If Tyson had not ducked Lewis in the 90's and fought Lewis instead. Who you got

Yeah I said that in my first post here, twice.

I'm sure thats the version Tyson would've preferred to fight but even then he still would've been beaten soundly.

 

Tyson would have been better than he was in 2002. There again,so would Lewis. Lewis to win after six rounds or so.

 

First let me dispel the myth that Mike Tyson actually ducked Lennox Lewis. The notion around here seems to be that somehow Tyson ducked him because he felt or his camp felt that Lewis was all wrong. Not what happened.

Lewis took issue with the fact that he was stepped over by Tyson's people and that he should have been first in line to fight for Frank Bruno's WBC title instead of Mike Tyson.
It was a legal entanglement that ended in an agreement that Lewis will be rewarded $4 million for lost revenues and a promise to be next in line for the WBC title against Mike Tyson. I should add that before the $4 million was paid to Lewis a $10 million dollar offer was made to Lewis before the Mercer fight. Lewis turned it down and fought Mercer for $2 million. He also turned down a $13.5 million dollar offer a few months later.

You see Lewis' camp didn't want to give up promotional rights to King. They wanted $15M+ and no strings attached. King felt that he had all the leverage; Tyson was the draw and he had the belt. Another obstacle that a Tyson Lewis fight faced was that both fighters were contractually obligated by their networks Tyson (Showtime) and Lewis (HBO). Putting together a fight would have been a logistical nightmare even if both camps agreed on terms. There was a reason Holyfield who was fighting on HBO ended up a Showtime fighter when he got the Tyson fight.


Reading Material:
http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1996/L...Text=Tyson+Lewis+Mercer;Display_&response=no#

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960602&slug=2332515

As for the actual fight itself?

If they fought anytime before Tyson went to jail, I think Mike takes it. In 1996/1997 it's a 50/50 fight possibly 60/40 in favor of Tyson. 1998 onwards it's all Lewis.

 

Thanks for the info, IC! Will read later!

 

Pre prison Tyson wins easily, post prison, see Bruno re-match.

 

Was only a matter of time. :good

 

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Foreman Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooook!:rasta

 

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If the post prison Tyson can't beat even beat Holyfield he was NO chance at beating Lewis.

 

Tyson KO. 96 Mike slips the jab in round one and
hurts Lewis and has him stumbling. Lewis comes out
in round 2 and controls the pace with his jab and wins
the next 4 rounds. Round 6 Lewis is controlling the
clinches, then Mike hurts Lewis with an uppercut
followed by wild left hooks. TYSON KO 6

 

That he does. Not sure if Lewis were to take Tyson lightly though. Either way he always has a punchers chance though I'd always favor Lewis.

 

I agree with most of the comments on here

Except Techks, Lewis didnt school tyson when they were kids, ive heard different versions of this. Watch the Lewis/Tyson HBo doc and on there Lewis says something to the effect of, i dont ever wanna fight this guy, hes an animal

How would Lewis react to the right hand tyson rocked Holyfield with in the first round?

 

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Tyson would undoubtedly do better back in 96. While still physically very impressive the skills by this time had gone. Few combinations, didn't go to the body like he used to, head movement and fluidity almost non existent.

Lewis was still in his physical prime and was either at his peak or was about to peak in 96. Lewis would not take Tyson lightly, knowing he is still a threat, so we wouldn't see the Lewis who was so careless against Rahman.

Tyson has a punchers chance but that's it. He'd be more dangerous and would be a threat for longer than the 2002 Tyson. But I see Lewis making Tyson pay for his loss of technique and grind him down and stop him late.

 

Sometimes i wish Tyson never came back after prison, he didnt do much except make more money and end up even more broke and ruin the legacy he had built prior to prison.

Wasnt his post prison record something like 11 wins 6 losses 2 NCs or something?