“LENNOX Lewis should retire . . . I’m going to get back in the ring in two years, when I’m 55 . . . sure I’d fight Audley Harrison, at least he’d be famous afterwards . . . why do you think I called all my five sons George Foreman? Preparation for memory loss.” George Foreman was holding court in Harrods yesterday with his tongue as hot as one of the Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machines his face now shifts by the million.

In between flipping pieces of chicken, swordfish and asparagus on and off the latest grill in the range, The Big George, the former world heavyweight champion said that Lewis must retire now or risk endangering his legacy as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers in history.

There is a certain irony in a 53-year-old, who became the heavyweight world champion for the second time by beating 26-year-old Michael Moorer on his first comeback at the age of 45, telling 37-year-old Lewis to retire, but Foreman made his point.

“Lennox is in the company of the greatest of all time. You can put him with John L. Sullivan, Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, but there is a great danger he could lose that legacy,” Foreman said.

“Americans don’t like Lewis, they don’t like a European coming over and beating our heavyweights and they’re hoping something happens and some ordinary fighter does him in so they can say he couldn’t beat so-and-so.

“As a boxer, Lennox can’t have any more respect on top of what he has now. He can fight the Klitschko brothers now. They’re both wet behind the ears at the moment, but in a couple of years they’re going to be tough to beat.”

Lewis is scheduled to defend his WBC title against Vitali Klitschko, of Ukraine, in Las Vegas on March 8, with a possible fight with his brother, Wladimir, after the re-match against Mike Tyson.

Foreman insisted that he will show the virtues of healthy eating with a comeback. “I wouldn’t like to fight Lennox Lewis, though, he’s got that extra reach. I don’t need him in my life,” he said.

What about Audley Harrison, Olympic champion 32 years after Foreman won gold in Mexico City in 1968? “Mmm . . . he’s one I could fight. At least he’d be famous afterwards,” Foreman said.

“He’s got to fight someone good. You’ve got to beat a household name to be a household name.”