Why had Lewis and Bowe never fought?

[warlike penguin]

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?

[Russian Crushin]

Like its some kinda of mystery or something

[Evil Abed]

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.

[Deevel916]

Bowe B*tched out. He threw the belt in the garbage and told Lewis to pick if out of the trash if he wants it.

[Unknown Champ]

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

[Jedi Vader]

[jri9d0]

Didn't Bowe join the U.S Marines right after the blatant duck?

[Jam Jars]

Didn't Bowe join the U.S Marines right after the blatant duck?

That was after he fought Golota.

[catalinul]

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.

[JAB5239]

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.