Which heavyweight do you rank higher

[IronDanHamza]

Holyfield by a clear margin.

[chloelloyd]

Originally Posted by IronDanHamza

Holyfield by a clear margin.

I wouldn't say clear.

Lewis had many many under rated wins. Golota-Mason-Ruddock-Marovic-Morrison-Tua all these guys heading into the Lewis fight and all these guys based on ability were very good fighters.


Lewis was also cheated of some massive fights that could have made him a top 2-3 HW of all times WITHOUT DEBATE. This is huge here, fate really did mess up Lennox in terms of how close he COULD have gotten to being the GOAT HW.

1. If Bowe weren't so busy hiding underneath Rock's panties, he could have given Lennox two big wins. Even a Bowe trilogy in which Lewis goes 2-1 would have helped bolster Lennox's credentials even more.

2- A Mid 90's Tyson would have been a good win as well. Remember, Tyson and Don King paid Lennox 4 Million to step aside.

3- Wladimir failed against Sanders.
The entire plan was to have a 2003 young Wlad beat up Sanders, then get Lewis. As great as Wlad is now, a 2003 version against even a aging Lennox would have been knocked the **** out.

To me that's the biggest one. If Wlad had fought Lewis in 2003 and lost. Look at what Wlad is doing now, that would have been one of Lennox's biggest wins.

[IronDanHamza]

Originally Posted by chloelloyd

I wouldn't say clear.

Lewis had many many under rated wins. Golota-Mason-Ruddock-Marovic-Morrison-Tua all these guys heading into the Lewis fight and all these guys based on ability were very good fighters.


Lewis was also cheated of some massive fights that could have made him a top 2-3 HW of all times WITHOUT DEBATE. This is huge here, fate really did mess up Lennox in terms of how close he COULD have gotten to being the GOAT HW.

1. If Bowe weren't so busy hiding underneath Rock's panties, he could have given Lennox two big wins. Even a Bowe trilogy in which Lewis goes 2-1 would have helped bolster Lennox's credentials even more.

2- A Mid 90's Tyson would have been a good win as well. Remember, Tyson and Don King paid Lennox 4 Million to step aside.

3- Wladimir failed against Sanders.
The entire plan was to have a 2003 young Wlad beat up Sanders, then get Lewis. As great as Wlad is now, a 2003 version against even a aging Lennox would have been knocked the **** out.

To me that's the biggest one. If Wlad had fought Lewis in 2003 and lost. Look at what Wlad is doing now, that would have been one of Lennox's biggest wins.

Well yeah, if Lewis had wins over Bowe, 90's Tyson and Wladimir Klitschko then he'd possibly be #1 or atleast top 5.

But he's not going to get credit for something he didn't do whether it was his fault or not.

The fact is, or atleast in my opinion, Holyfield's resume is vastly superior to Lennox Lewis'.

2 out of 3 of those wins that Lennox was "cheated out of", Holyfield actually has.

[Mintcar923]

I gotta go with Tyson even though Lewis & Holyfield may have better resumes. If you watch, you can see the vast gap in talent. His era was before theirs and there was a big difference between Mike in his prime and the way he was when he finally got to face off with them in the ring...

[Sugarj]

Originally Posted by Dynamite76

Lennox, just edges Holyfield.Also, can't see James Toney beating Lewis.

That was a way past it Holyfield!

Toney wouldn't beat prime Holyfield at heavyweight 1989-1992. I'd doubt that Toney would beat the 1996/97 Holyfield who beat Tyson either.

But I'd give the Toney who beat Holyfield more than a passable chance against the Lewis that showed up first time for Rahman or for Vitali.

[Sugarj]

Originally Posted by The Surgeon

Evander Holyfield. Greatest CW of All time, beating fellow greats Qawi and De Leon at the weight. Excellent HW resume too facing everyone! Beat Tyson and gave a basically prime Lewis absolute hell in the rematch while past his own best.

Lewis a close second.


Mike Tyson a distinct third despite being for my money the best H2H fighter of the three and the fighter who at all of their respective bests would come out on top

Agreed and seconded on all counts.

