Lewis avoided confrontation by shunning requests for the usual head-to-head photograph, walking off the stage while Rahman grabbed the microphone and roared: ‘‘Go get Lennox back! Get him back! You’re supposed to co-operate with the promotion!’’

Lewis’ retreat was probably wise, given his intense dislike of the man who ripped away his heavyweight crown seven months ago, and Rahman’s assertion yesterday that he could not even stand being in the same room as his opponent.

There is genuine bad blood between the pair which even the usual two-hour introduction from the fight’s co-promoter Don King could not diffuse.

The American promoter compared Rahman to Moses, insisted Rahman’s co-manager Steve Nelson was a descendant of Lord Nelson, and introduced female fighter Christy Martin thus: ‘‘She’s curvaceous, sensual, voluptuous, intoxicatingly beautiful - and she can fight’’.

Lewis sat still and gave little away during the monologue, rising only when called upon to say a few words and resisting the temptation to engage Rahman, bedecked in stars and stripes bandana, in verbal combat.

At the heart of Lewis’ irritation is the lack of respect he believes he is being given by a man who has basically made his name through just a single swooping right hand punch.

Lewis said: ‘‘Some people look at my loss to Rahman and have forgotten all I’ve done before that. You should judge me on what I’ve achieved.

‘‘You can’t come in, wear a crown and all of a sudden believe you’re a king with one punch.

‘‘Respect is due after a number of fights when you’ve been right at the top of the heavyweight division.

‘‘Rahman’s got his self-confidence off that one punch and suddenly I’m an old man, the real Lennox Lewis isn’t there. All that’s to my advantage.’’

Rahman too believes more respect is due to him after his title win, but he confidently asserts that that situation will begin to change when he beats Lewis for the second time.

‘‘I’m still learning this game,’’ Rahman said. ‘‘I’m getting better and I’m learning new stuff every day.

‘‘I didn’t have 140 amateur fights, I didn’t go to two Olympics. What you see from one fight to the next is constant improvement.’’

Both men have made big predictions of knockout victory in this rarest of things a genuinely hard to call heavyweight title fight - and Rahman’s chances are improved if Lewis comes straight out and begins to open up.

‘‘Let’s not do any running - we’re not at a track meet,’’ Rahman added. ‘‘Let’s not hold, let’s just fight. Bring out your whole arsenal. Bring it on.’’

It is unlikely Lewis took much notice of Rahman’s whooping challenge into the on-stage microphone.

The challenger was already half-way back to his top floor penthouse suite to plot a more sensible ascent back to the heavyweight boxing summit.