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

[streetsaresafer]

So which heavyweight fight from the 90s that didn't happen did you most want to see and why? How would that fight have changed the perception of the respective fighters had it come off?

Also, post your predictions as to who you think would win the following 'what if' heavyweight fights from the 90s -

1991 - HOLYFIELD/TYSON

Thanks to Elijah Tillery injuring Tyson's ribs in a sparring session three weeks before the fight, we didn't get to see this fight in 91. To me this is the fight I would have most wanted to see, even though we got the two fights in 96/97 - this would have been a much greater fight than the good/very good fight the 96 one was (too many clinches though).

Tyson was the best Tyson there was post Rooney coming off two wins v. Ruddock and Holyfield was in his prime. Tyson was 25 years old at the time (as opposed to 30 in 96) and would have taken the undefeated Holyfield more seriously than he did in 96. Tyson would have had better stamina and thus been more competitive in the late rounds and although he had lost much of his bob and weave defensive prowess, offensively the Tyson of 91 was still there in full force.

Holyfield unquestionably was in his prime (29 years old), biggest difference between the Holy of 91 and 96 was Holy in 91 had a much better workrate. He threw more punches and used his feet more than the 96 Holy, and in 91 Holy had yet to have any stamina problems (like he showed starting in 94 on). Anyway this is my choice for for the best heavyweight fight that didn't happen but should have.

Prediction - Holyfield TKO 12th in a classic

1992 - BOWE/TYSON

This fight was actually discussed at one point - if you watch the postfight interviews of Bowe's first fight against Elijiah Tillery on Oct. 29th, 1991 - Rock Newman talks about a Bowe/Tyson bout. So let's say that the fight is signed and they agree to fight the first weekend in January of 92 (seeing as though Tyson's trial would have been an issue by the end of January/early February). This fight would have been pretty big I imagine, Tyson was still the number one draw and Bowe was undefeated. Could have been a fascinating fight. Tyson after the two Rudduck wins v. a potentially prime Bowe.

Prediction - Tyson KO 7th round

1993 - BOWE/LEWIS

This I suspect will get the most votes. Bowe was unquestionably still prime in 93 (Futch said Bowe never looked better when he fought Jesse Ferguson) and Lewis was certainly a top contender by then having destroyed Ruddock. Lewis wasn't prime yet (no Manny Steward) but nontheless would have presented some serious challenges to the champion Bowe. Anyway, a great fight that was missed. While Lewis eventually became the greater fighter, at this point I think Bowe would have had the edge.

Prediction - Bowe KO Lewis 9th round

1993 - HOLYFIELD/LEWIS

I know this one probably isn't on too many people's lists but hear me out. Lewis unquestionably was looking for respect in 93 seeing as though he won the WBC belt while on vacation. Since Rock Newman didn't want Bowe to fight Lewis at this point, why not have Lewis fight Holyfield? Holyfield has shown he was willing to fight anyone and after losing to Bowe, Holyfield wanted to be undisputed heavyweight champ of the world again. What better way than to go after Lewis's WBC belt? Anyway, I know this fight never came close to being discussed or signed but I am just throwing it out there to see if fight fans would have been interested in it.

Prediction - Holyfield UD

1995 - BOWE/LEWIS

I put this one on here because apparently they were going to fight in early 95, but unfortunatlely Lewis lost to McCall and the fight didn't come off. While the fight would have been bigger in 93 (in 93 the fight would have been for the undisputed heavyweight championship and both men were unbeaten) - it still would have been a big fight in 95, even though Bowe had now been beaten by that point. So let's say Lewis doesn't lose to McCall, but still hires Manny Steward anyway, and this fight comes off in the first part of 95.

Prediction - Lewis TKO 10th round

1996 - LEWIS/TYSON

I suspect this will get a lot of votes as well. Obviously we know that Tyson/Don King paid Lewis 4 million to step aside so Tyson could fight Bruno - but let's say that doesn't happen and instead Lewis and Tyson fight? Would have been pretty big I imagine as Tyson still had the aura of invincibility and Lewis only had the 1 defeat to McCall and certainly was a talented, if still looking for respect as the best heavyweight in 96.

Prediction - Lewis TKO 11th round

For the record, I think it would take a prime Tyson to beat a prime Lewis, and although Tyson was formidable in 96 still (much better than the shot version that eventually fought Lewis) I think since he didn't have the head movement and overall defensive skills at this point, that he'd lose (but be more competitive than he was when they actually fought).

So what say you? What was the 90s heavyweight fight you would have most wanted to see?

