After Lennox’s destruction of Shannon Briggs in March of 1998, a unification bout with Evander Holyfield was the fight the boxing world wanted. Both fighters were scheduled to make defenses in the fall, which would set up the showdown the following spring. Holyfield was to fight Vaughn Bean in Atlanta in September, while Lewis traveled to Connecticut to take Croatian Zeljko Mavrovic on September 26th.
Holyfield won his fight with Bean on September 19, 1998 at the Georgia Dome, but hardly impressed. He struggled with the smallish Bean, knocked him down late, and won a unanimous decision. I remember watching it on PPV, and wondering why I wasted my money. If he had a hard time with this mediocre opponent, how would he fare against the tremendously talented Lennox Lewis.
The Lewis-Mavrovic fight on HBO was hardly memorable either. Maybe it was a lack of motivation, but Lennox wasn’t scintillating either. He won a unanimous 12 round decision, but never really hurt the skinny vegetarian from Croatia. Nevertheless, the mandatories were complete, and a March match between the champs was set. It was certainly one I wouldn’t have missed for the world.
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