Lennox Lewis A Top 10 ATG Heavyweight...Really?

[Toney616]

Vitali was at his absolute best when he was 31 years old and had 33 fights. He was much more experienced than the guy who quit against Byrd, and he was a lot faster/stronger than the person who struggled with #20 Sosnoski a few months ago.

He had every advantage imaginable and still lost;

Vitali made his pro debut in 1996-11-16 and fought Lewis in 2003-06-21. So thats roughly 6.5 years experience.

His best opponents were: Chris Byrd, Larry Donald and maybe Herbie Hide

Lewis made his pro debut in 1989-06-27 and fought Vitali in 2003-06-21. So thats roughly 14.0 years experience.

His best opponents were: Evander Holyfield*2 and David Tua

So Lewis has more pro experience and had faced the better level of competition

In terms of physical advantages Lewis looked like he had the better reflexes, footspeed and handspeed.

In terms of stamina, they were both tired by around round three

In terms of technical ability Lewis looked like he had a higher skill set, which was noticable in terms of his defense

Lewis also had a world class trainer in his corner:Manny Steward

In other words:

Footspeed: Lewis
Handspeed: Lewis
Power:Maybe Lewis
Experience: Lewis
Skillset: Lewis
Competiton faced: Lewis
Intangibles: Lewis
Stamina:Equal?

fighting an even older and slower Lennox would prove nothing.

Thats not the point, Lewis retired because he didn't want to face Vitali again, just like he vacated (and took step aside money from King) the IBF belt to avoid facing Byrd.

[Tyson.]

No top ten ATG hevayweight gets KOed in 2 rounds by Mccall in their prime.

[WladIsTheChamp]

Lewis is top 5 for sure.

[WladIsTheChamp]

11/. Holyfield
12/. Liston
13/. Bowe
14/. LEWIS....

You talk to so much of being a boxing historian yet you make this silly list?

Didn't Bowe dump a belt in the trash just so he wouldn't have to face him? Didn't Lewis destory Bowe in the amateurs? Didn't Bowe have two wars with Golota were Golota was kicking his @ss before he became mental and started using the low blows? Didn't Lewis destroy Golota in one round the very next fight?

It doesn't look like you know history that much. Let me guess, you also put Tyson ahead of Lewis.

[sonnyboyx2]

You talk to so much of being a boxing historian yet you make this silly list?

Didn't Bowe dump a belt in the trash just so he wouldn't have to face him? Didn't Lewis destory Bowe in the amateurs? Didn't Bowe have two wars with Golota were Golota was kicking his @ss before he became mental and started using the low blows? Didn't Lewis destroy Golota in one round the very next fight?

It doesn't look like you know history that much. Let me guess, you also put Tyson ahead of Lewis.

i aint no boxing historian, i am just a guy who has followed the sport since i was a boy.

No Bowe never dumped his belt in the bin to avoid Lewis, he dumped it in the bin to say to the WBC "up you".. here is a link for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0eins2DhSo

Lewis never destroyed Bowe in the Olympics like you claim, Bowe was "Robbed" in the Olympics by a corrupt referee who gave Bowe 14 warnings in the opening round..Bowe was destroying Lewis in that final... again here is a link for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K39AbwNl3QU

your correct in that Bowe and Golota had 2 brutal wars with Bowe winning both and neither fighter being the same after those wars... Mike Tyson destroyed Golota smashing his jaw in the opening round, Golota was also destroyed in the opening round by Lamon Brewster & Ray Austin... Yet when Golota fought Lewis he took a panic-attack in his dressing room and was tranquilized by doctors so was in no state to fight...

You ask do i put Tyson ahead of Lewis... of course i do, Lewis was nothing more than a first round KO for Tyson between 86-96

[WladIsTheChamp]

i aint no boxing historian, i am just a guy who has followed the sport since i was a boy.

No Bowe never dumped his belt in the bin to avoid Lewis, he dumped it in the bin to say to the WBC "up you".. here is a link for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0eins2DhSo

Lewis never destroyed Bowe in the Olympics like you claim, Bowe was "Robbed" in the Olympics by a corrupt referee who gave Bowe 14 warnings in the opening round..Bowe was destroying Lewis in that final... again here is a link for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K39AbwNl3QU

your correct in that Bowe and Golota had 2 brutal wars with Bowe winning both and neither fighter being the same after those wars... Mike Tyson destroyed Golota smashing his jaw in the opening round, Golota was also destroyed in the opening round by Lamon Brewster & Ray Austin... Yet when Golota fought Lewis he took a panic-attack in his dressing room and was tranquilized by doctors so was in no state to fight...

You ask do i put Tyson ahead of Lewis... of course i do, Lewis was nothing more than a first round KO for Tyson between 86-96

Bowe dumped his belt because they ordered that he fight Lewis, he chose to drop it rather than face it - he was scared since he alredy lost to him in the amateurs. Your excuses don't erase the fact that 1) he dumped the belt when ordered to face Lewis 2) he lost to Lewis in the amateurs.

