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| Date | October 7, 1995 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Venue | Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | IBC Heavyweight Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Result | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lewis defeated Morrison via 6th round technical knockout | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lennox Lewis vs. Tommy Morrison , billed as "Laying It All on the Line", was a professional boxing match contested on October 7, 1995 for the IBC heavyweight championship. [1]
A Lennox Lewis–Tommy Morrison fight had been in the making for two years. During Lewis' first reign as WBC Heavyweight Champion, he and Morrison, who was fresh off a victory over George Foreman that made him the WBO Heavyweight Champion, were able to reach an agreement that would see Lewis make the fourth defense of his title against Morrison, with both men evenly splitting a $16 million purse. [2] However, the bout was cancelled after Morrison lost to the virtually unknown Michael Bentt. Bentt brutalized Morrison in the first round of their WBO Championship fight, gaining three knockdowns on Morrison en route to a first round knockout victory. [3] Lewis, meanwhile, made his next defense against fringe-contender Phil Jackson instead, eventually winning by knockout in the eighth round. Lewis then moved on the face the WBC's number one contender Oliver McCall, but in one of boxing's biggest upsets, McCall earned the upset victory by knocking Lewis out in the second round with a quick right hand. Lewis attempted to quickly gain a rematch with McCall, offering the champion a $10 million payday, but McCall refused the offer. As such, Lewis was forced to look elsewhere and met the WBC's number two contender Lionel "The Train" Butler in the first match of his comeback, easily picking up the victory with a fifth round knockout. After facing a bevy of unknowns and fighting to a draw with journeyman Ross Puritty, Morrison was able to get back in contention with a knockout victory over fellow heavyweight contender Donovan "Razor" Ruddock. Following this, Morrison was scheduled to meet former Undisputed Heavyweight Champion Riddick Bowe for Bowe's WBO Heavyweight title, but Bowe pulled out after obtaining a more lucrative fight with Evander Holyfield. [4] Shortly after the cancellation of the Bowe–Morrison fight, Lewis and Morrison were able to reach an agreement to face one another during the fall of 1995 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. [5]
Both fighters fought a conservative first round with neither man establishing much power-wise, but Lewis was able to effectively and efficiently use his signature left-jab to keep Morrison on the defensive and had little trouble with Morrison from the second round onwards. Lewis continued to use that strategy in the second, but as the second minute of the round came to a close, Morrison attacked Lewis with a combination to the body that he followed up with a strong right hand. Lewis was able to dodge Morrison's attempt and countered with a quick left hook that caused Morrison to briefly fall on one knee, causing referee Mills Lane to rule it a knockdown after which Morrison had to take a mandatory standing eight count. The punch also opened a cut above Morrison's right eye that would hinder him for the rest of the fight. Lewis continued to effectively use his left hand in round three, outboxing Morrison to win his third consecutive round. Morrison rebounded with a strong fourth round, winning the round on two of the judge's scorecards. Lewis, however, regained control of the fight in the fifth and was able to gain a second knockdown of Morrison towards the end of the round with a right uppercut that again caused Morrison to fall on one knee. Morrison was able to answer the referee's count and hung on to survive the remainder of the round. Though his right eye was now almost completely shut and he was now well behind Lewis on the scorecards due to the two knockdowns, Morrison and his corner decided to continue on with fight, hoping that Morrison could finally surprise Lewis with his dangerous left hook and possibly score a knockout victory like he had in his previous fight against Ruddock. Lewis, however, continued to dominate the exhausted Morrison and dropped Morrison to the canvas for the third time 50 seconds into the round. Morrison again answered the referee's count, but Lewis continued his assault and was able to score the deciding knockdown around 30 seconds later with a strong left hook. Lane gave Morrison another standing eight count, but as Morrison was clearly in no condition to continue, decided to stop the fight and Lewis was rewarded with the third consecutive technical knockout victory of his comeback. [6]
In February 1996 Morrison was tested positive for HIV by Nevada Athletic Commission which ended his career at the elite level of boxing, [7] with his final professional fight in the 1990s, to raise funds for the Knockout AIDS Foundation, a TKO victory against Marcus Rhode in November 1996. [8]
Lewis would go on to face another former WBO beltholder in Ray Mercer who he beat by a razor thin majority decision, before signing to finally face long time rival Riddick Bowe in a non title fight due to be held in September 1996. [9]
Confirmed bouts: [10]
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | Sky Sports |
 United States | HBO |
Lennox Claudius Lewis is a boxing commentator and former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2003. He is a three-time world heavyweight champion, a two-time lineal champion, and the last heavyweight to hold the undisputed championship. Holding dual British and Canadian citizenship, Lewis represented Canada as an amateur at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics; in the latter, he won a gold medal in the super-heavyweight division.
