Tyson vs Lewis: why it didn't happen(1996)

[BKM-2010]

I haven't read through the whole thing, but no one was ducking anyone. It was a network problem. Don king gave Lewis an offer of 10 million I believe which was rejected. HBO said they'd offer Tyson 40 plus million to fight on their network, which was rejected. Then Tyson was stripped off his WBC belt and fought Seldon for the WBA belt and fought a much richer fight against Holyfield who was able to fight on Showtime. Simple.

That's what was going through my mind as well, although the case with Lewis and Bowe is very complicated and arguments could be made for both sides. But like you said this was mostly a network problem. Tyson certainly didn't "duck" Lewis, that is a common myth. Holyfield, aka the biggest fight that could have been made ever at that time came in the way, and then it simply fell in the trash after the unexpected two losses to Holyfield, one of which got Tyson banned for a considerable amount of time and he had to work himself back up into the rankings. Even in 2002 there were issues with the two networks that had to be figured out to still make that watered down, although still record breaking fight.

[LacedUp]

That's what was going through my mind as well, although the case with Lewis and Bowe is very complicated and arguments could be made for both sides. But like you said this was mostly a network problem. Tyson certainly didn't "duck" Lewis, that is a common myth. Holyfield, aka the biggest fight that could have been made ever at that time came in the way, and then it simply fell in the trash after the unexpected two losses to Holyfield, one of which got Tyson banned for a considerable amount of time and he had to work himself back up into the rankings. Even in 2002 there were issues with the two networks that had to be figured out to still make that watered down, although still record breaking fight.

Yup.

Bowe did duck lewis. Or his team did. But I don't think it was because they were afraid as per se, they were just lazy.

Rock Newman wanted as much money as possible for as little challenge as possible, and of course Lewis didn't factor in in that equation.

[beez721]

Yup.

Bowe did duck lewis. Or his team did. But I don't think it was because they were afraid as per se, they were just lazy.

Rock Newman wanted as much money as possible for as little challenge as possible, and of course Lewis didn't factor in in that equation.

rock newman protected bowe like a baby. he steered him away from the bigger punchers like ruddock,,morrison and lewis all his career

[MrRolltide91]

That's what was going through my mind as well, although the case with Lewis and Bowe is very complicated and arguments could be made for both sides. But like you said this was mostly a network problem. Tyson certainly didn't "duck" Lewis, that is a common myth. Holyfield, aka the biggest fight that could have been made ever at that time came in the way, and then it simply fell in the trash after the unexpected two losses to Holyfield, one of which got Tyson banned for a considerable amount of time and he had to work himself back up into the rankings. Even in 2002 there were issues with the two networks that had to be figured out to still make that watered down, although still record breaking fight.

Yep.........

[elina jhon]

I don't know ,I think tyson would have made it a lot closer in 96 vs lewis

[soul_survivor]

The Lewis v Tyson situation in the mid to late 90s was what we've had in recent years with a few fighters: networks not agreeing on splitting the PPV letting their guy fight on the rival show.

However, it must also be noted, at the time, Tyson was not so interested in the Lewis fight and felt Holyfield would be an easier pick, a KO and the onto Lewis in 97 or 98...didn't work out like that lol

[billeau2]

The Lewis v Tyson situation in the mid to late 90s was what we've had in recent years with a few fighters: networks not agreeing on splitting the PPV letting their guy fight on the rival show.

However, it must also be noted, at the time, Tyson was not so interested in the Lewis fight and felt Holyfield would be an easier pick, a KO and the onto Lewis in 97 or 98...didn't work out like that lol

Both lewis and Tyson could virtually fight twice instead of once, management is always going to treat that decision the same way. Holyfield was a great fight for Tyson, or so it appears that it would have been... Tyson's people could Kayo Holly and onto Lewis, two mega fights for the price of one!

And then when we look at history we can see patterns, these patterns are what big picture thinkers tend to seize upon... lewis has a solid history of giving young lions an opportunity, and of fighting the up and commers...he could have avoided so many guys like Morrison, Tua, Grant, Briggs, Golata, but he never had the desire to avoid these fights. Compare this to Vlad Klitchko who always seemed to have a mandatory as guys like Wilder, fury, etc got braver...

What people also fail to realize is that in the trajectory of Tyson's career, it was not a given that he would be so washed up when he fought Lewis. But he was and Lewis really was not in a position to say "well...this isn't the real Tyson so I won't fight him!" But there was no way to know that Tyson would get dealt with by Holyfield and that Mike had declined so far at that time.

