Lennox Lewis: A Career Re-Examined

[sonnyboyx2]

Why Can't I Pick Lewis?

By Frank Lotierzo

Why is it that I can't handicap heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis when he fights? In over 38 years of being obsessed with boxing, there has never been a fighter who has befuddled me like Lennox Lewis. More times than not I'm on the wrong side when evaluating his fights. When I pick him to win easily, he struggles or loses. When I have picked him to lose, he has fought some of the best fights of his career. The only thing I can come up with as to why I'm wrong when he fights a majority of the time is because, his chin scares the hell out of me. I always feel that he's one punch away from being stretched for the count of ten. I must confess that one of my major pet-peeves with heavyweight fighters is whether or not they have a good beard. I believe a heavyweight must possess a great chin in order to have a chance at becoming great. The heavyweight division will test the whiskers of a fighter like no other division in boxing. The two major reason's for this are because, heavyweights as a rule are not the best defensive fighters, (excluding Chris Byrd) and they possess the hardest single one punch power.

There is no doubt that Lennox Lewis is a great heavyweight fighter. In my opinion he and Evander Holyfield are the two best heavyweights since the prime of former champ Larry Holmes (1978-1982). Personally, I rate Holyfield a shade above Lewis. Mainly because there can be absolutely no doubt that Holyfield has the better chin. I would even go so far as to say it's a FACT that Holyfield has the better chin than Lewis, and it's not even debatable!

Looking at the overall career accomplishments of Lewis, only one conclusion can be drawn, he's a great fighter. He can punch with both hands, he has a good jab, and he can box. Under the tutelage of Emanuel Stewart, he has learned how to utilize his size and reach, and has become very good at finding and exposing the vulnerabilities of his opponents. Lewis has also demonstrated championship heart and courage, and must be given high praise for his ability to comeback after suffering two devastating one punch knockout defeats at the hands of Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman.

Therein lies the problem, he's been knocked out twice during his championship reign by two fighters not known for being knockout artists. And let's be honest, he was knocked out by McCall, that wasn't a quick count at all, no way he could've continued. In fact, had he been allowed to continue fighting when he rose, he may have been hurt badly. The shot that Rahman hit him with was a bomb, and it would've knocked out many other top heavyweights, not just Lewis.

However, I just can't get past his chin when I try to handicap his fights. The fact that he's the only outstanding/great heavyweight champion in history to be knocked out for the count by one punch twice during his prime, always scares me when I pick him. I just feel he is vulnerable at anytime to be counted out if his opponent lands cleanly.

My misses on Lennox Lewis

10/31/92 vs. Razor Ruddock: Ruddock was coming off of his two fights with Tyson. In the rematch with Tyson he suffered a broken jaw and still went 12 rounds. Nobody was saying Tyson softened Ruddock up for Lewis prior to the fight, nobody! I thought Ruddock's confidence was soaring at the time and felt he would catch Lewis with his left hand "smash" and sit him on his butt. Instead, Lewis came right out and landed a right hand on Ruddock's chin and Ruddock never recovered, leading to a two round stoppage for Lewis. (I Picked Ruddock by knockout, and he gets knocked out)

09/24/94 vs. Oliver McCall I: I thought Lewis would take McCall apart. I felt he would keep McCall outside with his jab, and give him a boxing lesson. I felt there was a slight chance that Lewis may have scored a stoppage late but, I thought Lewis would most likely win by decision because of McCall's great chin. I never dreamed that McCall was capable of sneaking a short right hand between Lewis' gloves to knock him out. (I picked Lewis to win handily, and he gets stopped)

05/10/96 vs. Ray Mercer: Going into the Mercer fight, I thought that Lewis would give Mercer the boxing lesson he didn't give McCall. In no way did I see Mercer giving Lewis the tough fight that he gave him. Again, I thought Lewis would keep Mercer at the end of his jab and win easy. In my opinion this fight came down to the last round, which I scored for Lewis, justifying the decision. (I Thought Lewis would win easy, and he struggled)

