Lennox Lewis out American contender Lionel Butler. However, at the behest of promoter Don King, the WBC bypassed him and gave Mike Tyson the first chance at the title recently won by Briton Frank Bruno from Oliver McCall. Bruno had previously lost to both Lewis and Tyson. Lewis had the number 1 contender's slot in the WBC rankings when he knocked out Australian Justin Fortune, then defeated former WBO Champion Tommy Morrison in October 1995, followed by Olympic gold medalist and former WBO champion Ray Mercer in a close majority decision in May 1996. Lewis successfully sued to force Tyson to make
Mike Tyson vs. Buster Mathis Jr. Mathis was unable to answer the referee's 10 count and Tyson was awarded the victory via knockout. After his victory over Mathis, Tyson's promoter officially announced that he would receive his first Heavyweight title fight against WBC Heavyweight Champion Frank Bruno in March 1996. Tyson and Bruno had previously met in 1989 with Tyson's Undisputed Heavyweight Championship on the line. Tyson dominated Bruno for the entire duration of that fight before knocking him out in the fifth round. In the rematch, Tyson again dominated Bruno, this time knocking him out in the third round to capture the WBC Heavyweight title.