5 Biggest Heavyweight Boxing Upsets

#3: Lennox Lewis v Oliver McCall

September 24th 1994 | London, UK

Long before his catastrophe against Hasim Rahman in South Africa, Lennox Lewis had to endure another nightmare against a maverick puncher from Chicago named Oliver McCall.

To describe McCall as a volatile character would be playing it down, and then some. He had a long history of substance abuse, would often make his way to the ring in tears, and his bizarre moniker the ‘Atomic Bull’ was entirely apt.

In the post-Mike Tyson heavyweight landscape, a trio of outstanding boxers emerged to stake their claim as top dog in the division following Tyson’s incarceration in 1992: Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe.

Holyfield had made short work of Tyson-conqueror James ‘Buster’ Douglas in 1990, but lost his undisputed title two years later in the first fight of a classic trilogy against the exceptional Bowe, a former classmate of Tyson from Brownsville, Brooklyn.

Bowe had lost to Lewis in the super-heavyweight final of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and their rivalry grew more bitter as they made their way through the paid ranks. In late 1992, just two weeks after Bowe’s defeat of Holyfield, Lewis faced off against the hard-hitting Canadian Donovan ‘Razor’ Ruddock in a final eliminator to challenge for Bowe’s undisputed title.

Lennox delivered perhaps his finest ever performance in a ruthless two-round destruction of the fearsome Ruddock, and Lewis v Bowe was on. Or was it? Rather than face Lewis, and with a chance to gain revenge for his Olympics defeat, Bowe refused the fight.

The WBC promptly stripped him of their title. Bowe’s response? To literally throw his WBC belt in the bin. It was an act of extreme petulance and a cheap PR stunt devised by Bowe’s controversial promoter, Rock Newman.

Awarded the WBC belt by default, Lewis made three successful title defences – the second of which was a seventh-round stoppage of Frank Bruno – before facing McCall at the Wembley Arena.

Lewis, holding an unblemished record of 25-0, was the overwhelming favourite. McCall, a former Tyson sparring partner and under the guidance of future Lewis trainer Manny Steward, had five defeats on his record but was still considered a dangerous, unpredictable fighter.

That assessment was proved absolutely correct. Just 20 seconds into round two, the Atomic Bull connected with an overhand right which sent Lewis crashing to the canvas for the first time in his career. He clambered gamely to his feet, but still clearly dazed, the referee stopped the fight. Lewis, arms outstretched in protest, had suffered his first pro defeat and McCall had pulled off a huge upset win.

The McCall camp celebrated wildly, no-one more so than promoter Don King - in full cackling maniac mode - cavorting around the ring, ecstatic to be back as a major player in the heavyweight division.

McCall made one successful defence of his title before returning to London a year later, losing on points as big Frank Bruno finally realised his world heavyweight dream on a memorable night at Wembley Stadium. Bruno’s dream quickly turned sour, as he was brutally stopped in three by Mike Tyson in his first title defence.

Lennox Lewis, now under the tutelage of Manny Steward – the man who masterminded his defeat to McCall – rebuilt steadily with four straight wins before facing McCall again in 1997. Things got weird in the rematch. McCall’s chaotic personal life had once more spiralled out of control. Inactive for almost a year, he went directly from rehab to training camp.

On fight night itself, he literally ran into the ring - as if desperate to get it over with - and tried for a couple of rounds before appearing to decide that he didn’t want to fight.

From the third round on, and to the bewilderment of spectators, commentators and Lewis alike, McCall refused to throw any punches or even try to defend himself. Referee Mills Lane had no choice but to call a halt less than a minute into the fifth.

Veteran US announcer Larry Merchant surmised, “I’ve seen some strange things in boxing. That is surely one of the strangest”. The Lewis camp knew they’d just witnessed a man having a very public breakdown, and their celebrations were subdued.

Lewis would also avenge his only other defeat to Hasim Rahman, and can thus proudly claim that he beat every man he ever fought. Against all the odds, McCall, now 54, fights on, holding a record of 59 wins and 14 losses. His only defeat inside the distance remains that bizarre rematch against Lewis in Las Vegas.

What is a man still doing fighting at 54 you might ask? For the Atomic Bull, it seems like the ring is the safest place to be.