Lennox Lewis: A Career Re-Examined

[Joeyzagz]

I just don't see why avenging loss's to McCall and Rahaman are impressive. I

Sure fire HOF'er, I don't dispute that. O.

Its impressive because he beat every single heavyweight he faced in route to winning all 4 major titles.


Now if you want to take the two aberrations of his career(which he avenged)... and pretend like this overshadows wins over Klitschko, Tyson, Holyfield, and top names of the era. That's fine, but use that same standard for Joe Louis getting pole axed by Schmelling, Ali getting pole axed by tiny cooper, foreman getting chased into retirement by Jimmy Young. So on and so forth.

At least We know an old Lennox can beat a Klitschko, we don't know for sure if Joe Louis ever beats Rocky/Ezzard Charles or if Ali ever beats Holmes.

[IronDanHamza]

While I agree somewhat about losing to guys like that in the first place,, I don't agree with lennox just being good and not great...

The guy is great.. I don't think you can be a legit hof'er and not be great..

Guy got knocked out in stay busy fights vs some pretty decent world class punchers.. In all his big fights, outside of the bruno vitali and mercer fight, lennox absolutely dominated, and he never lost a big fight..
Great fighters will have some hiccups during their career.. Barrera, winky, moore, all had career lowlights, but doesn't take away from their greatness

I guess it depends what your definition and standards of what a great fighter is. In my eyes being a HOF'er or "Legit" HOF'er doesn't make you a great fighter.

I don't know I just think getting sparked out by boarderline fringe contenders (at best) on two separate occasions means a lot to me. Plus his resume just isn't that strong either.

[IronDanHamza]

Yep, after beating Razor Ruddock. I believe that was Lewis' coming out party. I remember him getting more HBO coverage after that win.

That was it.

It was that win that was the basis of upgrading him to the champion.

[IronDanHamza]

Its impressive because he beat every single heavyweight he faced in route to winning all 4 major titles.


Now if you want to take the two aberrations of his career(which he avenged)... and pretend like this overshadows wins over Klitschko, Tyson, Holyfield, and top names of the era. That's fine, but use that same standard for Joe Louis getting pole axed by Schmelling, Ali getting pole axed by tiny cooper, foreman getting chased into retirement by Jimmy Young. So on and so forth.

At least We know an old Lennox can beat a Klitschko, we don't know for sure if Joe Louis ever beats Rocky/Ezzard Charles or if Ali ever beats Holmes.

I'm not impressed that he needed two attempts to beat two fringe contenders. That doesn't impress me.

And he beat McCall like 3 years later by way of him crying himself to death. That's impressive? It's so much saying "he avenged the loss" yeah, when did he avenge it?

He avenged the Rahman loss immediately which is what he was supposed to do but it still doesn't change the fact he is 1-1 with Hasim Rahman and he was sparked clean out by him. Hasim Rahman.

Those guys were hardly polaxed, not like Lennox crumbling to the canvass and not being able to get to his feet.

[sonnyboyx2]

Stripped of most belts. You said you ranked Lewis top 10-12 or 10-15 right?

that is correct.

[sonnyboyx2]

Its impressive because he beat every single heavyweight he faced in route to winning all 4 major titles.


Now if you want to take the two aberrations of his career(which he avenged)... and pretend like this overshadows wins over Klitschko, Tyson, Holyfield, and top names of the era. That's fine, but use that same standard for Joe Louis getting pole axed by Schmelling, Ali getting pole axed by tiny cooper, foreman getting chased into retirement by Jimmy Young. So on and so forth.

At least We know an old Lennox can beat a Klitschko, we don't know for sure if Joe Louis ever beats Rocky/Ezzard Charles or if Ali ever beats Holmes.

1/. It is not so much him beating every heavyweight he faced, it is the heavyweights he refused to face.. We have established here on this thread, that Lewis avoided, Sanders, Moorer, Bowe, Tyson 96, Holmes 92/3, Byrd & Ruiz. It is these fighters which would have strengthend Lewis stock. These fighters are the top fighters of that era. - 1992-2003 Not the fighters you keep glorifyng like Grant, Botha, Tua, Rahman, Mavrovic, Bruno, Golota, Ruddock who were all exposed fringe contenders.

2/. You repeatedly claim Lewis victories over Holyfield & Tyson as great career wins. Yet refuse to accept that Mike Tyson was addicted to drugs. Anti-Depressants, Alcohol, Cocaine & Cannabis. Tyson was a `zombie` the night he fought Lewis. With Lewis knowing all about his drug addiction months before signing to fight him.

3/. i accept Lewis was unfortunate to only come away with a draw, from his first meeting with Holyfield. But feel Lewis was very fortunate to be given the decision in their second bout.

4/. How can you compare the two devastating knock out losses, Lewis suffered to McCall & Rahman. As being in the same league as Henry Cooper knocking down young Muhammad Ali?.... Ali vs Cooper was not a world title fight. Ali got to his feet and stopped Cooper, unlike Lewis v Rahman or McCall.
Max Schmeiling was a former Heavyweight Champion of the World, who beat a young upcoming Joe Louis (not for the title).. Foreman vs Young was not a world title fight. Many feel Foreman won that fight.

5/. Your claim of knowing an old "Lewis beats a Klitschko" is schoolboy mentality. Lewis was very fortunate to come away with a victory, looking to all as if he did not have more than 2rds left in him. Lewis promised the entire boxing world he would face Vitali in a rematch. But he dragged out his reign for another 8 months, before slithering off into retirement. Do i think Lewis beats the Klitschko brothers prime4prime - NO, if Rahman & McCall can put Lewis to sleep, then so can the Klitschko Brothers.

6/. Does Lewis rank higher than the Klitschko Brothers All Time.. NO

[BKM-2010]

Those guys were hardly polaxed.

[Anthony342]

I'm not impressed that he needed two attempts to beat two fringe contenders. That doesn't impress me.

And he beat McCall like 3 years later by way of him crying himself to death. That's impressive? It's so much saying "he avenged the loss" yeah, when did he avenge it?

He avenged the Rahman loss immediately which is what he was supposed to do but it still doesn't change the fact he is 1-1 with Hasim Rahman and he was sparked clean out by him. Hasim Rahman.

Those guys were hardly polaxed, not like Lennox crumbling to the canvass and not being able to get to his feet.

So where do you rank Lewis as a heavyweight?

[IronDanHamza]

So where do you rank Lewis as a heavyweight?

Lower top ten-top 15 range.

[Anthony342]

that is correct.

Sounds good to me. I don't think many people here rank him much higher than that. Not ahead of people like Louis, Ali, Holyfield, probably even Dempsey or Foreman.