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Ring Magazine’s 2004 Predictions For Boxers To Replace Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis And Evander Holyfield

Ring Magazine’s 2004 Predictions For Boxers To Replace Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis And Evander Holyfield

Ring Magazine's successors for Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield didn't live up to the high expectations placed on them.

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz

The prestigious Ring Magazine made a bold prediction in 2004 over the three boxers that would replace legendary boxing trio Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield.

Lewis had called it time on his career in 2003 after defeating boxing legend Vitali Klitschko in a sensational TKO victory.

While Tyson would beat Clifford Etienne in 2003 after his loss to Lewis in 2002, the boxing legend was nowhere near at his prime dominance and would suffer back-to-back defeats before his retirement.

And Holyfield, who continued boxing until 2011, had sustained three consecutive defeats from 2002 to 2004.

Ring Magazine decided to look towards the future faces of the heavyweight division and named their three picks as Audley Harrison, Dominick Guinn and Joe Mesi.

Getty Images/Ring Magazine

Harrison was undefeated at the time of the issue, but he would ultimately suffer his first loss against Danny Williams in 2005.

The 48-year-old former boxer would later suffer defeats to fellow Brits David Price and David Haye.

Harrison, who won 31 of his 38 professional fights, would experience a devastating first-round TKO defeat to Deontay Wilder in 2013 before he retired from the sport.

PA

Just like Harrison, Guinn boasted an unbeaten record of 24-0 at the time of Ring Magazine's predictions.

But the 44-year-old American, who hasn't retired from boxing, would suffer his first defeat that same month after he lost to Monte Barrett.

Since 2004, Guinn has fought against the likes of Harrison, Kubrat Pulev, Hughie Fury and Artur Szpilka.

Mesi managed to retire from boxing undefeated with an unblemished record of 36 wins.

The 46-year-old American, who turned to politics after boxing, had seven more fights after Ring Magazine's 2004 predictions.

And Mesi captured the WBC USNBC heavyweight title with a first-round TKO victory over Shannon Miller in his final bout in 2007.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Mike Tyson, Boxing News, Boxing, Lennox Lewis