[BOGART]

Boy we missed out on some potential classics in the 90's. The obvious two would probably be Holy-Tyson 91 and Lewis-Bowe 93. At the time I remember being more disappointed the Bowe-Lewis fight didn't come off than the Tyson-Holyfield match. I'd have to go with Bowe and Tyson in those bouts at those times in a pair of classics. A personal pick of 90's heavyweight fights that never happened would have been Moorer-Morrison. It wouldn't have been as big nor at the level as the ones listed but I always felt that would have been as entertaining as any heavyweight fight that could have been made.

[Boricua - TLH]

I think Tyson/Douglas was the best 90's fight...

[Boricua - TLH]

I think Tyson/Douglas was the best 90's fight...

This kind of stuff happens when you don't read the full title of the post befor posting... :) My bad!

[ironchamp]

IMO ranking these fights in order:

1. Tyson Holyfield 1991
2. Bowe Lewis 1993
3. Tyson Bowe 1992
4. Tyson Lewis 1996
5. Bowe Lewis 1995
6. Holyfield Lewis 1993

on a side note

Morrison Moorer 1994
Tua Mercer 1996
Lewis Ibeabuchi 1999 (although 2000 would have been more likely)
Holyfield Ruddock 1992

[Titan1]

Definitely Bowe-Lewis.

[Icemmann]

Foreman Holmes

[Muchmoore]

Tyson-Bowe for me. Would of answered a lot of questions about both fighters.

[Mendoza]

We saw some good matches in the 1990's. Lewis vs Bowe was grand event we missed.

Others big nights that never were included Morrison vs Bowe, Morrer vs Morrison, Mercer vs Tyson, Ike vs Lewis, and Foreman vs Holmes.

[Bill1234]

Foreman-Holmes definately should have happened. I think it would have been interesting in 1992.

[ironchamp]

Foreman-Holmes definately should have happened. I think it would have been interesting in 1992.

Actually that is one I would have loved to see.

Personally I thought Holmes would have beaten him from 1977- onwards.

[Bill1234]

Actually that is one I would have loved to see.

Personally I thought Holmes would have beaten him from 1977- onwards.

Same here. I think Larry would have had a shot in 76 too. In 75 and back, I don't think he had enough fights to learn to fight a wild slugger like Foreman. Although, I do Foreman would know that he is in a fight.

[ironchamp]

Same here. I think Larry would have had a shot in 76 too. In 75 and back, I don't think he had enough fights to learn to fight a wild slugger like Foreman. Although, I do Foreman would know that he is in a fight.

76 may have been a stretch as Holmes was still green. But '77 till 1997 Holmes all the way.

[Holmes' Jab]

Lewis vs Tyson, 1996. This would have been fireworks. :good

[Doppleganger]

It's Bowe v Lewis for me, then one less excuse for the Lewis haters would be wiped away. :good

For my money Lewis beats any version of Tyson or Holyfield so whilst interesting those fights are not as significant. I also think that Holyfield beats any version of Tyson.

Bowe v Tyson would have been interesting as well, though I think that I would fancy Tyson because Bowe's defence resembled a blown safe at times.

[Holmes' Jab]

It's Bowe v Lewis for me, then one less excuse for the Lewis haters would be wiped away. :good

For my money Lewis beats any version of Tyson or Holyfield so whilst interesting those fights are not as significant. I also think that Holyfield beats any version of Tyson.

Bowe v Tyson would have been interesting as well, though I think that I would fancy Tyson because Bowe's defence resembled a blown safe at times.

Regarding your first point that would been the obvious choice given the fact Bowe blatently dodged Lewis, though I personally feel Lewis would have always had Bowes number.

I can't say the same with certainty regarding Lewis vs Tyson. I think Tyson vs Lewis years before their actual fight would have been a belter. A 50/50 fight. :yep

Holyfield beats any version of Tyson from '91 onwards, before that it's a toss up (Tyson early, Holyfield late?)

Bowe had the potential tools to pose Tyson definite problems, however his vunerable mentality and leaky defense would likely cost him in this one.

:good

[BoppaZoo]

Tyson vs Holyfield in 1991 was the fight i wanted.

Why because this is when i think Tyson would have busted Evander a new asshole. 1996 was to late for this fight to mean anything.

[streetsaresafer]

bump

[mochabuzz]

Morrison vs Tyson 1990-1
Ruddock vs Holyfield 1992
Mercer vs Holyfield 1992
& the wildCARD:
Joe Hipp vs Ray Mercer (battle of the IRON CHINS)

[mochabuzz]

Tyson vs Holyfield in 1991 was the fight i wanted.

