Riddick Bowe vs. Lennox Lewis Never Happened; Will Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao Suffer the Same Fate?
On November 13, 1992, Riddick Bowe shut the mouths of his critics when he became heavyweight champion of the world by defeating Evander Holyfield in convincing fashion. The late Eddie Futch, who had guided Bowe to the heavyweight title had also trained great fighters like Larry Holmes and Michael Spinks, exclaimed Bowe would be his best heavyweight champion. With Mike Tyson then being incarcerated for a rape conviction, the public was salivating for a mega fight in the heavyweight division. The only other fighter who appeared to pose a threat to the new champion was an old rival from Bowe’s amateur days, Olympic Gold medalist Lennox Lewis.
It took a prime Mike Tyson two fights for a total of 18 round to dispatch a tough and dangerous opponent named Razor Ruddock, whereas it took Lewis two rounds to destroy Ruddock in impressive fashion. Bowe made his first defense against former champion Michael Dokes and knocked him out in one round. The media and fans called for a fight between Lewis and Bowe. Negotiations between the Bowe and Lewis camps had stalled prior to the Dokes fight.
Rock Newman, who represented Bowe, wanted no part of a Lewis fight. His dream fight was a Bowe-Tyson fight which at the time was at least three years from realistically take place even, if it would happen at all, because Tyson was serving between 3-6 years for a rape conviction. Newman projected that was a potential $100 million fight. There was a reported $25 million dollars for a Bowe-Lewis fight on the table, and Newman offered Lewis only $3 million. Lewis’s representatives flat out refused the offer.
Then Newman and Bowed defended themselves to the public and media by saying Lewis didn’t want to fight and was ducking Bowe. So what happened? Eventually Bowe lost to Holyfield. Then there was the two-fight debacle against Andre Golota, with Golota managing to get himself disqualified both times. After that, Bowe’s career was essentially over. There was a $100 million fight when Tyson was paroled, but Newman, Bowe, and Main Events didn’t see a penny of it. That fight was between Tyson and Lewis on June 8, 2002.
Failed Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Negotiations
This sounds all the more familiar today when one considers the negotiations between Mayweather and Pacquiao. These two fighters have been negotiating for the past couple of years to fight each other, and the financial pot for this fight is even bigger now than two years ago because both fighters have continued two win their respective fights. With all the money involved why can’t the fight get signed?
Bob Arum of Top Rank, states that it makes financial sense to hold the match-up in a “temporary outdoor stadium” in late May instead of May 5, 2012 because it will bring in an additional estimated $30 million dollars in gate receipts, instead of the MGM grand which will bring in approximately half of that revenue.
Mayweather and his cohorts have alleged Pacquiao has used illegal steroids to move up in weight classes and defeat bigger, stronger opponents. Pacquiao and his camp have countered with a multimillion defamation lawsuit which, despite Mayweather’s legal team’s efforts to have it dismissed, is still pending in court. Mayweather will want the defamation suit withdrawn by Pacquiao and his camp in order for the proposed fight to take place, and meanwhile, Pacquiao has agreed to Mayweather’s demand for “Olympic style testing” once the fight is signed, during training, up until the day of the fight, and after. What’s wrong with that?
What’s wrong is maybe people are right regarding certain people not wanting to see Pacquiao-Mayweather become a reality. Freddie Roach has said Mayweather wants to retire undefeated. He doesn’t want to risk his perfect record against Pacquiao. Teddy Atlas of Friday Night Fights has said Arum doesn’t want to see the fight either. That makes sense because Arum is making too much money having Pacquiao fight the Clottey’s, Margarito’s, and Cotto’s of the world, all other fighters he promoters.
Some say Arum is delighted with the failed negotiations – and is playing a strong part in that outcome – and is moving to secure an early June fight for Pacquiao. He is telling the public they will try to once again negotiate with the Mayweather camp for a November fight. What’s wrong with that?
What’s wrong with that is that it’s always later for a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight. Just like Bowe vs. Lewis, what if Pacquiao and/or Mayweather lose their next bouts? They are only human. That is why this writer believes this fight must be made in late May 2012.
Both fighters, risk losing an enormous amount of money by fighting other opponents instead of each other. Because of alleged other agendas, egos, playing it as safe as possible, and all the other associated BS with the negotiations for this fight, people can’t behave like adults and work out a deal that is agreeable to both side.
So when there’s talk of Pacquiao vs. Mayweather this writer is very apprehensive because it reminds me a lot Lewis vs. Bowe.