These are all big issues that go beyond simple statements about a fighter's motivations.

[soul_survivor]

why you repeating what I said?

[The plunger man]

My own opinion is that regardless of "who" it was, you had this schism between the boxing punditry and the boxing public. The Pundits knew (or thought they knew!) that Holyfield was a mark regarding Tyson. Tyson could then conceivably fight Lewis later, or not. The public actually believed that Hollyfield was stronger than Lewis...at least thats how my old brain remembers it, and irony of irony...the public was not wrong! I mean Lewis might have beat Tyson at the time, or might not have, but we know for sure the number Holyfield did on Tyson.

My point is that any knowledgable boxing insider would probably have avoided Lewis in favor of Hollyfield.

Now it is worth mentioning as Ray has that there was history with Tyson and Lewis. But its also worth mentioning that a lot of guys....guys like Tyrell Briggs for example, were able to handle a young upcoming Tyson, but not a Tyson that hit his stride. It seems to me that under these conditions Tyson would not have any great fear of Lewis...But again...Tyson did occasionally have problems with big guys. Bonecrusher, Donovan to name a few. Yet if I am Mike Tyson I probably see these two guys above as lumoxes who have a great punch resistance where as I see Lewis as a different kind of challenge. Lewis was thought by many, and perhaps by Tyson? to be susceptable to power punching and aggression in a way that a guy like Donovan was not.

And finally if I am Tyson, considering the time I probably want to stear clear of Riddick Bowe because Bowe was thought (at the time) despite his refusal to fight Lewis, to be more dangerous.

Well to be honest billieau ....the Americans perceived bowe to be the more dangerous fighter ..Lewis was always considered the lesser of the two and that stigmata stayed with Lewis unfairly till the day he retired from the sport and was always sold short by America ..me I see it different ....as soon as bowe won the title Rock Newman steered bowe in his first defence against Michael dokes and Jesse Ferguson ...two very weak challengers and easy pay days and then he lost his next fight against Holyfield ....so really I think it was all false hope in bowe or something happened in that Holyfield fight because his deterioration happened rapidly after that fight...basically bowes only career defining fight was the first with Holyfield and he never reached that height again.....I think Rock Newman and bowe knew Lewis possessed to much risk and chose to steer clear of him....regarding Tyson Holyfield 1, your correct the bookies considered Holyfield to be washed up and was being fed to Tyson and at the time Holyfield going into that fight was a 25-1 shot to beat Tyson ...I know this because I was going to £500 on him to win because it was such amazing odds but the bookies had shut before I got there as I worked all day Saturday ....in terms of Tyson Lewis, King wanted his dollar out of Tyson and Lewis was to dangerous fighter to get in the way of Don kings ideas and that also applies to showtime, Tyson was huge business for them and they had plans for Tyson untill he met a tough SOB in the Holyfield ...then the game changed again ...that's my take on it :-)

[billeau2]

Well to be honest billieau ....the Americans perceived bowe to be the more dangerous fighter ..Lewis was always considered the lesser of the two and that stigmata stayed with Lewis unfairly till the day he retired from the sport and was always sold short by America ..me I see it different ....as soon as bowe won the title Rock Newman steered bowe in his first defence against Michael dokes and Jesse Ferguson ...two very weak challengers and easy pay days and then he lost his next fight against Holyfield ....so really I think it was all false hope in bowe or something happened in that Holyfield fight because his deterioration happened rapidly after that fight...basically bowes only career defining fight was the first with Holyfield and he never reached that height again.....I think Rock Newman and bowe knew Lewis possessed to much risk and chose to steer clear of him....regarding Tyson Holyfield 1, your correct the bookies considered Holyfield to be washed up and was being fed to Tyson and at the time Holyfield going into that fight was a 25-1 shot to beat Tyson ...I know this because I was going to £500 on him to win because it was such amazing odds but the bookies had shut before I got there as I worked all day Saturday ....in terms of Tyson Lewis, King wanted his dollar out of Tyson and Lewis was to dangerous fighter to get in the way of Don kings ideas and that also applies to showtime, Tyson was huge business for them and they had plans for Tyson untill he met a tough SOB in the Holyfield ...then the game changed again ...that's my take on it :-)

Yes. lewis was underestimated and Bowe overestimated. Bowe had range...being able to fight inside, but it does appear he peaked with the holly trilogy.