, I am just dealing with the furnishings, and with some landscaping. I would love to find a good landscaper in Jamaica.

HL Where else do you own property?

LL I just sold my place in London, so just Miami, Jamaica, and Canada right now.

HL What do you like to do with your free time?

LL Free time is mostly family time. I am also reading some scripts, trying to get into some new business ventures, definitely looking into real estate as well. I am searching for the perfect Miami pad, my Miami home.

HL Where is Lennox Lewis going from here?
LL The entertainment industry definitely holds my interest. My eyes are open for those types of things to come around. I would love to be behind the camera in movies and be a producer for a couple independent films.

HL If you had any advice to give to boxers today, what would it be?

LL Realize that boxing is a sport where you need to keep at it, persevere. You can’t give up-there are going to be a lot of ups and downs, you just have to stay focused. It’s not an easy road, but if you stay at it, it will definitely be a successful road. The main thing I always say to anyone that wants to get involved with boxing is to focus on defense. That’s the first key to being a good boxer: Be able to protect yourself.