Lennox Lewis 'rejected' £5m offer from Vince McMahon for huge crossover match with UFC and WWE icon Brock Lesnar

Lennox Lewis, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, reportedly turned down a £5 million offer from WWE boss Vince McMahon for a crossover match with WWE and UFC star Brock Lesnar. The offer was made in 2002 when Lesnar was on the rise as a future WWE superstar and Lewis was the reigning heavyweight champion.

Real grappling experience

The potential match between Lewis and Lesnar gained traction, with McMahon even seeking sanctioning from the Nevada Athletic Commission. However, according to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Lewis declined the offer after learning about Lesnar's real grappling experience.

The glove controversy

In a 2015 interview with TSN's Off The Record, Lewis revealed that he was indeed offered £5 million for the match. However, he claimed that he had to wear gloves while Lesnar would not. This condition made him seriously reconsider the offer. Lewis stated, "They wanted to put me in with gloves on."

Scripted or legitimate?

It remains unclear whether the proposed match would have been scripted or a legitimate fight. Lewis retired from boxing in 2004 after defeating Vitali Klitschko, while Lesnar went on to become a UFC champion and continued his career in the WWE.

Lesnar, who was already the WWE champion at the age of 25 in 2002, had a successful stint in MMA, winning the UFC title. He had nine fights in the cage, with his last match taking place in 2016. Lesnar currently remains active in the WWE, although there have been rumors of a possible return to the UFC.

However, his last fight against Mark Hunt in 2016 ended in controversy after Lesnar tested positive for banned substances. Since then, he has not competed in any MMA matches.