Jon Culshaw reveals great story about tricking Lennox Lewis fans
Funnyman Jon Culshaw’s knockout impressions of 1990s boxers once left him feeling the wrath of Lennox Lewis’ fans.
The Dead Ringers star’s jaw-dropping imitations are so convincing that he managed to dupe hundreds of people into believing the former undisputed world champion had been the victim of prank calls the night before a big heavyweight fight in America during the early 2000s.
While the listeners knew that Culshaw was pretending to be Frank Bruno ringing to ask ridiculous questions, little did they realise he was also taking off Lewis at the same time on the BBC Radio One sketch.
‘Comedy’ Dave Vitty, part of the hugely popular Chris Moyles breakfast show team at the time, revealed the studio had been flooded with complaints by his supporters after the set up aired. And it allowed the impressionist to show off his vocal talents once more as he joined in the fun by retelling the story.
“I think the BBC Sport website ran it as a news story,” laughed Culshaw, appearing on popular motoring podcast Fuelling Around alongside co-host and long-time friend Vitty .
“‘Lennox gets rude awakening’ was the headline. As you say Dave, we did either side of it. I did the Frank bits in the studio and then on my old Nokia mobile on the other side of the building, (we did Lennox) to give a different ambience.
“(in Lennox voice) ‘Ok, hey, oh boy, oh come on Frank, this is the third time you’ve phoned me up, I’ve got a fight in the morning man’.
“‘(in Frank voice) Sorry, yeah, sorry, the time difference I keep forgetting, anyway, give him hell.’”
Culshaw, a big fan of Fords and cars from the 1970s, didn’t show off his genius impressions of Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn or Mike Tyson as the fourth series powers on. But he did have Vitty and colleague Jason Plato in stitches by mimicking Patrick Moore, David Attenborough and Jeremy Clarkson.
HÖRFA are proud sponsors of British Boxing News