When you saw Holyfield in the rematch with Lewis, you only had to imagine what a 10 years younger Holyfield would have done.

[Sugarj]

Originally Posted by chloelloyd

I wouldn't say clear.

Lewis had many many under rated wins. Golota-Mason-Ruddock-Marovic-Morrison-Tua all these guys heading into the Lewis fight and all these guys based on ability were very good fighters.


Lewis was also cheated of some massive fights that could have made him a top 2-3 HW of all times WITHOUT DEBATE. This is huge here, fate really did mess up Lennox in terms of how close he COULD have gotten to being the GOAT HW.

1. If Bowe weren't so busy hiding underneath Rock's panties, he could have given Lennox two big wins. Even a Bowe trilogy in which Lewis goes 2-1 would have helped bolster Lennox's credentials even more.

2- A Mid 90's Tyson would have been a good win as well. Remember, Tyson and Don King paid Lennox 4 Million to step aside.

3- Wladimir failed against Sanders.
The entire plan was to have a 2003 young Wlad beat up Sanders, then get Lewis. As great as Wlad is now, a 2003 version against even a aging Lennox would have been knocked the **** out.

To me that's the biggest one. If Wlad had fought Lewis in 2003 and lost. Look at what Wlad is doing now, that would have been one of Lennox's biggest wins.

Do you really think early 90s Lewis beats Bowe? I don't! Lewis was far from the finished article.....outboxed by Bruno, KO'd by McCall.

Lewis peaked around 1997, and by that time Bowe was washed up and wins over him would mean nothing.

[MartinC]

Lennox Lewis!!

[chloelloyd]

Originally Posted by Sugarj

Do you really think early 90s Lewis beats Bowe? I don't! Lewis was far from the finished article.....outboxed by Bruno, KO'd by McCall.

Lewis peaked around 1997, and by that time Bowe was washed up and wins over him would mean nothing.

I get what you are saying. The thing is, Lewis should have hit his first prime in the early 90's, but didn't. He had to rebuild and find his prime with Stewart.

The early 90's version was the all out aggressive athlete who came to bang and just throwing right hand after right hands in repetition. He came to knock you out, regardless of your style. He progressed fight after fight all the way up to Ruddock. The Lewis who fought Ruddock? I pick to knock out a Prime Wlad even. Despite, being so inexperienced he really did had it all. He was ultra motivated and getting better day by day. He really believed he was set up for that mega fight because of the 4 men tourney.
Lewis-Bowe-Ruddock-Holyfield. When Bowe ducked him, Lewis regressed with every fight. Over on the E Side, the interview with Stewart also talked about how Lennox had to 'rebuild' with Stewart because of the severe let down from Bowe avoiding him.

I feel that if Bowe had fought Lennox right after Lewis knocked out Ruddock. Bowe would have been knocked the **** out.

Riddick Bowe was one of the laziest guys around, he was 100% motivated for all of one fight. Holyfield I. After that fight, there was NO WAY he could have gotten in shape for Lewis. I just don't see it.

To envision someone as lazy as Bowe getting in to 100% fighting shape back to back against Holyfield -leading into Lewis is a bit of a stretch. I see a out of shape fat Bowe getting starched by Lewis should he had hold up to his words and fight Lewis for the unification.

[chloelloyd]

Originally Posted by Sugarj

Agreed and seconded on all counts.

When you saw Holyfield in the rematch with Lewis, you only had to imagine what a 10 years younger Holyfield would have done.

Lewis dominated Holyfield in the first fight. 10-2. The myth of a 'shot Holyfield' is a joke.

Holyfield was no longer prime but he was definitely still an elite fighter. He got dominated and the robbery was so bad, FBI had to investigate it.

I blame Lewis for not brutally Kayoing Holyfield though. I place 100% blame on LL. I honestly believe if LL wanted to and wasn't so damn careful, he could have knocked Holyfield out. In the first fight, Holyfield was stunned and hurt numerous times.

All LL'S fault for NOT taking it out of the hands of judges. Bad mistake, because Satan Don King was up to no good.