I think you need to go brush up on your boxing history because that is NOT what happend..
In 1992 HBO paid a ton of money to get the 4 best heavyweight in the world in a tournement to unify the belts.
Fighters were
Lennox Lewis
Evander Holyfdield
Razor Ruddock
Rid**** Bowe.
The first round match ups were.
Holyfield vs Bowe.
Lewis vs Rudock.
They all signed the same contract. They would fight and then the winners would fight eachother early next year.
Lewis and Bowe both won. Bowe pulled out of a contract he signed to fight Lewis.
Bowe did not take on better fighters or go for "more luctrative fights" instead he opted to fight Micheal Dokes and Jesse Furgeson two underserving fighters.
The difference between what Lewis and what Bowe did was Lewis went after better fighters not easier fighters.
He gave up the WBA belt because Akinwande was his #1 a fighter he already beat. Akinwande was going to fight Holyfield for the vancant belt, but he got sick and Ruiz was put in as #1 because Don King bought it for him.
Lewis gave up the WBA belt to fight Micheal Grant the guy thought to be the second best heavyweight on the planet at the time and a Lewis/Grant fight was by far the best fight at the time.
Lewis gave up the IBF belt to get the fight with Tyson done. Lewis/Tyson was by far the biggest heavyweight fight of the past 15 years.
One guy gave up his belts for easier fights and the other gave up belts to make better fights.
and no, sorry no one thought John Ruiz and Chris Byrd were dangerous fights
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