10/04/97 vs. Andrew Golota: Lewis was coming off of fighting Mercer, McCall II, and Akinwande. He had life and death with Mercer. He didn't impress vs. McCall in their rematch, and he was almost dropped by one punch vs. Akinwande. Golota was coming off his two fights with Riddick Bowe, which he completely dominated. Back in 1995 and 1996, I felt Bowe was more formidable than Lewis. Seeing Golota handle Bowe twice, along with seeing Lewis look average at best in his three previous fights led me to think Golota was going to win. I wasn't picking Golota without any reservation but, I did pick him to win. (I picked Golota and Lewis devastates him in one round, this was more a pick against Lewis than a pick on Golota)

03/13/99 vs. Evander Holyfield I: Holyfield was coming off of beating Tyson twice and Michael Moorer convincingly. Lewis was coming off of being almost stopped by Shannon Briggs, and looking less than impressive against Zeljko Mavrovic going into the Holyfield fight. I thought Holyfield would outspeed and out think Lewis on the way to winning a decision. What we saw was Lewis fight a brilliant fight, and Holyfield fight as if he died a week before the fight. This was a horrible decision being called a draw, I scored it 9-3 Lewis. (I pick Holyfield to win comfortably, and he was never in the fight)

11/13/99 vs. Evander Holyfield II: In this fight I expected Lewis to come out and impose his size and strength and win handily. What we saw was Lewis fight tentative against a better prepared Holyfield. In fact, watching this fight I felt Holyfield was the stronger fighter because of the way he pressured Lewis and backed him up throughout the entire fight. In this fight Holyfield shook Lewis on a few occasions, and Lewis didn't hurt Holyfield at anytime during the 12 rounds. I scored this fight 7-5 Lewis. (I picked Lewis to win overwhelmingly, yet he struggled and some felt Lewis lost)

11/11/00 vs. David Tua: Going into the Lewis-Tua fight, I totally bought the rhetoric that Tua spewed. I believed Tua when he said he was going to go to the body and cut off the ring in order to get inside of Lewis' jab and fight inside. I thought that Tua was going to be able to get close and land his big left hook on Lewis and knock him out. What we saw was Lewis box Tua perfectly for 12 rounds winning a lopsided decision. Lewis exposed Tua as being totally limited, and did exactly what he had to in order to win. (I fell in love with Tua's power, and the fact that I didn't have any confidence in Lewis' chin, led me to believe Tua was gonna stop Lewis. Again, this was more a pick against Lewis than a pick on Tua)

04/21/01 vs. Hasim Rahman I: I was ringside the night Oleg Maskaev knocked Rahman out, and out of the ring. Seeing Rahman get stretched by Tua, and almost stopped by Corrie Sanders led me to believe that Lewis could knock out Rahman without stepping foot into the Gym. I was shocked and amazed when Rahman planted that big right on Lennox dropping him as if he was shot. (I pick Lewis to knock out Rahman easily, and he suffers the worst defeat of his career)

11/17/01 vs. Hasim Rahman II: Seeing Lewis getting knocked out by Rahman in their first fight, completely scared me off of Lewis. I felt Lewis' confidence was shattered and Rahman's was sky high. In this fight, Lewis' questionable chin completely swayed me into believing that he would lose this fight and then retire. I just couldn't get the image of the first fight out of my head. (I picked Lewis to be stopped and then retire, and he goes out and scores one of his most impressive knockouts. Again, I picked against Lewis more than I picked Rahman)

06/08/02 vs. Mike Tyson: Ever since the first McCall fight, I felt that Tyson could beat Lewis. After seeing Rahman take Lewis out with one punch, I was convinced Tyson would get some of his reputation back against Lewis. I reasoned that Tyson hits harder than Rahman, he has faster hands than Rahman, and he throws more punches than Rahman. Seeing Lewis being stopped by Rahman made me think Tyson would pulverize him. Once again Lewis proves me wrong. He goes out and gives Tyson the worst beating of his career and leaves no doubt as to who was the better fighter. (I pick Lewis to get stopped, and he fights a great fight and demolishes Tyson. This is getting old but, again this was a pick against Lewis, more than a pick on Tyson.)

