Lennox Lewis 'rejected £5m offer' for crossover fight with WWE icon Brock Lesnar
Lennox Lewis once turned down a multi-million-pound pay day to meet WWE favourite Brock Lesnar in the ring.
Crossover fights dominate the boxing calendar today, with Tyson Fury narrowly defeating UFC legend Francis Ngannou by split decision in October. Thankfully for the British heavyweight, his WBC world title wasn't on the line in the Saudi Arabian bout.
Yet crossover fights aren't a new phenomenon - just ask Lewis. Back in 2002, the undisputed heavyweight world champion was offered £5million to face Lensar. He was arguably the biggest boxer in the world at the time, having defeated Mike Tyson that year.
Lewis seriously considered the offer but turned it down when he discovered Lensar would NOT be wearing gloves in the fight. That was probably a wise move, as Lensar went to enjoy a career in UFC. He even became the promotion's heavyweight champion.
The proposed bout between Lewis and Lensar was recently recalled in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. It's claimed WWE chief Vince McMahon even went to the Nevada Athletic Commission to sanction the fight, such was his confidence in securing a deal.
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There were rumours of the talks in 2002, but Lewis only confirmed them in 2015. "Very seriously, until they said he wasn't wearing gloves," he told TSN's Off The Record when asked if he considered fighting Lensar. "They wanted to put me in with gloves on."
Instead of fighting Lensar, Lewis defeated future world champion Vitali Klitschko in 2003 to end his glittering career. He suffered just two defeats to Oliver McCall and Hashim Rahman during his time in the ring but avenged both of those losses.
Lesnar is a box-office star after a stellar career in WWE and UFC (Getty Images)What's your opinion on crossover boxing? Let us know in the comments below!
As for Lensar, he defeated Randy Couture in 2008 to become the UFC's heavyweight champion. The American successfully defended his crown against Frank Mir and Shane Carwin before losing to Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 in 2010 and retiring the following year.
Lensar returned to UFC in 2016 to defeat Mark Hunt, but that victory was overturned to no-contest after he tested positive for a banned substance. Now 46, the box-office star continues to appear in huge WWE events - including last year's WrestleMainia 38.
Although Lewis and Lensar never fought, crossover fights continue to be huge money-spinners. One of the most famous events happened in 2017, when Floyd Mayweather stopped UFC icon Conor McGregor in his 50th and final professional bout.
Mayweather has since fought YouTubers Logan Paul and Deji Olatunji - as well as former Geordie Shore star Aaron Chalmers - in exhibition bouts. Fury's brother Tommy, who met fiancée Molly-Mae Hague on Love Island in 2019, is one of crossover boxing's biggest stars. The 10-0 fighter has defeated YouTubers Jake Paul and KSI this year.
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