Why because this is when i think Tyson would have busted Evander a new asshole. 1996 was to late for this fight to mean anything.
:-( I can't see Tyson (who was a HEADhunter at that point) beating Evander in 1991. Holyfield would not have fought Tyson the same way he fought Bert Cooper.
However, i think tyson-holyfield in 1991 would have been an awesome match (i even have a promo t-shirt from the fight that never happend)

[streetsaresafer]

Appears that Holyfield/Tyson in 1991 and Bowe/Lewis in 1993 are by far the two most wanted heavyweight fights from the 90s that didn't happen. Incidentally, they are the 2 fights I would have wanted to see the most as well.

On the classic forum here, Holyfield/Tyson in 91 up by a vote
On the general forum, Bowe/Lewis in 93 is up by a few votes

[Rollo]

All of them.

[Bigcat]

Moorer v Hide in 94 would have been interesting...........

Holyfield v McCall............

[ChrisPontius]

Holyfield/Tyson (1991) and Bowe/Lewis are clear voting favorites.

I would like both matches about equally, but the fact that we did saw Tyson vs Holyfield when both were still very good (in my opinion), made me vote for Lewis/Bowe since we only saw them as amatures.

[streetsaresafer]

Yeah it's a shame these fights didn't come off. I really think the 90s could have potentially matched or possibly exceeded the golden age of the 70s had we gotten most of these fights. We also would have a much better idea as to who was the best of the big 4 - Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis, or Bowe.

If only Tyson was acquitted and Bowe (Rock Newman's fault mostly I think) was willing to fight Lewis things would have been much more interesting.

[streetsaresafer]

bump

[streetsaresafer]

Looks like Holyfield Tyson 91 wins it by a nose over Bowe Lewis 93

I think had just those 2 fights happened (Tyson-Holy 91 and Bowe-Lewis 93) the stock of all 4 of those fighters would be higher and the 90s heavies would be seen as perhaps challenging the 70s as the best era of heavyweights

[Dempsey1238]

I think Lewis beats Bowe no matter when they fought in the 1990's though. Mostly because Lewis held a win over Bowe in the ATM's. I expect and in good faith, Lewis would have repeated this feat.

[The Kurgan]

Bowe and Lewis in 1995. I've been watching a bit of Bowe recently, and I've forgotten how entertaining a fighter he was.

[ironchamp]

Bowe and Lewis in 1995. I've been watching a bit of Bowe recently, and I've forgotten how entertaining a fighter he was.

Bowe Lewis in 1995 would have been all Lewis.

1993 was a different story.

[streetsaresafer]

I agree with Ironchamp on Bowe/Lewis

In 95 - Lewis would take it
Lewis was now with Manny Steward, he had tightened up his jab and defense, and essentially had turned into a complete fighter by 95. Lewis in 95 was a great heavyweight, instead of the raw but nonetheless good/formidable Lewis pre 95.
Bowe was still pretty strong in 95 (see Gonzales fight) and he would have been competitive, but I'd take Lewis because he's the more complete fighter at this point.

In 93 - Bowe takes it
Bowe was significantly more advanced than Lewis in 93. Bowe was prime, Lewis was not. Lewis was still fairly raw in 93, he liked to bomb with his right hand, and he was a big talented guy but he had not harnessed his skills yet. He pawed way too much with his jab, his defense was not as tight, and he just was a sloppier fighter than Bowe at this point.

Bowe in 92-93 was a pretty complete fighter, a guy who would give most ATG heavies a real challenge. He was a fabulous in fighter for a guy his size, he had a great left jab when he used it, he threw a really good crisp right hand, could go 12 hard rounds, had an excellent chin, and had some real heart. His only weakness was that he could no doubt be hit fairly easily, but again he could take a punch, and that was partly a product of the fact he fought such an aggressive style. A 93 Bowe would actually occassionally slip a punch or block a punch, he bobbed and weaved now and again, where as by 95 I'd say that Bowe's defensive skills (while never that strong), had deteriorated. So I am pretty confident that Bowe would have won in 93.

Damn these fights should have happened. I think we would have gotten a trilogy from these 2 had the first fight happened in 93. They would have been the best, most skilled, big man's fight in HW history. The public would have wanted to see them fight again after a great fight in 93.

I think Bowe would have won the 1st fight in 93 by 9th round KO.
Lewis would have won the rematch in 95 by a competitive but clear UD.
And then in 96, Lewis would have knocked Bowe out in the rubber match pretty easily by the 6th round (Bowe too far deterioted here).

So Lewis would have won the trilogy 2-1, but what a great trilogy it would have been. It would have elevated both guy's stock.

I think both a Holyfield Tyson fight somewhere from 89-91, and a Bowe/Lewis trilogy from 93-96 would have elevated the 90s heavies right there with the 70s heavies for all time eras. (in addition to having the Bowe/Holyfield trilogy the same as before).