Best 90s Heavyweight Fight That Didn't Happen But Should Have?

It's interesting that after the Jesse Ferguson fight Jim Lampley asks Rock Newman about Lennox Lewis and Newman says that they offered Lennox the fight but that he didn't take it. Now who knows if the offer was any good, perhaps Newman lowballed Lewis knowing he wouldn't take it.

But I am curious if anyone knows how those negotiations went between Bowe and Lewis after Bowe/Holy I?

 

Tyson Bowe in 95 could have been interesting as well

 

Imagine if we as boxing fans just got the top 2 polled fights - 91 Tyson/Holyfield and 93 Bowe/Lewis. No doubt the 90s would rank higher than it does not, and in fact I believe it would be close with the 70s.

91 Tyson/Holyfield
This fight would have elevated both men's stock significantly.

If Holyfield won, it would have legitimized him much sooner as a legitimate HW and a great fighter. If Tyson still goes to jail in 92, now the division looks better than it did with Holyfield (the man who has beaten Tyson) as the champ instead of the questions the division had with Tyson in jail. This also would have elevated Bowe more as well by beating Holyfield in 92.

If Tyson won, it would have been the best win of his career. Holyfield would probably even in defeat have been Mike's best fight (outside of the loss to Douglas). Holyfield would not have slinked away after losing to Tyson, considering his resiliency he still would have been a player in the division. Tyson would now have a win over a prime Holyfield which would elevate his stock enormously.

Point being, both men would be elevated from where they are now had they fought in 91. They also would have drastically improved the perception at the time as to the strength of the HW division in the early 90s.

93 Bowe/Lewis

Would have been the best, most skilled big man fight ever. Both guys would have been elevated no matter who would have won. Bowe was already thought of pretty highly having beaten Holyfield, and beating an undefeated, talented Lewis, (who had beaten him in the amateurs) would be a big win.

Had Lewis won, his stock clearly would be higher. It would be the best win of Lewis's career to have a win over a prime Bowe. Plus I'm sure a Lewis win would have meant an immediate rematch.

In any case, had the 93 fight happened, I actually think we as boxing fans would have gotten a trilogy between Bowe and Lewis.

For the record
In 93 - Bowe wins by 9th round KO (Bowe more advanced than Lewis)
In 95 - Lewis wins rematch by UD (Lewis now has Steward)
In 96 - Lewis KOs Bowe by 6th round (Bowe too faded)

The 90s could have matched the 70s had some of these fights gone off when the big 4 (Tyson, Holyfield, Bowe, Lewis) were in their primes or close