Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 8, 1993 TAG: 9307080079
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LONDON LENGTH: Medium
Lewis' manager, Frank Maloney, said Wednesday that Lewis has agreed to a two-fight deal that will match him against Morrison in October or November in Las Vegas and pair him with Evander Holyfield in the spring.
Should Lewis retain the title, he could face Riddick Bowe, the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association champion, in the summer of 1994 in a unification bout.
Maloney said the Lewis-Morrison bout will be staged either at Caesars Palace or The Mirage.
He said Morrison, who won a 12-round decision over former champion George Foreman on June 7, will receive 50 percent of the purse, with $8 million guaranteed. Morrison trained for the Foreman fight at VMI in Lexington.
Holyfield, another former world champion, will fight on the undercard and be in line to meet the winner in March or April. The split for that fight will be 65-35, in the champion's favor.
Maloney said the two fights could net Lewis as much as $20 million.
Dan Duva, who holds the promotional rights to Lewis, said the question of who will promote the Morrison fight must be resolved.
"The fight is going to be promoted by Top Rank, Main Events or some combination," he said by telephone from his home in New Jersey. "I don't think it's going to be an obstacle. The most important thing is that the fighters have agreed."
Lewis had been set to meet Bruno, a fellow Briton, in England in September in a fight British boxing fans have been awaiting eagerly.
Maloney and Duva blamed Bruno's promoter, Mickey Duff, for derailing that fight. They said all parties had agreed that Bruno would receive 22.5 percent of the $12 million purse, but that Duff later changed his mind and refused to accept anything less than 25 percent.
"Duff has bullied and steamrolled everyone in British boxing for so long, but we decided to stick to our guns," Maloney said. "Fighting Bruno wouldn't do much for Lennox's world profile. This is the best route for him and brings Riddick Bowe closer to the table."
Bowe, who won the undisputed title by beating Holyfield in November, surrendered the WBC belt after declining to make a mandatory first defense against Lewis. The WBC awarded its title to Lewis, who retained the belt with a 12-round decision over Tony Tucker in Las Vegas on May 8.
Under the current scenario, Lewis and Bowe could fight in July 1994, Maloney said.
"Lennox does really want to fight Frank Bruno," said Lewis' brother, Dennis. "But he's going for the best route to unify the title and become the undisputed champion of the world."
Promoter Bob Arum, who holds rights to Morrison's next fight, claimed the fight had not been made.
Arum said he will be meet with Morrison's people Monday, then meet with Duva and Bowe's manager, Rock Newman. He held out the possibility that Morrison could fight Bowe first.
"Lewis hasn't agreed with me, so it's all baloney," Arum said. "Right now, it's not a done deal."
by CNB