I really wonder this. These boxers were among the best ones and champions of the 90s but apart from their fight in the Olympic games, they have never faced themselves in their pro career.
Why?
The 1993 issues had been discussed many times, Bowe and Lewis didnt attempt to make their fight come to fruitution after, also blamed Don King and the referee who awarded Oliver McCall the victory over Lewis by prematurely stopping the fight. had Lewis been allowed to continue, there's no doubt he's gonna KO'ed McCall in '94.
Some Unanswered Questions had Lewis remained champion, will the WBC sanction Bowe-Lewis after what Big Daddy did by throwing their belt, will Bowe still ducked Lewis and go for the WBO belt held by Herbie Hide.
In '96, Golota was supposed to be a walk in a park for Bowe, and there are plans of staging a Bowe-Lewis fight in November, along with Tyson-Holyfield, so huge for boxing fans with these two events featuring the four best heavyweights. but after Bowe's struggle against Golota, end of story.
The winners of Bowe-Holyfield and Lewis-Ruddock fights had a verbal agreement to fight. When the time came the Bowed camp threw out a to incomprehensible low ball offer for a 90/10 split in Bowes favor. The Lewis camp rejected and rather than being forced to fight Lewis, Bowed trashed the WBC belt. The offer was a blatant insult seeing as Bowed got a 25% split of the purse for Holyfield.
The answer is one man, Bowe's Manager Rock Newman.
Rock Newman's plan was to make his fighter the most money while taking the least risk. He was well aware that Lewis was an extreme threat to Bowe.
Even though Bowe was technically contracted to defend the title against Lewis, Newman opted to let Bowe get stripped of the WBC belt. The logic was that Bowe would still be considered by most to be the "real" champion because he actually won the Undisputed title from Holyfield. "He beat the man who beat the man who beat the man" hence making BOWE the man. Newman further reasoned that Bowe would still have 2 out of the 3 major belts. He also rationalized that Lewis's title would be "cheapened" by having the belt "given" to him.
It was then that Rock Newman staged the famous "Bowe dropping the WBC belt in the garbage can press conference" Newman and Bowe then exclaimed "They didn't strip us, We stripped THEM"!
Newman's plan seemed to be working at first. Bowe's face was EVERYWHERE from Arsenio Hall to Leno to Letterman.
He even UPSTAGED SANTA CLAUSE at the traditional Macy's Thanksgiving day parade!
Bowe was also endorsing everything. Big Daddy's " Big Daddy" was proudly displayed and packaged in white brief Fruit of the Loom ads for all the world to see.
From November 92 to November 93 he even outgrossed Michael Jordan in Endorsements
In his 2 successful title defences he made a ton of money at very little risk fighting 2 worn opponents in Michael Dokes and Jesse Ferguson. He won those fights spectacuarly and his reputation grew even larger.
Everything seemed to be going according to plan!
What Newman Didn't plan on was that EVANDER HOLYFIELD was going to be a smarter more determined fighter than ever in the rematch!
That fight ENDED Newman and Bowe's money making ride!
Bowe Ducked Lewis
This is mostly right probably but I do think Bowe didn't mind fighting Lewis as much as that idiot manager of his Rock Newman did.
The answer is one man, Bowe's Manager Rock Newman.
Rock Newman's plan was to make his fighter the most money while taking the least risk. He was well aware that Lewis was an extreme threat to Bowe.
Even though Bowe was technically contracted to defend the title against Lewis, Newman opted to let Bowe get stripped of the WBC belt. The logic was that Bowe would still be considered by most to be the "real" champion because he actually won the Undisputed title from Holyfield. "He beat the man who beat the man who beat the man" hence making BOWE the man. Newman further reasoned that Bowe would still have 2 out of the 3 major belts. He also rationalized that Lewis's title would be "cheapened" by having the belt "given" to him.
It was then that Rock Newman staged the famous "Bowe dropping the WBC belt in the garbage can press conference" Newman and Bowe then exclaimed "They didn't strip us, We stripped THEM"!
Newman's plan seemed to be working at first. Bowe's face was EVERYWHERE from Arsenio Hall to Leno to Letterman.
He even UPSTAGED SANTA CLAUSE at the traditional Macy's Thanksgiving day parade!
Bowe was also endorsing everything. Big Daddy's " Big Daddy" was proudly displayed and packaged in white brief Fruit of the Loom ads for all the world to see.
From November 92 to November 93 he even outgrossed Michael Jordan in Endorsements
In his 2 successful title defences he made a ton of money at very little risk fighting 2 worn opponents in Michael Dokes and Jesse Ferguson. He won those fights spectacuarly and his reputation grew even larger.
Everything seemed to be going according to plan!
What Newman Didn't plan on was that EVANDER HOLYFIELD was going to be a smarter more determined fighter than ever in the rematch!
That fight ENDED Newman and Bowe's money making ride!
Bowe Ducked Lewis
I really wonder this. These boxers were among the best ones and champions of the 90s but apart from their fight in the Olympic games, they have never faced themselves in their pro career.
Why?
Riddick refused to fight Lennox when Lewis became the mandatory.
Bowe threw his title in the garbage publicly.