frankly im fed up with it. lennox lewis is a top 2 heavyweight of all time, arguably number 1. he would be a strong favorite to beat any heavy weight in the history of the sport in a 1-on-1 match up, including ali. Resume's dont get much better than his. he fought every top contender and marquee name there was except for chicken bowe who disgracefully ducked him. he also fought through different generations and beat the best heavy weights from each one, including his final epic performance against the then prime vitali. he had size, reach, ring IQ, power, speed, combinations, and most of all wasnt afraid to fight anyone. theres literally NO weakness in lennox lewis.
yet all i hear is how he has a "glass jaw" and was knocked out by rahman and mccall (both of which he avenged brutally), and other weak arguments.
people need to start respecting the great one much more than they do. it is a bit sickening how a top 2 heavy weight of all time can get so little praise. with 100% confidence, name me ONE heavyweight in the history of boxing who you can say would easily beat lennox lewis. you cant. because lennox was that good.
On the worst night of his life he still kicked Vitali's ass.
vitali made it one of the worst nights of his life and they kicked each others butt. there really should have been a rematch. its not like lennox was in his 40's and shop worn. he took the easy way out instead of risking his legacy in what he knew would be another difficult fight
Lennox fought tall, had a great jab and right hand, decent left hook and savage uppercuts. His demolition of Golota and Grant were classic. Briggs was a good night out as well. Not sure how much credence to give him for Holy and Tyson as all parties were past prime. He really should've rematched Vitali. Lennox won that fight but not the event and it has haunted his legacy a bit. Overall, I really respect Lennox's reign as champion although he could be china chinned, subject to weight fluctuation, and sometimes suffered from arrogance which would cost him. I'd place him Top 10 ATG, barely.
Pretty good post.
I picked him to beat Tyson early on in his career but the Tyson he fought was admittedly past prime.
Pretty hard for me to overlook him as a top 10 pick everything considered.
I think he's respected enough, not overrated and not underrated. I have him at number 10 on my list. I still think that Prime Evander and Prime Tyson could have beat him. It's actually Klitards who overate him, they just want to pump up Vitali winning 4 rounds against him :lol1:
I can name you two -- Haseem Rahman and Oliver McCall. Both knocked Lewis out with one punch. Also, he didn't brutally avenge his loss to McCall. The fight was stopped when McCall had a nervous breakdown in the ring -- falling to his knees and crying like a man who had just lost a loved one.
Lewis' right hand can do that to a man.
Prime versions of Tyson, Foreman, Ali, Holmes.
And if Holyfield went 24 rounds with him, Joe Louis would give him hell.
Many fans also argue that Vitali would beat him in a rematch.
Most fans are retarded.
It's the taint of him running leaving the sport, he was retired by Vitali win or lose, he wasn't thinking retirement before this fight and had 30 mill dollar fights lined up for at least 2-3 year, unlike a real fighter, a real champ, and most importantly a real man he didnt want answer questions, he took the sissy route and ran away.....
Funny how he criticizes Floyd but he ran away from the biggest match in boxing, given that why should be appreciated and totued, he ran away from his legacy fight, this wasn't no washed up 80s fighters, or journey like Rahman; therefore his legacy has a question mark, had he been man enough to rematch and get koed then we'd appreciate him, he took the girly ah hah I won route quit and gave a giant middle finger to the sport of boxing and the fans, **** em...........
The taint of him?
i agree he is very underrated. not only was he the best HW of his era by far, not only did he reign as such for a long time but he did so in a good era for heavyweights. only ali bests him in this regard being the best HW in the best era for HWs.
guys like tucker, briggs, tua, morrison, mercer, ruddock etc all in or close to their respective primes are very good wins who people for some reason overlook. the holyfield masterpiece is really just the cherry on top, beating a true legend. personally i dont even count tyson, if i did it would be the way he ducked lennox not how lennox made him break a hip or knock him out or whatever that ordeal was.
then of course he beat everyone who beat him, which is impressive given his level of opposition.
its a shame he didnt get bowe in the pros, i want to write nobody could doubt him had he taken out bowe but i know people would regardless.
It's the taint of him running leaving the sport, he was retired by Vitali win or lose, he wasn't thinking retirement before this fight and had 30 mill dollar fights lined up for at least 2-3 year, unlike a real fighter, a real champ, and most importantly a real man he didnt want answer questions, he took the sissy route and ran away.....
Funny how he criticizes Floyd but he ran away from the biggest match in boxing, given that why should be appreciated and totued, he ran away from his legacy fight, this wasn't no washed up 80s fighters, or journey like Rahman; therefore his legacy has a question mark, had he been man enough to rematch and get koed then we'd appreciate him, he took the girly ah hah I won route quit and gave a giant middle finger to the sport of boxing and the fans, **** em...........
frankly im fed up with it. lennox lewis is a top 2 heavyweight of all time, arguably number 1. he would be a strong favorite to beat any heavy weight in the history of the sport in a 1-on-1 match up, including ali. Resume's dont get much better than his. he fought every top contender and marquee name there was except for chicken bowe who disgracefully ducked him. he also fought through different generations and beat the best heavy weights from each one, including his final epic performance against the then prime vitali. he had size, reach, ring IQ, power, speed, combinations, and most of all wasnt afraid to fight anyone. theres literally NO weakness in lennox lewis.
yet all i hear is how he has a "glass jaw" and was knocked out by rahman and mccall (both of which he avenged brutally), and other weak arguments.
people need to start respecting the great one much more than they do. it is a bit sickening how a top 2 heavy weight of all time can get so little praise. with 100% confidence, name me ONE heavyweight in the history of boxing who you can say would easily beat lennox lewis. you cant. because lennox was that good.
I can name you two -- Haseem Rahman and Oliver McCall. Both knocked Lewis out with one punch. Also, he didn't brutally avenge his loss to McCall. The fight was stopped when McCall had a nervous breakdown in the ring -- falling to his knees and crying like a man who had just lost a loved one.
he's top 10 for sure. top 2 is too high for a man who's best wins are against washed up fighters in holyfield and Tyson. I think both would have beaten him in the early 90's. especially the version of evander that fought foreman and bowe the first time
thats the way I see it as well. a shot holyfield came close to winning the rematch. lewis also just barely edged mercer in a fight that could have gone either way. lewis was great but there are fighters that would have beaten him in there prime that werent top 5 atg's
Lennox fought tall, had a great jab and right hand, decent left hook and savage uppercuts. His demolition of Golota and Grant were classic. Briggs was a good night out as well. Not sure how much credence to give him for Holy and Tyson as all parties were past prime. He really should've rematched Vitali. Lennox won that fight but not the event and it has haunted his legacy a bit. Overall, I really respect Lennox's reign as champion although he could be china chinned, subject to weight fluctuation, and sometimes suffered from arrogance which would cost him. I'd place him Top 10 ATG, barely.
he's top 10 for sure. top 2 is too high for a man who's best wins are against washed up fighters in holyfield and Tyson. I think both would have beaten him in the early 90's. especially the version of evander that fought foreman and bowe the first time