1996 - "Tyson Ducked Lewis" ?

Im sure the negotiations didnt get past a phone call between the two promoters. What I dont understand is why did they pay Lewis to step aside and not fight him anyway? They could have just gotten stripped and paid nothing.

 

Apollogise for mis-interprating your original post and yes you're right, LL's my boy, the only guy I draw both barrels for.

What Lefthook31 posted is how I saw the situation, it was a control move from King.

Btw even though blatantly pro Lewis I have nor would I ever claim Tyson dodged Lewis.

All I can add is this snippet from wiki:

While Lewis had the No. 1 contender's slot in the WBC rankings, he defeated Olympic gold medallist Ray Mercer by a close majority decision and contender Tommy Morrison. Lewis successfully sued to try and force Tyson to make a mandatory defense of the WBC title against him or force Tyson to give up the title, winning a four million dollar settlement from promoter Don King. Rather than fight Lewis, Tyson relinquished the WBC belt to fight Evander Holyfield, and the title was declared vacant.

 

Yeah it was a strange move.

I guess King's influence with the WBC made it a worthwhile gamble to try and retain the title..... rather than just vacating.

Had Tyson beaten Holyfield I reckon the fight would have happened early '97, and been a massive event.

As it turned out Tyson was hammered, then fouled himself out in the rematch and was out of the picture for some time, whilst Lewis was at his absolute peak in the run up to the fights with Evander.

 

Tyson was going to fight Moorer and then Morrison had he won all the titles. I dont think King ever intended on including Lewis until he milked all his fighters first. Holyfield bitched King stole from him and that his manager Jim Thomas was in cahoots with King all along, so it was just part of the control factor that King liked. When he controlled the promotion he usually got the manager of the fighter to join him in stealing as much as he could from the fighters.

 

I guess the reason I get bitter on these subjects is because I'm a firm believer no version of Tyson post Rooney could beat Lewis.

So as you can imagine whenever I hear Lewis didn't do this or that I'm thinking the man wanted Tyson while he still had something, 1997 Tyson fits that bill.

Then there's Bowe. I've always maintained Bowe mentally was 'Golota' like when it came to Lewis.

So essentially Lewis tried hard to get Bowe in 93 and Tyson in 97.

I believe he would have won and those wins would take away all ammunition from his detractors putting Lewis ahead of Holmes into 3rd spot on my ATG HW list.

Imagine that resume, Bowe, Tyson, Holyfield, Klitschko.

And people wonder why I get so wound up about Lewis.

 

but even then, you would have needed him to fight a rematch with klitschko, something which lewis declined, seeing is how the frist fight ended prematurely.

 

I generally cut Lewis some slack there.

The man had been hinting at retirement since 2000.

Let's say for arguments sake Lewis of the Vitali fight was equal to Lewis of Rahman I. That Lewis had the ability to pull his head out of his arse and get back into great shape. I just don't believe 03 Lewis could do that, the desire was gone.

And in no way would I want to see Lewis getting back into the ring in that condition.

 

I have never held Lewis not rematching Vitali against him. It was just a necessary strategy for Lewis to defeat him, but exactly what needed to be done, and was carried out in just six rounds. It was the same strategy used on Briggs, Grant and Golota, only Vitali stood up better than expected because of his awkwardness.
I do however hold ducking Ruiz and Byrd against him. :yep:hey

 

understandable, then in that case, you cant consider that fight as one of his premier fights on his resume, even if lewis had fought and won bouts with tyson and bowe in the 90's.

 

WInd up merchant

But I will oblige.

Rahman - Trained for two weeks for a fight at 5,500 ft, worst Lewis ever, worse than Tyson of the Douglas fight.
McCall - I take nothing away from McCall. He knew exactly what he was doing, a great clean knock out, but that was Lewis pre Manny (Like Tyson without Cus/Rooney).

Not signing with King moved him up in my estimation, give that man a medal!

If he got his fights history would have been different.
The fight with Bowe would have been in early-mid 93 after Holyfield I.
The Tyson fight would have been after Morrison, early 96 before Holyfield.

People will always make excuses, I'm sure there's a few who'll think I am after reading this thread.

He is, but those who put him down would be far fewer in numbers.