Lennox Lewis has had a remarkable career, he has done all that can be asked of any fighter. He has never faced a fighter he wasn't capable of defeating. However, I have never been more wrong when attempting to handicap his bouts. I consistently over-rate him or under-rate going into his fights. In his next bout he fights the once beaten Vitaly Klitschko, is there any doubt that I'll be on the wrong side in choosing the winner?

Writers Note

Next week I will write my take on the fight. I will pick who I think will win and why. What ever you do, make sure you get my selection before you make your pick. This way you can take the opposite side!

[Joeyzagz]

A focused Lennox doesn't lose to anybody in history, ever.

What 1994 and 2001 both have in common is that both times Lennox got caught looking ahead to a possible Mike Tyson match, and was unimpressed uninterested with the man he was currently in the ring with.

Tua, Morrison, mercer, Bruno, vitali all hit harder than McCall but were unable to knock Lennox down! His chin, when he's focused is as good as anyone's in history.

[sonnyboyx2]

A focused Lennox doesn't lose to anybody in history, ever.

What 1994 and 2001 both have in common is that both times Lennox got caught looking ahead to a possible Mike Tyson match, and was unimpressed uninterested with the man he was currently in the ring with.

Tua, Morrison, mercer, Bruno, vitali all hit harder than McCall but were unable to knock Lennox down! His chin, when he's focused is as good as anyone's in history.

Tell that to Rahman & McCall

[rightsideup]

A focused Lennox doesn't lose to anybody in history, ever.

What 1994 and 2001 both have in common is that both times Lennox got caught looking ahead to a possible Mike Tyson match, and was unimpressed uninterested with the man he was currently in the ring with.

Tua, Morrison, mercer, Bruno, vitali all hit harder than McCall but were unable to knock Lennox down! His chin, when he's focused is as good as anyone's in history.

I have always wondered if Lewis s ko losses were a lack of concentration against what he may have considered weak opposition.

[sonnyboyx2]

I have always wondered if Lewis s ko losses were a lack of concentration against what he may have considered weak opposition.

All Heavyweight Champions fought their share of weak opposition. But only Lewis was ever poleaxed by such unsatisfactory competition. Not once, but twice.

[Anthony342]

Tell that to Rahman & McCall

Lennox sent that message himself in the rematches.

I thought you said you were leaving here.

[Anthony342]

All Heavyweight Champions fought their share of weak opposition. But only Lewis was ever poleaxed by such unsatisfactory competition. Not once, but twice.

Except for the time Tyson was poleaxed by a guy he easily beats if he's prepared that is said to have been a 40-1 underdog in Buster Douglas.

[juggernaut666]

Hey guys, boxing scribe Frank Lotierzo was pissed off at Lennox. I can understand why. After the fight, Lennox didn't wanna give Vitali any credit and made it seem as if he'd dominated the fight. Read this blog.

Hey Lewis, get over yourself! Coming off your showing against Klitschko, maybe a little more humility might be in order! And it wouldn't hurt to stop with the lame excuses. In case you forgot Lennox, Klitschko had the same short notice to prepare for you as you did to prepare for him, yet he hasn't been making excuses like you have been.

Question to Lennox Lewis? What's harder, preparing for Cedric Boswell and then having him replaced with heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis or preparing for Kirk Johnson and then having him replaced with Vitali Klitschko? I think there is a much greater jump in caliber from Boswell to Lewis than there is from Johnson to Klitschko. Going off of what I saw in Klitschko, I'm not sure it's even a step up? Basically you both had to readjust to face a bigger opponent, only Klitschko had to adjust to a bigger and better opponent. I'm not sold off of what I saw of Klitschko that he is without question a better fighter than Kirk Johnson, which is a sad commentary on the current status of the heavyweight landscape.

Lennox, get over yourself? You were behind in the fight and were clearly the more tired and exhausted fighter, you have no excuse. You are the heavyweight champion of the world, yet you showed up in deplorable condition. On top of that, you ranted on like that was a showing that should bring you much high praise. Please, you fought like a big fat washerwoman, to use a phrase coined by Muhammad Ali. You have cried to anyone who would listen about the short notice yet, you fail to mention that Klitschko's notice was just as short as yours.

