Former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis recently disclosed that a highly anticipated super fight between him and WWE Superstar Brock Lesnar was on the verge of happening back in 2002.
Lewis shared the details during an interview with TSN’s Off The Record, shedding light on the intriguing proposal that would have pitted a boxer against a wrestler in an MMA rules match. According to Lewis, the WWE made an astonishing offer of £5 million to entice him into stepping into the ring with Brock Lesnar.
This move was part of Vince McMahon‘s strategy to revitalise the wrestling business, as the company aimed to build its future around Lesnar’s immense talents. McMahon believed that a victory over Lewis, who was the reigning boxing heavyweight champion at the time, would skyrocket Lesnar’s status and elevate him to superstardom.
To make the bout a reality, McMahon sought the sanctioning of the Nevada Athletic Commission, as revealed by Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The WWE chairman saw this mega fight as the ideal vehicle to establish Lesnar as a force to be reckoned with in the world of professional wrestling. However, the deal ultimately fell through due to Lewis’ apprehensions. Meltzer wrote:
At the time, Lewis denied any of this, which we reported at the time Vince McMahon went to the Nevada Athletic Commission for sanctioning, and said his only talks with WWF was about being a special referee. It wasn’t until 2015 when Lewis did an interview on TSN’s Off the Record and claimed a 5 million pounds ($8.6 million at the time) offer was given to him to face Lesnar by McMahon.
Upon discovering Lesnar’s background in amateur wrestling and the advantage that the MMA rules would provide him during the fight, Lewis decided to decline the offer. The former champion recognised that the odds were stacked against him in this unique clash of disciplines, as Brock Lesnar’s experience in wrestling would give him a significant edge in the ring. Meltzer continued:
We were told it fell through when Lewis found out Lesnar was a legit wrestler and found out about how MMA rules would favor a wrestler over a boxer.
Will Brock Lesnar Return To UFC?
Dana White spoke about Brock Lesnar’s return to UFC and said he was doubtful that it would happen. However, the current UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has spoken about how he would love to face Lesnar in the octagon.
H/t to TJRWrestling.net