Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson

Infobox Boxingmatch
fight date=June 8, 2002
Fight Name=Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson
fighter1=flagicon|UK Lennox Lewis
nickname1=The Lion
record1=39-2-1 (30 KO)
hometown1=London, England
recognition1=WBC/IBO/IBF Heavyweight Champion
fighter2=flagicon|US Mike Tyson
nickname2=Iron Mike
record2=49-3 (43 KO)
hometown2=Phoenix, Arizona
recognition2=
titles=WBC/IBO/IBF Heavyweight Champion

Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson is a boxing match that took place on June 8, 2002, at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee, between "WBC, IBO and IBF" heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and former "WBC, WBA and IBF" heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. The fight was for Lewis' Heavyweight championship titles. Lewis defeated Tyson by knockout in the eighth round.

General information

The referee for the fight was Eddie Cotton, making it his 20th World title bout. Alfred Buqwana of South Africa, Anek Hongtongkam of Thailand and Bob Logist of Belgium judged the contest, both the WBC and the Tennessee Athletic Commission wanted judges from different continents.cite news
title=Cotton to officiate Lewis-Tyson
date=2002-05-27
publisher=BBC Sport
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/specials/lewis_v_tyson_fight/2003338.stm
accessdate = 2007-04-25] Lewis weighed in at 249.25lb and Tyson at 234lb.

The fight was a pay-per-view shown on HBO in the United States and on Sky Box Office in the United Kingdom. It was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the USA, until it was surpassed by De La Hoya vs. Mayweather in 2007.cite news
first=R. Thomas
last=Umstead
title=HBO Rings In A PPV Knockout
date=2007-05-14
publisher=Variety Group
url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/specials/lewis_v_tyson_fight/2003338.stm
accessdate = 2007-04-25]

However, the ticket sales were slowcite news
title=Big fight facing big turn-off
date=2002-06-03
publisher=BBC Sport
url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/specials/lewis_v_tyson_fight/2023549.stm
accessdate = 2007-04-25] because they were priced as high as $2,400, but a crowd of 15,327 turned up to see the biggest sporting event ever in the city of Memphis, Tennessee.

The fight was originally scheduled for April 6, 2002 in Las Vegas. However, Las Vegas rejected the fight and several other states refused Tyson a license before Memphis finally bid $12 million in order to host the fight.

In attendance were such stars as Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, Tom Cruise, Britney Spears, Clint Eastwood, Ben Affleck, Hugh Hefner, Halle Berry, Richard Gere, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, LL Cool J, Wesley Snipes, Kevin Bacon, Chris Webber and fellow heavyweight boxer Evander Holyfield.cite news
title=Muddy marvellous in Memphis
date=2002-06-06
publisher=BBC Sport
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/specials/lewis_v_tyson_fight/2030465.stm
accessdate=2008-06-21]

Press conference brawl

On January 22, 2002, a brawl involving the two boxers and their entourages occurred at a press conference held in New York to publicise the bout.

Tyson went on stage at the Hudson Theatre and stared in the direction of where Lewis was to appear. As soon as Lewis appeared, Tyson quickly walked toward him. One of Lewis’ bodyguards pushed Tyson, before he threw a left hook in the bodyguard’s direction.

The two boxers rolled on the floor with personnel from both camps getting involved.

During the melee WBC president Jose Sulaiman was knocked out when he hit his head on the table. He later filed a $56 million lawsuit against Lewis and Tyson for injuries caused in the scuffle. Sulaiman claims he was spat on and Tyson threatened to kill him, when he got up after being knocked out.cite news
title= Tyson brawl sparks $56m lawsuit
date=2002-08-03
publisher=BBC Sport
url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/specials/lewis_v_tyson_fight/2169825.stm
accessdate = 2007-04-25]

Lewis’ promoter, Gary Shaw claimed he was hit several times during the brawl as well.

Tyson later admitted to biting Lewis' leg and had to pay him $335,000.

Following the brawl Tyson came to the edge of the podium, and issued a minute-long profanity-laden tirade towards freelance journalist Mark Malinowski, who suggested that Tyson should be put in a straitjacket.cite news
title= Writer Lost His Head Seeing Tyson's Antics
date=2002-01-24
publisher=The New York Times
url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E00E7D91E3BF937A15752C0A9649C8B63
accessdate = 2008-06-16] cite news
title= White like me
date=2002-01-30
publisher=Sports Illustrated
url =http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/magazine/life_of_reilly/news/2002/01/30/life_of_reilly/
accessdate = 2008-06-16] cite news
title= NEWS REPORT: Tyson-Lewis fight on press conference
date=2002-01-30
publisher=CNN Sports
url =http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb8nxSl3UlM
accessdate = 2008-06-16]

The brawl at the press conference for this fight was named "The Ring" magazine "Event of the Year" for 2002.

The Fight

Tyson and Lewis came out jabbing away. Lewis managed to land two right uppercuts before Tyson missed with a wild left hook. With just under a minute left in the first round, Tyson landed a great left hook. Lewis then holds Tyson pushing him into the ropes and lands another jab.

During the second round, Cotton warns Lewis twice, firstly for throwing an elbow at Tyson and then for holding. Lewis landed a number of punches on Tyson, including three powerful uppercuts.

As the third round opens Tyson headbutted Lewis, however, Lewis manages to cut Tyson on his right later in the round.

Again Tyson rushes out in the fourth round and Lewis lands two jabs before landing a big right. With 10 seconds left in the round Lewis lands a couple of punches on Tyson who goes down. Referee, Cotton rules it a slip and deducts a point from Lewis for pushing Tyson down. Tyson’s face has started to swell.

Cotton stopped the fight and talks to Lewis again in the fifth round about pushing. Tyson struggled to land a punch on the champion.

Tyson had cuts above both eyes, and late in the seventh round Lewis puts Tyson off balance landing a heavy right hook. Lewis dominated the round, landing 31 punches compared to Tyson’s four.

In the eighth and final round, Tyson is knocked down after a lethal uppercut from Lewis. Lewis pushes Tyson down, but does him a favor. Tyson lies on his back on the canvas, he is counted out by the referee as he tries to get up.cite news
title= Round-by-Round Update
date=2002-06-08
publisher=Sports Illustrated
url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/boxing/2002/lewis_tyson/roundbyround/
accessdate = 2007-04-25] cite news
title= Round-by-round: Lewis v Tyson
date=2002-06-08
publisher=BBC Sport
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/specials/lewis_v_tyson_fight/2033873.stm
accessdate = 2007-04-25]

Aftermath

A month later, Lewis vacated the IBF title deciding not to fight Chris Byrd, who was the mandatory challenger.cite news
title= Lewis gives up IBF belt
date=2002-09-06
publisher=BBC Sport
url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/2239685.stm
accessdate = 2007-04-25]

The fight was named Ring Magazine Knockout of the Year for 2002.

References

External links