[1] Lewis’ career spans from training amateur boxers on the local Sydney circuit to working with Australian boxing champions and rugby league international representatives.

[2] The philosophies and coaching career of Lewis merited him many accolades including an Order of Australia medal and an induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, both of which were achieved in 2006.

[5][6] Lewis' first employment was selling papers at Football games as well as working the scoreboard at Erskineville Oval for local first-grade Australian Rules matches, where he would listen to coaches’ team talks.

[7] An athletic career for Lewis was cut short at age 19 as he sustained an ankle injury after falling off a ladder whilst sign writing.

[5] In 1957, a thirteen-year-old Lewis began training under coaches Snowy MacFadyen and Jack Blom at the Newtown Police Boys Club, travelling to Cowra, Orange, Griffith and Singleton in regional New South Wales for amateur boxing competitions.

[7] In 1978, Phil McElwaine won a gold medal in the middleweight division at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada with Lewis in his corner.

[5] As the program developed it became more theoretical, boxers would spar less and instead hand out Big League Magazines and videos of boxing matches.

[19] In 1992 was Hill's third fight under Lewis, in which he won a unanimous decision against Frank Tate to gain the vacant WBA light heavyweight title.

[5] Following the 1992 Olympics, Justin Roswell, a promising Australian amateur turned professional under Lewis, winning the WBO intercontinental lightweight championship.

[5] Billy Dib would win his first world title, the IBO Super-featherweight championship in 2008 against Zolani Marali after switching trainers to have Lewis in his corner.

[30] Jeff Malcolm was managed by New South Wales Blues and Australian Kangaroos Rugby League representative Tommy Raudonikis whilst being trained by Johnny Lewis.

[5][33] Paul Briggs asked Lewis to take over his training after a majority decision loss to Tomasz Adamek for the WBC Light Heavyweight title.

[36] Fenech was cornered by Lewis since his professional debut at Blacktown Police Boys Club, with a win over Craig Easey.

[5][2] After winning a bronze medal at the 1983 Rome World Cup and captaining the Australian amateur team in the 1984 Olympics Fenech would turn professional under Lewis the following year.

[37] Johnny Lewis and manager Bill Mordey accepted a rematch with Shingaki in order to stall top contender Jerome Coffee and give Fenench more experience.

[4][10] Lewis used a personal solution with a Friars' balsam base to stop cuts and peppermint oil for fighters to sniff before and during the fight for breathing purposes.

[57] In 1989, through rugby league international player, coach and personal friend Bob Fulton, Lewis became a trainer of the Australian Kangaroos 1990 Tour of Great Britain and France.

[2][5][58] Lewis has lived in Erskineville his whole life,[59] working as a signwriter for the Sydney County Council for majority of it, whilst simultaneously training fighters.

[5] In April 1999, a hailstorm caused damage to the roof of the Newtown Police Boys Club with repairs costing an approximate one million dollars, the Inner West Council put the building up for sale.