Tommy Morrison was an American professional boxer and mixed martial artist who competed from 1988 to 2009. Best known for his left hook and formidable punching power, Morrison won the WBO heavyweight title in 1993 with a unanimous decision victory over George Foreman. He lost the title in his second defense to Michael Bentt that same year. Morrison's other boxing highlights include his fight with Ray Mercer in 1991, and with Donovan Ruddock in 1995. Morrison is also known for his acting career, having starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in the 1990 film Rocky V as Tommy Gunn. He retired from boxing in 1996 after testing positive for HIV.
Riddick Lamont Bowe is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1989 and 2008. He held the undisputed world heavyweight championship in 1992, and won the super heavyweight silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Donovan "Razor" Ruddock is a Jamaican-born Canadian former professional boxer who competed from 1982 to 2001 and in 2015. He is known for his two fights against Mike Tyson in 1991, a fight against Lennox Lewis in 1992, and a fight with Tommy Morrison in 1995. Ruddock was also known for his exceptionally heavy punching; some of the best examples of his left hand and overall power was his knockouts of former WBA heavyweight champions James Smith in 1989, Michael Dokes in 1990, and Greg Page in 1992. His favoured weapon at the ring proved to be a highly versatile half-hook, half-uppercut left-handed punch he called "The Smash" which accounted for the majority of his knockout wins -- it also happened to be his major downside throughout his career. Being a left-handed puncher fighting out of the orthodox stance, he didn't throw a single right hand during most knockout flurries.
Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe was a professional boxing match that took place on November 13, 1992 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight was contested for the undisputed world heavyweight championship, which consisted of the WBA, WBC, and IBF championships.
Riddick Bowe vs. Evander Holyfield III, billed as "The Final Chapter", was a professional boxing match contested on November 4, 1995. The non-title match marked the third and final fight in the Bowe–Holyfield trilogy.
Mike Tyson vs. Donovan Ruddock II, billed as The Rematch, was a professional boxing match contested on June 28, 1991. It was the second time the two fighters fought that year, as their first bout in March was mired in controversy.
Riddick Bowe vs. Michael Dokes, billed as The Homecoming, was a professional boxing match contested on February 6, 1993 for the WBA and IBF heavyweight championships. The fight emanated from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.
Herbie Hide vs. Riddick Bowe was a professional boxing match contested on March 11, 1995, for the World Boxing Organization Heavyweight Championship. The bout took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada, and was televised by HBO. Hide was making the first defense of the title he had won from Michael Bentt in a fight that resulted in Bentt suffering career ending injuries while Bowe was trying to find his way back into the world championship picture sixteen months after he lost his place as champion to Evander Holyfield. Bowe defeated Hide in the 6th round.
Riddick Bowe vs. Jorge Luis González, billed as "Mortal Enemies", was a professional boxing match contested on June 17, 1995 for the WBO Heavyweight Championship.
Lennox Lewis vs. Donovan Ruddock, billed as "The Fight for the Right" was a professional boxing match contested on 31 October 1992. The fight was a WBC heavyweight title "eliminator", with the winner scheduled to challenge the winner of the Evander Holyfield–Riddick Bowe championship bout held two weeks later. In addition, Lewis' Commonwealth heavyweight title was also on the line.
Lennox Lewis vs. Tony Tucker, billed as Star Spangled Glory, was a heavyweight professional boxing match contested between WBC champion Lennox Lewis and the WBC's number one ranked contender Tony Tucker. The bout took place on May 8, 1993 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Lewis retained his WBC title via unanimous decision.
Lennox Lewis vs. Phil Jackson was a professional boxing match contested on May 6, 1994 for the WBC Heavyweight Championship.
Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha, billed as The Homecoming, was a heavyweight professional boxing match contested between WBC, IBF, and IBO champion Lennox Lewis and the WBC's #9 ranked contender Francois Botha. The bout took place on 15 July 2000 at the London Arena in England. Lewis defeated Botha via second-round technical knockout to retain his heavyweight titles.
Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua, billed as Royal Rampage, was a professional boxing match contested on November 11, 2000 for the WBC, IBF, and IBO heavyweight championships.
Lennox Lewis vs. Ray Mercer, billed as "One Big Night", was a professional boxing match contested on May 10, 1996.
Ray Mercer vs. Tommy Morrison, billed as "Test of Courage", was a professional boxing match contested on October 18, 1991 for the WBO Heavyweight Championship.
Tommy Morrison vs. Michael Bentt, billed as "The Tulsa Shootout", was a professional boxing match contested on October 29, 1993 for the WBO Heavyweight Championship.
George Foreman vs. Tommy Morrison, billed as the Star-Spangled Battle, was a professional boxing match contested between George Foreman and Tommy Morrison on June 7, 1993, for the vacant World Boxing Organization Heavyweight Championship.
Lionel Butler is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2010. He is best known for his 1995 fight with Lennox Lewis, but also faced world champions Tony Tubbs, James Smith, Chris Byrd, and Oliver McCall. Though he never held or challenged for a world title from any of the main four sanctioning bodies outside of his eliminator bout with Lewis, he won the vacant IBO heavyweight title in 1993 and unsuccessfully challenged for the title again against Brian Neilson in 1998.