And I still don't see your explanation as to why Bowe had two wars with Golota when Lewis destroyed Golota in one round. All you told me of how Brewster and Austin destroyed him in one round as well and how he was scared to death of facing Lewis. If anything, that just reinforces my point that your ranking of Bowe ahead of Lewis is not very well thought out, given the fact that Golota was brave enough to last with Bowe and give him problems yet had to be medicated to face Lewis and got destroyed by him in one round.

Oh, and Tyson lost to Lewis and Holyfield. Lewis beat Holyfield. Let me guess, Tyson was not in his "prime" when he lost to Lewis. LOL, I love that excuse. What about when he lost to Buster? Oh, wait, I know, Buster was Superman that night because his mom died.

Just out of curiousity, where do you put the Klitschkos in your unbiased rankings and well thought-out rankings?

[Joeyzagz]

i aint no boxing historian, i am just a guy who has followed the sport since i was a boy.

No Bowe never dumped his belt in the bin to avoid Lewis, he dumped it in the bin to say to the WBC "up you".. here is a link for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0eins2DhSo

Bowe clearly ducked Lewis in late 1993. This is a fact backed up by HBO, his manager Rock Newman, and by Bowes' own words and actions during that time period.

If a challenger ducks, then that challenger would be dropped in the rankings by the WBC. In this case Bowe did the ducking, thus he was punished and stripped. A punch-drunk interview 15 years later will not change his cowardly actions.

[Joeyzagz]

Thats not the point, Lewis retired because he didn't want to face Vitali again, just like he vacated (and took step aside money from King) the IBF belt to avoid facing Byrd.

He retired because he had accomplished everything he set out to do, and he realized he wasn't getting any younger.

The only reason a boxer fights past his prime is because

A: They were ****** with their money(Cars, drugs illegitimate children)

B: They suffered a miss-step early in their career and are righting wrongs of the past (Foreman, Hopkins)

Lennox did not have this problem so he could go in peace.


If he beat Vitali, hed have to face Wladimir next, and if he beat Wladimir hed be accused of picking on Sanders and Brewsters leftovers....Then some mediocre guy like Peter would come along and knock A 40 y/o lennox out giving him parkinsons.

Win/lose/or draw I dont see Lennox improving his stance on the all-time list by continuing. In 2004 He had a win over every single one of his top peers and avenged all of his losses. He had little to gain and everything to lose by fighting on(Legacy/physical health).

Marciano retired too early, Ali retired too late, Lennox is one of the few who left on top, at the right time.

[sonnyboyx2]

Bowe clearly ducked Lewis in late 1993. This is a fact backed up by HBO, his manager Rock Newman, and by Bowes' own words and actions during that time period.

If a challenger ducks, then that challenger would be dropped in the rankings by the WBC. In this case Bowe did the ducking, thus he was punished and stripped. A punch-drunk interview 15 years later will not change his cowardly actions.

so you are claiming that you are correct & Rid**** Bowe in that interview is telling lies?

who is telling lies - you or Bowe?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0eins2DhSo

[sonnyboyx2]

Bowe dumped his belt because they ordered that he fight Lewis, he chose to drop it rather than face it - he was scared since he alredy lost to him in the amateurs. Your excuses don't erase the fact that 1) he dumped the belt when ordered to face Lewis 2) he lost to Lewis in the amateurs.

And I still don't see your explanation as to why Bowe had two wars with Golota when Lewis destroyed Golota in one round. All you told me of how Brewster and Austin destroyed him in one round as well and how he was scared to death of facing Lewis. If anything, that just reinforces my point that your ranking of Bowe ahead of Lewis is not very well thought out, given the fact that Golota was brave enough to last with Bowe and give him problems yet had to be medicated to face Lewis and got destroyed by him in one round.

Oh, and Tyson lost to Lewis and Holyfield. Lewis beat Holyfield. Let me guess, Tyson was not in his "prime" when he lost to Lewis. LOL, I love that excuse. What about when he lost to Buster? Oh, wait, I know, Buster was Superman that night because his mom died.

Just out of curiousity, where do you put the Klitschkos in your unbiased rankings and well thought-out rankings?

a load of made-up exaggerated rubbish without a single shred of proof other than your own vivid imagination.. you get funnier by the post... supply me with some links to disprove what i say and to prove what you claim to be correct....

You are quick to accuse Bowe of avoiding Lewis yet wasn`t Lewis stripped of every championship belt for refusing to fight the No1 contenders in Ruiz, Byrd & Vitali.... yes its ok for you to trash Rid**** Bowe yet you deny Lewis did far worse in the next breath..
Lewis stripped of WBA belt for avoiding John Ruiz
Lewis stripped of IBF belt for avoiding Chris Byrd
Lewis stripped of WBC belt for avoiding Vitali

Lewis avoided every fighter in the world who was world rated and at "The Top of their Game" from 1991-2003..

this argument is easier than shelling peas