LONDON -- Lennox Lewis convinced the home fans, who were just waiting for an excuse to embrace him. He still may need Mike Tyson, though, before the rest of the boxing world gives him his due as a true heavyweight champion.

Lewis put on an impressive performance in stopping an inept Francois Botha in the second round of a fight that did nothing to damage -- but little to bolster -- Lewis' claim that he is the best of the heavyweight generation.

That may take a fight with Tyson, whose long shadow loomed over the Lewis homecoming Saturday night before delirious fans at London Arena.

"Put up or shut up," Lewis challenged Tyson from the ring.

Later, though, he insisted he did not need Tyson, despite the recognition and $30 million payday such a fight would bring.

"The glamour has gone off a Tyson fight," Lewis said. "It's turned into a circus show to me."

Six years after he was embarrassed here by a second-round knockout at the hands of Oliver McCall, Lewis returned to his home country in triumph. He used Tyson-like power in a three-punch combination that left Botha under the ropes before the fight was waved to a close at 2:39 of the second round.

But Botha, who Tyson had stopped in the fifth round in January 1999, didn't prove to be much of an opponent. He threw only a few wild punches and spent most of the two rounds trying to stay away from Lewis.

Coming home to beat a fighter who was 1-1-1 in his last three contests may not have proved much outside of England.

"I think it was a good performance," Lewis said. "But I still think there's a lot more the public hasn't seen from Lennox Lewis."

They may see more later this year when Lewis is scheduled to fight David Tua, the Samoan from New Zealand who is built like -- and fights much like -- Tyson.

Lewis faces a mandatory IBF title defense against the top-ranked Tua by November, a fight that could be a perfect warmup for Tyson. That's assuming Tyson doesn't self-destruct by then and has the few more fights he says he needs to get ready for Lewis.

It's also assuming that the two competing television networks that have contracts with the respective fighters can come to an agreement.

Lewis, who was paid some $6 million for Botha, wants to believe that Tyson needs him far more than he needs the former heavyweight champion.

"I gave him his chance a long time ago, and Evander Holyfield has even beaten him twice," Lewis said. "I am the man at the top. I am the undisputed heavyweight champion."

Botha, who now has been knocked out by both, gives Lewis a good chance against Tyson.

"He has a long reach and is very awkward. If he can keep Mike on the outside he can be victorious," Botha said.

Unlike Tyson, the knock on Lewis is that he has always been too cautious, both in picking his opponents and inside the ring.

He wasn't so much cautious as he was methodical against Botha, although the South African who now lives in Las Vegas gave Lewis little to be worried about. According to Compubox stats, Botha landed only nine of 37 punches, and none of them to any effect.

It was the second straight second-round knockout for Lewis, who at the age of 34 believes he is just coming into his own as a great heavyweight. He didn't show that in two fights with Evander Holyfield, but proved at least that he can dominate lesser fighters in the division.

"You've just seen a glimpse of what I've been seeing the last five years," Lewis trainer Emanuel Steward said.