Lewis Says Bowe's Management to Blame for Fight Not Happening

In an interview with ESPN's Brian Kenney last night, Lennox Lewis said several times that he blamed Bowe's "management" for a fight between them not happening. I found it interesting that, with the passage of time, he seems to recognize that boxing politics and economic factors, rather than what his team alleged at the time was Bowe's unprovable and implausible "fear" of him, were responsible for this fight not happening. If only some of his rapid fans could get this simple point.

 

Yeah, I saw that interview, and I have to hand it to Lewis, he was polite about it. I liked Riddick Bowe at the time and was hoping they would fight. After one of Bowe and Holyfields fights, Lewis tried to interview Bowe. Bowe was like, "hey Lennox I thought we was cool" and something to the effect of Lewis smack talking him. Lewis was saying well if you don't like it bring it on, and Bowe's reply was I'm gonna bring it. But alas it never happened.
The truth be told Lewis probably would have kicked his ass. That big Dummy Golota was kickin' his ass badly when he was DQ'd.

 

Maybe, maybe not. A prime Bowe in 1992-93 was a formidable opponent, and Lewis had not fully reached his potential as a pro. IMO, this actually would have been the BEST time for Bowe to face Lewis. It's too bad it never happened, but like many fights, boxing politics and economics made it seem more attractive to delay it. Lewis seems to recognize this now.

 

Lennox Lewis would have had his hands full with the Bowe of '92. No question about it.

 

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I think the situation is strange.

I have been reading the relevant sections of Frank Maloney's autobiography today, and the general consensus is that it was Rock Newman who delayed the fight.

It should have been made the moment Bowe's hand was raised against Evander, but Newman opted to delay to make the fight bigger. Obviously Bowe lost to Holyfield and Lewis lost to McCall not long after....

The window for it would have been between Bowe beating Hide and either the firs Golota fight or Lewis vs Mercer.

IMO Lewis would have won, but it is still one of those 'what if' moments.

I recall Bowe fighting at the end of last year and Lewis was intro'd toi the crowd, Bowe never took his eyes off him from then on.

I liked Bowe a lot, and feel he was badly advised. So ****ing what if you lose?

 

Nothing new, everyone knew it was a Rock Newman block move.

 

You think he just found out that boxing politics ruined it?, that makes you worse than the rapid fans who can't get this "simple" point.

All the talk he did about Bowe being a chicken back then was clearly to lure them into signing the fight, he knew that his management didn't want him to take the fight without the need for years to understand it. He's a part of boxing "politics" you know.

 

You may be right,but then why has Lennox said what he has?He's the insider in this situation.

 

Exactly. Some of these biased Lewis fans want to perpetuate an unprovable myth that Bowe "ducked" Lewis because he was "afraid" of him. At least Lewis himself recognizes that this is a lot of nonsense, and he deserves credit for that.

 

Lennox Lewis became the number 1 contender after he Ko'd Ruddock. Bowe won the title from Holyfield, and the winner of that fight was mandated to fight the winner of Lewis/Ruddock. Riddick Bowe and/or his management decided not to fight Lewis. The fight should have happened right then. Lewis was the mandatory number 1 contender. Politics or not, a champion has to fight the number 1 contender no matter what.

 

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i ****ing hate rock newman...

 

Good point.

 

Real good point.