“PANAMA” LEWIS DID THIS TO BILLY COLLINS!
San Francisco, CA– There is probably no man vilified more in boxing in recent years than Carlos “Panama” Lewis. A brilliant mind who studied under the great Ray Arcel, Chickie Ferrara, as well as Freddie Brown, Panama Lewis was one of the best trainers ‘pound for pound’ in the early 1980s. But as we have come to know there is a dark side to Panama Lewis, one that reared its ugly head on June 16, 1983.
IT WAS PANAMA & “THE SPECIAL MIX”
Seven months after asking for that, “Special bottle…the one I mix,” just prior to the 14th round in which Aaron Pryor finished off Alexis Arguello on November 12, 1982, Panama was in the corner of rugged club fighter Luis Resto vs. Billy Collins UNDR Roberto Duran-Davey Moore June 16, 1983. Before the fight, Panama removed an ounce of stuffing/padding out of each of Resto’s gloves, something the fighter now claims Lewis had done on other occasions.
RESTO CLAIMS MORE IN RECENT YEARS
In addition, Resto now claims that Lewis put a “plaster of Paris” substance in his hand wraps (can we all say, Antonio Margarito), thus when the late Billy Collins said between rounds that it felt like he was “getting hit with ashtrays,” he wasn’t embellishing matters. Panama Lewis spent 2.5 years in prison after being convicted of assault, criminal possession of a weapon (Resto’s hands) and conspiracy.
STILL MAKES A LIVING TRAINING
Although Lewis continues to train fighters here and there, he is banned from working a corner in every jurisdiction but the state of Pennsylvania. When I last heard, Panama, now nearing 60, was living in Las Vegas and not in great health. For ruining Billy Collin’s career as a fighter, which caused depression which probably led to his death by car accident some nine months later, Panama Lewis (pictured below) is the first inductee to the RingTalk.com “Wall of Shame.”