Lewis Puts Paper Title on Line : Boxing: After inheriting WBC crown, he faces Tucker tonight.

Two 6-foot-5 heavyweights with condor-like wingspans will meet in a pay-per-view bout tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center for a wedge of boxing’s heavyweight championship pie.

Both Lennox Lewis and Tony Tucker are identified with single memorable performances, Lewis’ last Oct. 31 in London, and Tucker’s here six summers ago.

The British-born, Canadian-raised Lewis, 27, was awarded the World Boxing Council’s championship after Riddick Bowe, who had won the undisputed title from Evander Holyfield, refused to fight Lewis in his first defense.

Bowe, knowing that the WBC would strip him of the title, dumped his championship belt in a trash can in London at a news conference.

But if Lewis is a paper champion, he’s the only one the British have had in this century. England’s last titleholder was Robert Fitzsimmons, who won his title in 1897 and lost it in 1899.

About 100 British journalists are here, following their man’s every move.

Lewis (22-0), who defeated Bowe in the 1988 Olympics and won a gold medal, turned pro in 1989 and knocked over 21 nonentities, then got the world’s attention with a sensational second-round knockout of Razor Ruddock last October.

Tucker, 33, a 13-year pro, is best identified as Mike Tyson’s toughest opponent before Buster Douglas beat him in 1990.

Tucker stood up to Tyson for 12 rounds in 1987 here, then lost a decision and his International Boxing Federation title. That defeat remains his only one.

Tucker (48-1) had won the IBF title earlier in 1987 by stopping Douglas in the 10th round.

He is also a veteran of cocaine battles and probably for that reason has remained a 4-1 to 6-1 underdog all week.

One who discounts Lewis’ knockout of Ruddock and favors Tucker tonight is Angelo Dundee, onetime trainer of Muhammad Ali.

“I give Tony a great shot against this guy,” Dundee said.

“Lewis doesn’t do much except look for the home run. And Tony takes a great whack. I know one thing--this is Lewis’ toughest fight.”

Lewis is the second man to become a heavyweight champion without earning the title in the ring. The first was Ken Norton, who was awarded the WBC title in 1978 after Leon Spinks had signed for a rematch with Muhammad Ali instead of fighting Norton. Norton lost in his first defense against Larry Holmes.

Tucker is 14-0 since his defeat by Tyson, but most of those fights have been against no-names.

Lewis, according to contracts filed with the Nevada Athletic Commission, will earn $7,836,840. Tucker gets $1,050,000. Each fighter weighed in at 235 pounds Friday.

Also tonight, Julio Cesar Chavez meets Terrence Alli, for Chavez’s WBC junior-welterweight crown and Julian Jackson defends his WBC middleweight title against Gerald McClellan.

Tale of the Tape

The tale of the tape for tonight’s heavyweight title fight between WBC champion Lennox Lewis and Tony Tucker:

LEWIS TUCKER 27 Age 33 235 Weight 235 6-5 Height 6-5 81 Reach 82 49 Chest (normal) 49 54 Chest (expanded) 52 18 1/2 Biceps 18 18 1/2 Forearm 18 32 Waist 36 28 Thigh 28 17 Calf 16 19 Neck 18 1/2 14 Fist 12