Well Tyson developed alot faster than Lennox (Lennox was just turning pro as Tyson's reign as champ was coming to an end), and it would have been dumb for him to call him out then, as he would have surely been crushed. But uncontrollable circumstances (prison) kept them from fighting in the early 90s, and Tyson did pay Lennox step aside money to fight Bruce Seldon instead of Lennox.