Lennox Lewis

The Lewis-Vitali Klitschko fight was stopped because of cuts suffered by Klitschko while he was ahead on all three scorecards, prompting booing and debate about the result. Lewis subsequently considered a rematch, postponed it and then retired in 2004 rather than defend his WBC title against Klitschko.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Directly implicated

The press conference announcing the Lewis-Tyson fight erupted into a brawl. Footage and reports describe Tyson advancing towards Lewis and striking a member of his entourage, after which Lewis himself threw a punch in the scuffle.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

After losing to Hasim Rahman, Lewis went to federal court to enforce a contractual rematch clause. The court prohibited Rahman from contesting another heavyweight fight until he fulfilled his rematch obligation to Lewis.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Protagonist is the complainant

During the recording of an ESPN programme before their rematch, Lewis and Rahman went from a verbal exchange to a physical confrontation after Rahman made remarks questioning Lewis's sexuality. The scuffle overturned studio furniture.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

A US federal judge stripped Lewis of the WBA belt after he agreed to fight Michael Grant rather than challenger John Ruiz, amid a dispute over mandatory defences and commercial choices.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

The first Lewis-Holyfield unification fight was declared a draw despite much of the press and public considering Lewis the clear winner. Several New York authorities opened investigations into the judging, and a grand jury examined potential irregularities.

State of the evidence

Disputed

After Lennox Lewis became the WBC's mandatory challenger, Riddick Bowe refused the required defence, threw the WBC belt into a rubbish bin and relinquished recognition of the title. The WBC subsequently stripped Bowe and declared Lewis champion without a fight, triggering a lasting controversy over title governance and the legitimacy of a champion crowned outside the ring.

State of the evidence

Documented

The build-up to the Lewis-Bruno fight descended into a dispute over Lewis's British identity, as he had represented Canada at the Olympic Games. Lewis was widely reported to have called Bruno an 'Uncle Tom', a racialised expression that had a lasting impact on their rivalry.

State of the evidence

Disputed

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Directly implicated