A few facts about Lennox Lewis.
He came out of his era with the beating of every fighter he ever faced. And that was a very good era for heavyweights. Big names in Holyfield, Tyson and Bowe.......and a lot of solid fighters too...Ruddock, Tucker, Bruno, Mercer, Biggs, Morrison, Golota, Grant, David Tua, Vitali Klitschko etc
He walked all over Riddick Bowe in the 1988 Olympic Final. Bowe was then pushed (because he is American) to the World Title. By the time Lewis got to him, Bowe threw his belt in the trash in a public refusal to fight Lewis. No excuse given. I wonder why?
Lewis beat 'Mr Headbutt' Evander Holyfield both times he faced him. They were both the same age.
Lewis destroyed Mike Tyson when they were both the same age. Tyson admitted he could never have beaten Lewis. Take for example the late 80's early 90's. Lewis beat every fighter they both faced in a more comprehensive manner, barring Frank Bruno who Tyson made marginally shorter work of. i.e. Ruddock went 19 rounds with Tyson. Lewis decimated Ruddock in 2 rounds.
It amazes me that someone like George Foreman is put ahead of Lewis in all time lists. I can understand maybe Ali, but Foreman? No chance.
Foreman himself admitted that he thought he would never beat Lewis. He knew that style-wise the match up was a nightmare for him. And Lewis could have done to Frazier would Foreman did if he had wanted to. Lewis had a f*ckin HUGE right hand and the one-dimensional Frazier would have walked straight in to it, just like a prime Tyson would have.
The fact is, Lewis had the physical assets and the mental skills. He knew how to beat every heavyweight he ever came up against. THAT is the mark of a true great (see Muhammad Ali). He had everything you need in a heavyweight. His only weakness was complacency, hence the two knock outs he suffered. But he more than proved that when he wasn't complacent, he was unbeatable.
Lewis beat most of hes opponents when they were over the top and downhill. Frank Bruno, Morrison,Holyfield, Tyson and Tucker. As we know Holyfield is 3 years older then Lewis.
Riddick Bowe was ready to fight Lewis in March 1995, but since Lewis lost to McCall the fight was cencelled.
Lewis was a lucky fighter, and lost 2 fights in ways no greats has done before him.
I shouldn't even respond but stupididty can't and shouldn't go unpunished. People on this site always make excuses why one fighter did this or that or what they didn't do just because they hold some bias towards that fighter. Keep dumb sh it like this too yourself. You just embarrass yourself with these type of comments
Lewis beat most of hes opponents when they were over the top and downhill. Frank Bruno, Morrison,Holyfield, Tyson and Tucker. As we know Holyfield is 3 years older then Lewis.
Riddick Bowe was ready to fight Lewis in March 1995, but since Lewis lost to McCall the fight was cencelled.
Lewis was a lucky fighter, and lost 2 fights in ways no greats has done before him.
McCall and Rahman's punches shouldn't have been able to get through but once they did, they would have knocked out ANYONE.
To say Lewis has a glass chin is stupid. Anyone who saw the shots that Lewis took against Mercer will know that. And how many fighters can you name who went 32 rounds with Holyfield and Tyson without ever looking close to being knocked out. Look at how the big hitting Klitschko's shots just made him come back angrier. Lewis was a beast.
Foreman admitted Lewis would have been a nightmare for him. Straight out of Foreman's mouth.
Lewis was superior to Foreman in every way except maybe punching power. But Lewis had A LOT of power himself. He would have jabbed Foreman's head off before knocking him out.
So he was knocked out in the 2nd round, in his prime, by a second rate journeyman?
I, and most other people, think his prime came after working with Steward for a couple years.
lennox prime was in 2000 in my opinion, after the 2 holyfield fights he clearly got better..
great thread lewis is a top 10 hw and would have a very good shot at beating any hw through history
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W_zqpQJcT8
check 4:15 lewis learnt how to deal with tyson as a kid during sparing with him i truly belive tyson never wanted the fight with lewis after this..
Stop bringing the names of Holyfield who was too old at the time and specially Tyson who was fat out of shape and a drug addict at the time,the same Tyson who got Koed by Williams and Mcbride.
Even Manny Steward said that at that point Tyson was completely shot bellow Lennox Lewis's sparring partners.