Lennox, you're not a great enough heavyweight champion to show up in poor shape to fight any top ranked heavyweight contender, especially at age 37 going on 38. Did you forget what happened to you when you showed up in poor condition against Hasim Rahman? He laid you out like you were dropped from a helicopter. In fact you made a star out of Rahman who at best is a decent heavyweight. Did you forget what happened when you looked past Oliver McCall, another fighter who's only claim to fame other than stretching you is knocking Tyson down in a sparring session. Lennox, one of your claims to fame is that you avenged both of your defeats. What is never mentioned is that you should never have lost to either McCall or Rahman. The fact that you needed to fight them twice in order to beat them once is the more meaningful fact.

Lennox, you showed a lack of something that you profess to have, class. How about carrying yourself like the heavyweight champion of the world. Maybe you could've just said that Klitschko was a little better than you thought, or that his style was more confusing than you anticipated. How about giving him his due respect for the fight he gave you. No, you come across that anyone who doesn't feel you were killing him is a moron and beneath you. Lennox, anyone who watched the fight with both of their eyes open, plainly saw that you had more than your hands full. Not because Klitschko is so great because he's not, he's far from it. The fact is that you over-rate yourself sometimes and come in the ring not prepared to fight like the champion you've shown that you can be. And lets not forget, it was you Lennox wobbling all over the ring in the second round and appeared on the verge of being stopped, a position that Klitschko was never in.

Lennox, you were a great heavyweight champion. However, father time is starting to land some good shots on you. You may still have some big wins down the road but, the road is definitely coming to an end. Remember Lennox Lewis, as great of a champion that you have been, with your chin and at age 37 you're not great enough to look past any top ranked fighter.

After the attitude you copped during the post fight interview , I'm glad I can say that your legacy is built off of two decisions over a thoroughly shot 37 year old Evander Holyfield, and an eighth round knockout over a 36 year old Mike Tyson. And remember Lennox, every decent fighter that has nailed you on your chin has either knocked you out, or wobbled you like Vitali Klitschko did last night!

Im not going to argue the vitali incident I agree however you are still trying to make a case out of two losses,the writer himself says he looked past them,its not a big deal,every fighter has dumb losses,it dioesnt detract what they did in the ring,no matter who writes what cant take away his wins,the only black eye I have on lewis is vitali,and that's only cause he did have plans on more fights before he fought that one.

[rightsideup]

All Heavyweight Champions fought their share of weak opposition. But only Lewis was ever poleaxed by such unsatisfactory competition. Not once, but twice.

And tyson was beaten demonstefully by Douglas in one of or the biggest upset in boxing yet you build all kind of excuses for his many poor performances

[BennyST]

The Lennox Lewis ball lickers are out in force now. They have nothing to combat what has been factually proven on this thread, on Lewis career. So they are now in "Play Ground mode" name calling, ridicule, slander, lies. It really is sad, that grown men have to lower themselves to such a level.... I have single-handedly blown to smithereens their agenda. But in all honesty, i need not have bothered. As it was hilarious the things they made claim about Lewis career.

Hilarious coming from you again. The only person in this whole history forum that that applies on a daily basis to is you. It's basically all you do.

As for me? Name calling, well yes. Ridicule? Sure. Slander and lies though? Absolutely not. It's not slander or lies when it's all truthful. I know for a fact you're lying.

Why won't you just answer the question though? All you've done since I brought it up is run away and ignore it. Pretending it doesn't exist isn't going to make it go away and your lies suddenly reality.

I don't even think that many people here are Lewis fans. I'm neither here nor there on him. Honestly don't really care.

I only argue because you're a lying douchebag with no sense of reality and you have a pathetic, childish, pathological need to lie about incredibly inane things to make yourself feel important. You're on a boxing internet forum Sonny. No one gives a **** about your little fantasy world and make-believe collections. Trying to make yourself something you're not is just plain sad.

Stop lying about stuff like a 5 year old to try and impress people and get a grip on reality mate. It'll make life easier.