A former world champion claims that Lennox Lewis once admitted he should have retired with three defeats on his professional record.
‘The Lion’ is considered one of the all-time greatest heavyweights, retiring in 2003 after having avenged his only two losses against Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman.
Lewis also enjoyed a successful rematch with Evander Holyfield, who had somehow retained his world titles with a controversial draw in their first encounter.
Later that year in 1999, though, Lewis managed to become the undisputed heavyweight champion with a unanimous decision victory, maintaining his lineal status until ending his career with a sixth-round finish over Vitali Klitschko.
It was back in 1996, however, that many felt the Brit should have suffered another defeat, this time against Ray Mercer, who had briefly held the WBO title in 1991.
The American ultimately vacated his belt and was defeated by Larry Holmes the following year, before losing a 10-round unanimous decision to Holyfield in 1995.
‘Merciless’ then faced Lewis in a battle between two Olympic gold medallists, this time suffering a highly contentious 10-round majority decision defeat.
Speaking with James Slater, Mercer insisted that even Lewis doubts he deserved to win their contest.
“Yeah, I won that fight, man. He admitted it to me. He knows, a fighter knows. I won that fight. He said to me, ‘I know you won’. I told him, ‘Where’s my half of your cheque!’
“He said okay. Every time I see him, I tell him I’m still waiting! They were setting him up to fight [Mike] Tyson. So that’s what happened, that’s why they gave him the victory.”
As it happened, Lewis did not end up facing Mike Tyson until 2002, when he secured an eighth-round stoppage victory.
Instead, it was his rematch with McCall, who he stopped for the WBC title, that followed the Mercer controversy.
