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. Frank Bruno knockout, becoming the new undisputed heavyweight champion in the process. Tyson then embarked on a comeback in hopes of securing a championship match with either Douglas or Evander Holyfield, who were scheduled to face each other for the undisputed heavyweight title on October 25, 1990. Tyson would go on to defeat Henry Tillman, Alex Stewart and Donovan Ruddock twice before being arrested and sentenced to prison for rape. When Tyson was released in 1995, he returned to boxing and easily defeated journeymen Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis, Jr. This would set up a rematch with Bruno for Bruno's newly won