The Great Brit Hope remained just that early today, a hope to fulfill the glorious promise that the long-suffering boxing faithful in his native United Kingdom believe Lennox Lewis possesses but have not seen in almost a year. Could it have been a mirage? Riddick Bowe and Tommy Morrison no doubt think so, and, for that matter, so probably did Frank Bruno until the seventh round.

Even if Bruno did not have him on the ropes at that particular moment, Lewis had to confess later that he took considerably more punishment than he anticipated through the first six rounds. So he seized the opportunity when he finally had one, following the left hook with a flurry of punches to the head that compelled referee Mickey Vann to stop the fight 1 minute 12 seconds into the seventh.

PHOTO: COLOR, Lennox Lewis has Frank Bruno on the ropes as he delivers an uppercut in the seventh round, one of the final blows in the fight. / Reuters; PHOTO: COLOR, (Orange County Edition, C1) Lennox Lewis, left, retained his WBC heavyweight title by beating Frank Bruno. / Associated Press