The final bell rang and Lennox Lewis raised his hands tentatively in the air. The new undisputed world heavyweight champion celebrates like he boxes, cautiously.

Saturday night in Las Vegas didn't bring the rip-roaring bout which boxing thought it needed to restore its dysfunctional image. Lennox Lewis played the percentages like a blackjack dealer, keeping Evander Holy field away from him long enough to earn a decision over 12 rounds.

If most observers felt that the specifics of the decision were excessively generous to the Englishman, who fought better in the original fight in March, well, Lewis probably had that credit coming to him.

Several television experts said they had given the fight to Holyfield by a point, but, with the public weary of boxing controversies, there was little mood for pursuing the issue on Saturday night.

"I was concerned because it went to the decision," Lewis said after a fight which saw him finish strongly, having sagged in the middle rounds. "I was really concerned, because I realised that he wasn't doing the work in the beginning of the rounds and he was trying to steal it at the end of the rounds."

Lewis' assessment was pretty accurate. Holyfield, unfavoured by bookmakers, age or size, only brought the fight to Lewis in spasms. These forays, while game enough, were usually repelled with a series of jabs by Lewis.

The judges had the fight quite tight going into the final three rounds, when Lewis pulled away. Chuck Giampa gave Lewis the final three rounds and a four-point victory. Jerry Roth gave the last round to Holyfield but the three before that to Lewis, having marked the fight even through eight rounds. Bill Graham gave Lewis the first four rounds and the last five.

The only lingering controversy on Saturday night was the withholding of the IBF belt from Lewis after his management group had opted to pay the $300,000 sanctioning fee to the IBF into an escrow account, rather than hand it over to the group whose four leading administrators were indicted on charges of conspiracy and racketeering last week. The Lewis camp attempted to pay the money minutes before the bout but their cheque wasn't accepted.

Technically, the IBF title lies vacant now, but the IBF are likely to have other business to worry them in the interim.

Lewis may not be the most convincing heavyweight champion of recent times, but his triumph was a deserved culmination of a slow-burning career which is remarkable only for its lack of turbulence. Until Saturday, the high points have been the fights that didn't happen and the win he was robbed of last March.

"I went through some trials and tribulations and enough people were trying to stop me," he said. "The Americans didn't want me to take it over the Atlantic to Britain. But I actually persevered and succeeded."

Lewis becomes the first undisputed British heavyweight champion of the world since Bob Fitzsimons in 1897. The only dispute centres on Canada's claim to him. He won an Olympic gold for Team Canada in 1988.

In defeat, Holyfield, who took $15 million from the bout (the same amount as Lewis), was gracious and didn't dwell overly on the judging.

"The Lord gives victory and man gives decisions. But we have to live with them. I did all that I could. I wasn't judging the fight. My word don't twist when things fall into the hands of the judges. The judge makes a decision."

Lewis had no idea as of Saturday what his plans will be as the first champion of the new millennium. He mentioned a title defence in Europe, but much will depend on the politics and economics of the heavyweight division. Michael Grant, Andrew Golota and, of course, Mike Tyson are among the names being mentioned.