In 1999, Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in their rematch during an emotional night and fight on the edge of Las Vegas, in a place called Paradise.
The win after 12 hard, hard rounds by Lewis was viewed as justice for the drawn verdict with Holyfield eight months earlier in New York. That decision shocked the boxing world, the FBI took an interest, and some outrageous conspiracy theories emerged. In the end, it was just a bad decision.
However, it meant that the rematch became a global affair, a night when boxing had to get it right. The WBA, IBF and WBC heavyweight championship belts were on the line. Lewis was the WBC champion; Holyfield had the other two, and that is all that matters. It was all that mattered then.
Lewis is viewed as the last man to hold all the valid and recognised heavyweight championship belts. His rematch with Holyfield was for the undisputed heavyweight title and nobody had been able to claim that since Mike Tyson beat Tony Tucker in 1987 to win all three. There was no “undisputed” belt then; there is one now.
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