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
Lennox Lewis vs. Phil Jackson Lennox Lewis vs. Phil Jackson Lennox Lewis vs. Phil Jackson was a professional boxing match contested on May 6, 1994 for the WBC Heavyweight Championship. After being awarded the WBC title in December 1992, Lennox Lewis would go on to make to successful defenses. First, Lewis took on WBC's number one ranked heavyweight Tony Tucker and defeated him by a lopsided unanimous decision. Then, Lewis met countryman Frank Bruno. Bruno gave Lewis trouble through the first six rounds and two judge's had the bout tied while the third had Bruno ahead by four points, but Lewis was able to rebound