Bowe Signing Is a Really Big Deal

On the 15th floor of an office building in Manhattan, Riddick Bowe, the heavyweight champion, Thursday signed an agreement with Time-Warner Sports for a potential six-fight deal that could bring him $100 million if he keeps winning.

Seth Abraham, president of Time-Warner Sports, characterized the agreement that would put Bowe on Home Box Office twice and the pay-per-view network TVKO four times as “the biggest, most-extensive TV boxing deal ever made.”

If he keeps winning, Bowe would “easily” earn $70 million in the deal, Abraham said. He added that $100 million would be “absolutely achievable if Riddick continues to the sixth fight.”

But what if he lost? Bowe was asked.

“That’s a big word, if,” Bowe replied. “I don’t see it happening.”

Bowe, who defeated Evander Holyfield for the title last month, will make his first title defense on HBO Feb. 6. Bowe’s manager, Rock Newman, said the opponent and site would be known shortly but listed a number of potential challengers including Alex Garcia, Michael Dokes, Alex Stewart and Francesco Damiani and said it might be held in either Atlantic City or New York’s Madison Square Garden.

A May date with Ray Mercer on pay-per-view is a virtual certainty, Bowe and Newman said. A positively beaming Newman added that would be “a blockbuster event.”

Bowe and Newman decided to pass on Fox TV’s $3 million offer to fight as part of the network’s alternative programming at halftime of the Super Bowl on Jan. 31.

The big deal between Bowe and Time-Warner even includes a provision for him to fight Mike Tyson, should Tyson be paroled while Bowe’s contract is in effect, according to Newman and Abraham. Tyson, serving time in an Indiana prison for rape, is eligible for parole in February 1995.

Newman said he envisions Lennox Lewis as possibly the No. 5 opponent for Bowe, around April 1994, with Tyson as No. 6 or after. Lewis was awarded the World Boxing Council heavyweight title this week after Bowe dropped what he said was that ruling body’s belt in a garbage can. HBO has done Lewis’ last five fights and is holding April open for Lewis, perhaps in a WBC defense against Tony Tucker.

Bowe and Newman said Lewis’ manager, Frank Maloney, would not negotiate seriously to fight Bowe.

Bowe, who retains the World Boxing Assn. and International Boxing Federation belts, will not fight “anybody recognizing the WBC belt,” according to Newman. That means Lewis would have to “renounce” the WBC title if he is to fight Bowe.

“You want to see a stand on principle, watch this one,” Newman said.

Bowe insisted he was ready to fight the undefeated Lewis anytime.

“I believe Lennox knows I’m a better fighter than he is,” Bowe said. “He wants to stay away from me as long as he can. He’s nobody’s fool. But Lennox knows he’s limited. He couldn’t beat a lot of guys -- Evander Holyfield, Tony Tubbs.”

Ultimately, though, Abraham said he wants Lewis-Bowe as part of the six-fight Time-Warner deal.

Newman said Bowe wants to be active and believes he can do all six fights in 18 months, a fast pace for a champion. Newman said Bowe was also hoping for title defenses in August and November -- giving him four fights for 1993.

Newman and Abraham said that during a meeting Tuesday a week ago while lawyers were trying to hammer out an agreement, Newman passed the six-fight proposal to Abraham on the back of piece of paper for taking telephone messages. “I think Seth’s words were, ‘Give us time to gulp,’ ” Newman said.

“We know it’s the biggest boxing deal in TV history,” Abraham said of the Bowe package.