Lennox Lewis' IBF belt

HOGBEAR · Post by **HOGBEAR** » 13 May 2004, 14:05

Lennox Lewis' IBF belt disappears from his record without explanation. It should be noted how that belt was lost—i.e., whether he vacated to avoid fighting Chris Byrd, or whether he was stripped for failing to fight Chris Byrd.

Todd Hodgson · Post by **Todd Hodgson** » 06 Jun 2004, 19:19

Unfortunately this article is no longer dated, but the reason is clear:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2 ... belt_x.htm

Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis vacated the IBF title Thursday because he is not interested in facing mandatory challenger Chris Byrd and also because he said the public doesn't want to see the fight either. Lewis' decision to vacate the IBF title was made easier when promoter Don King — seeking to put Byrd and Evander Holyfield together to fight for the vacant belt — paid Lewis $1 million and gave him a sports utility vehicle to give up the title. King and Lewis met in Ghana last weekend at the engagement ceremony of a mutual friend, where they made the deal.

"Prior to today, my team and I had already determined that there was no public interest in a Lennox Lewis-Chris Byrd bout," Lewis said in a statement. "My decision was also based upon the fact that I believe, as I have said repeatedly, that Chris Byrd offers no competitive challenge to me. The fact is that the champion makes the belt important, not the other way around. Accordingly, in light of a court order and an IBF ruling that would have required me to fight a meaningless fight against Chris Byrd in order to keep the IBF belt, I had no choice but to vacate. As I have recently stated, the world has yet to see the best of Lennox Lewis."

Todd Hodgson · Post by **Todd Hodgson** » 08 Jun 2004, 12:03

I put the following note in the MIKE TYSON entry in Lewis' record:

"Lewis vacated the IBF title after this fight to avoid fighting mandatory challenger Chris Byrd."

If anyone thinks it should go in the Vitali entry, please let me know. I can see an argument for either way.

mrbassie · Post by **mrbassie** » 09 Jun 2004, 22:12

He vacated before fighting Tyson I believe.

Todd Hodgson · Post by **Todd Hodgson** » 09 Jun 2004, 23:16

mrbassie wrote:He vacated before fighting Tyson I believe.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/b ... _lewis_ap/

Lewis topples Tyson

Champ retains heavyweight titles with eighth-round KO
Posted: Sunday June 09, 2002 12:05 AM

Lennox Lewis looms over Mike Tyson after knocking him out in the eighth round. AP

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Lennox Lewis showed the bully who was boss.

Using a masterful left jab and landing his right hand at will, Lewis battered a befuddled Mike Tyson before stopping him with a crashing right hand in the eighth round to keep his heavyweight titles Saturday night.

[...] Lewis, the IBF and WBC champion, had vowed to beat Tyson to restore order to the heavyweight division.