Lennox Lewis: What's your take on his career?

Come on. Sparring stories are always sketchy and even if it were true, sparring isn't boxing in front of 20K people. Would you pick Spadafora to knock out Pretty Boy Floyd if they fought at Mandalay Bay? I sure wouldn't. While no one would say that Lennox's chin was his strongest asset, he took some bombs too which didn't knock him out against good oponents who would punch

I like how you quickly abandoned the "running scared from Tyson" stuff and jumped to his two losses. Fighters lose fights. They were poor losses, but they were both avenged. How many guys that get stopped like that come back and are ever the same nevermind dominating the rematches? That's an equally weak critisism. One thing about Lennox is he did avenge his losses. Thats respectable no doubt.

Nope, no reason to hate him. I just saw how he fought people. I just saw how Rahman and McCall TKOd him. I mean damn, he's a heavyweight and he's getting KOd with one punch to the chin? Aren't you supposed to be able to take big punches as a heavy? I like how you quickly abandoned the "running scared from Tyson" stuff and jumped to his two losses. Fighters lose fights. They were poor losses, but they were both avenged. How many guys that get stopped like that come back and are ever the same nevermind dominating the rematches? That's an equally weak critisism.

Nope, no reason to hate him. I just saw how he fought people. I just saw how Rahman and McCall TKOd him. I mean damn, he's a heavyweight and he's getting KOd with one punch to the chin? Aren't you supposed to be able to take big punches as a heavy? That's non sense. Lewis turned pro in 1989. How is he running scared from the Heavyweight champion when he hadn't turned pro yet? The only one who even came close to running scared at any point was Tyson when he ducked Lewis in 1996. If you're going to try and hate, you at least need to get your facts straight. :rolleyes:

I just care about him running from Tyson in late 80s/early 90s and him then fighting an old Tyson SCARED. That's non sense. Lewis turned pro in 1989. How is he running scared from the Heavyweight champion when he hadn't turned pro yet? The only one who even came close to running scared at any point was Tyson when he ducked Lewis in 1996. If you're going to try and hate, you at least need to get your facts straight. :rolleyes:

he fought Tyson scared? Those jabs Mike was eating all night weren't out of fear

Anything but clinch and lean... hell he's the bigger man. He should fight like the bigger man. And oh yeah, what the hell is he supposed to do? Sit there in front of Tua and trade power punches with him? There's this element of boxing called fighting smart and fighting to win. Those are both more important than pleasing a few people who would hate on you regardless.

Yeah, he looked good his career, but there are definately asterisks all by his career. I don't even care about him retiring before rematch Vitali. I just care about him running from Tyson in late 80s/early 90s and him then fighting an old Tyson SCARED. Top 10 HW all-time, one of the best HW right hands ever, intelligent fighter later in his career, beat everyone he ever fought. A bit soft but a strong HW champion compared to the guys we have these days.

Admit it though: even if you think Mike would have beated Lennox as a young man which was possible-he never beat a fighter as good as Lewis. Talking of Mike in his prime beating Lewis is a moot point. Mikes Prime was 84-90. Lewis didn't even turn pro until 1989. There's no way he get's a title shot in his 1st two years. Fighting during's Mike's prime was not possible. Fighting in the mid 90's was, and Mike gave Lennox 4 Million reasons not to fight him.

Admit it though: even if you think Mike would have beated Lennox as a young man which was possible-he never beat a fighter as good as Lewis. So there is at least debate about it. I think people disliked Lennox because he was British. That was a big reason. The others, which his supporters even admit, were his lack of interest in certain fights which cost him the Rahman fight. I don't really think it cost him the McCall fight because that was the sort of shot that could have happened to anyone.

Pretty weak and unfounded comments. Mike Tyson paid Lennox Lewis 4 Million dollars to step aside in 1996. The way he fought Tua earned him a near shut out while taking little to no damage. Tua's chin was a rock, and his game plan in that fight was a smart one that worked to a tee. Boxing is to hit and not get hit, and Lewis broke the compubox record for jabs in that fight. He was avoided by Bowe and Tyson in the mid 90s, especially by Bowe who was outright afraid of him. He dominated a weak era, had two poor losses he avenged, and retired on top having beat every man he ever faced. He's a top ten all time Heavywieght and a lock for the HoF. damn straight

I personally think he's a pussy who ran from Tyson when Tyson was at the top of his game. The way he fought Tua was shameless, considering Tua is a midget and he's a giant. Anybody else? I think he is an all time great. And I respect what he did in his career. Lennox did the right thing by retiring when he did too. I do think a young Mike would KOed Lennox too.

Pretty weak and unfounded comments. Mike Tyson paid Lennox Lewis 4 Million dollars to step aside in 1996. The way he fought Tua earned him a near shut out while taking little to no damage. Tua's chin was a rock, and his game plan in that fight was a smart one that worked to a tee. Boxing is to hit and not get hit, and Lewis broke the compubox record for jabs in that fight. He was avoided by Bowe and Tyson in the mid 90s, especially by Bowe who was outright afraid of him. He dominated a weak era, had two poor losses he avenged, and retired on top having beat every man he ever faced. He's a top ten all time Heavywieght and a lock for the HoF. most people know that, it's only idiots who say otherwise.

I personally think he's a pussy who ran from Tyson when Tyson was at the top of his game. The way he fought Tua was shameless, considering Tua is a midget and he's a giant. Anybody else? Pretty weak and unfounded comments. Mike Tyson paid Lennox Lewis 4 Million dollars to step aside in 1996. The way he fought Tua earned him a near shut out while taking little to no damage. Tua's chin was a rock, and his game plan in that fight was a smart one that worked to a tee. Boxing is to hit and not get hit, and Lewis broke the compubox record for jabs in that fight. He was avoided by Bowe and Tyson in the mid 90s, especially by Bowe who was outright afraid of him. He dominated a weak era, had two poor losses he avenged, and retired on top having beat every man he ever faced. He's a top ten all time Heavywieght and a lock for the HoF.

I think most of the people who say Lewis was overrated, are saying it because they didn't like his personality, attitude, confidence, and the way he fought. people sometimes let hatred cloud rational thought.

Lewis was great. He was smart, big and strong, and could move well too. At 37 he kicked 36 year old Tysons fuckin ass. I remember laughing an cheering him on. Ahh, the memories.

I don't know why people think Holyfield was better than Lewis. The Evander that fought Lennox was not at his peak but was not shot either. I think the problems Evander had in those fights would have existed at any point. Lewis crushed Evander and I would put Lewis above both Bowe, Holyfield, and Tyson as far as the best HW since Larry Holmes. His chin wasn't bad as evidenced by bombs he took by big hitters like Vitali but it wasn't granite. His conditioning in the fights against Vitali and Rock sort of tarnish his greatness a tad but he was a great fighter

Calzaghe hasn't even had a career defining fight yet, just a wasted career, it's took him over 10 years to get one. Lewis did it all. no comparison. very true, calfaggy hasnt done a goddamn thing. heres some good K.

Calzaghe hasn't even had a career defining fight yet, just a wasted career, it's took him over 10 years to get one. Lewis did it all. no comparison.

I don't think anybody is stupid enough to rate Lennox as an all-time top 5 HW, or even the best British fighter of the last 10 years (Hamed, Hatton and Calzaghe are much better). But he was a very good fighter and I do rate him as the third best since Tyson which is a huge compliment.. Lewis held the biggest prize in boxing, he was the undisputed linear champion, Hamed, Hatton and Calzaghe are not fit to carry his jock strap.