Manny also said that young Mike Tyson was the most devastating puncher he has ever seen and that he would have beaten Lewis.The full article is in sports illustrated.You can see a few quotes in the site SecondsOut.com written by Thomas Hauser.
Ruiz defeated old Holyfield and knock him down.
spot on comments lewis fought the best guys in the division when they were clearly in decline tyson was a bum basicly and holyfield had slowed right down
McCall and Rahman's punches shouldn't have been able to get through but once they did, they would have knocked out ANYONE.
To say Lewis has a glass chin is stupid. Anyone who saw the shots that Lewis took against Mercer will know that. And how many fighters can you name who went 32 rounds with Holyfield and Tyson without ever looking close to being knocked out. Look at how the big hitting Klitschko's shots just made him come back angrier. Lewis was a beast.
By the way, someone was questioning his nationality? Who cares? The fact is, he is an all-time great fighter. Let's not forget.
If you really want to know, he's an east London boy (that's London, England). Born and bred. Not only was he born in England, but he's spent most of his life here.
12 to 23 he lived in Ontario, Boxed for Canada twice in the Olympics.
And how many fighters can you name who went 32 rounds with Holyfield and Tyson without ever looking close to being knocked out.
Stop bringing the names of Holyfield who was too old at the time and specially Tyson who was fat out of shape and a drug addict at the time,the same Tyson who got Koed by Williams and Mcbride.
Even Manny Steward said that at that point Tyson was completely shot bellow Lennox Lewis's sparring partners.
Manny also said that young Mike Tyson was the most devastating puncher he has ever seen and that he would have beaten Lewis.The full article is in sports illustrated.You can see a few quotes in the site SecondsOut.com written by Thomas Hauser.
Ruiz defeated old Holyfield and knock him down.
McCall and Rahman's punches shouldn't have been able to get through but once they did, they would have knocked out ANYONE.
To say Lewis has a glass chin is stupid. Anyone who saw the shots that Lewis took against Mercer will know that. And how many fighters can you name who went 32 rounds with Holyfield and Tyson without ever looking close to being knocked out. Look at how the big hitting Klitschko's shots just made him come back angrier. Lewis was a beast.
By the way, someone was questioning his nationality? Who cares? The fact is, he is an all-time great fighter. Let's not forget.
If you really want to know, he's an east London boy (that's London, England). Born and bred. Not only was he born in England, but he's spent most of his life here.
Exactly, the second fight proved that he was KTFO'd by a bum!
Many fighters in history have got complacent and overlooked guys in front of them who were perceived as lesser fighters. James Toney is a prime example. Chris Eubank is another. Erik Morales against Raheem. Juanma Lopez against Mtagwa. Tyson against Douglas. The list goes on. The consequences of doing that in the HW division are also far riskier.
So those two fights where he lost his title(s) weren't big fights?
The first fights proved Lennox's chin was pure glass. The second fights he simply beat guys he never should've lost to in the first place (if he was truly as good as you claim.)
That is your opinion.
Understand?
I thought he was stopped prematurely against McCall. The Rahman fight was not a big fight, he didnt train hard and didnt acclimatise to South Africa like he should've. I agree, he should've never lost and it was his own fault. But that doesnt take away from his talent.
It seems pretty clear. Douglas is looking at the referee and waiting out the count before he gets up. Smart move.
The first fight proved that Lewis didnt take it seriously enough. The second fight just confirmed that fact. In the biggest fights of his career, Lennox always delivered.
So those two fights where he lost his title(s) weren't big fights?
The first fights proved Lennox's chin was pure glass. The second fights he simply beat guys he never should've lost to in the first place (if he was truly as good as you claim.)
Douglas' head was also clear as day so he would've gotten up had the count been picked up quicker.
Understand?
That is your opinion.
Understand?
He also showed his balls by NOT giving Vitali a rematch despite that fight actually being controversial, which wasn't the case for Rahman and McCall since those fights saw Lummox KTFO.
it doesnt really matter that he was knocked out, there have been plenty of great fighters that have been knocked out. the important thing is that he came back strong afterwards, thats what great fighters do. i dont know what past greats he would have beaten and which ones he wouldnt have but he was a great fighter, i cant see how anybody would deny that.