Rated Higher - Foreman Or Lewis?

"The Lion" I think.

 

Lewis didn’t take 10 years off in the middle of his career and so was able to rack up more run-of-the-mill sanctioning body title defenses. He wouldn’t have been capable of regaining the lineal title at nearly 46 yrs old, that’s for sure.

 

Getting decisioned by Morrison is worse than getting sparked by Rahman or McCall imo. Anyone can be caught, losing a clear decision says more about your ability

 

Sure, that's arguable. But Foreman was ancient, 44 years old.

 

I guess I've just always had a hard time giving older fighters credit for their wins but ignoring the losses due to age. Foremans comeback and winning a belt at 45 is an incredible feat that I doubt will be accomplished again, but I have to give Lewis resume the edge due to depth and being a dominant champ.

 

Hello Rummy,

Yes, I was referring to the $4M pay-off to Lewis for him to step aside, in '96, and allow Tyson to fight Seldon. But the reference I made to this occurrence was more in relation to how King had instigated the deal, after making blatantly desperate attempts to prevent Tyson going in with Lewis, only to then make out to the press that it was Lewis, who did not want the fight. Moreover, Lewis was blamed for Tyson having to relinquish the WBC belt, even though this outcome was only contingent on King/Tyson deciding not to fight Lewis, after they got past Seldon.

With that said and in relation to the points you make, I think I might have a slightly different perspective on the respective Bowe and Tyson opportunities - such that I doubt the promise of a Bowe fight was ever was part of a step-aside deal involving King and Tyson.

It is true that Lewis-Bowe was considered a possibility and being talked about, during late '95. Although, Newman had dropped Golota's name into the mix the day after Holyfield III and, with Lewis under the same Main Events banner as Golota, he had the inside track that the Duvas (Lou & Dino) were going to be pursuing Bowe-Golota. In addition to this, Bowe had contractual issues with HBO and with there being some doubt as to if and when Bowe would be available to fight, Lewis turned his attention to Bruno, who'd most recently beaten McCall for the WBC strap.

It was at this point the shenanigans with King and Tyson commenced. King's influence brought Tyson to the front of that queue to fight Bruno (for less money than the Lewis camp had offered Frank), despite the WBC having promised Lewis the shot. A court (in NJ, I think) eventually ruled that Lewis would fight the winner of Bruno-Tyson. Tyson won but, when push came to shove, King was just never going to let Tyson in with Lewis.

He tried all manner of tricks until he got around the court's ruling, by declaring that Tyson would fight Seldon, but would not be defending the WBC belt. Lewis threatened to sue and that's when King offered the compensation.

The problem for Lewis was that the case was going to take time (months) to be heard and King was prepared to contest it all the way. And, there was no guarantee Lewis would win in the courts of appeals.

Lewis turned down two offers from King, before the figure of $4M was reached and, again, this money was only paying for Tyson's right to fight Seldon for WBA title, before meeting Lewis. All of this was decided before Bowe and Golota finally met in July '96, by which time Lewis had already moved on, beaten Mercer and couldn't have known for sure how Bowe-Golota was going to turn out.

To the best of my knowledge, Tyson only vacated the WBC title (as had been expected he would), a couple of weeks or so after the Seldon fight was over, in late September '96. Lewis might well have harbored some hope for a Bowe match, after Bowe-Golota (I), but I don't think this possibility would have played any part in Lewis' outlook on the Tyson fight eluding him.

That's my recollection and take. Though, I'm prepared to be corrected on any of the above, if there are records, which speak to the contrary.