Did Lennox Lewis avoid fellow world champions Ruiz and Byrd

[Johnny heard]

Both held versions of the heavyweight title while Lewis was lineal champion both never got close to a fight being made against the true number one Lewis, you hear rumours over the years that manny steward wanted no part of Chris Byrd cause he would make Lennox look slow and clumsy and that John Ruiz had the better of Lennox in sparring back when Lewis was preparing for the golota fight, I would of liked to of seen both fights, just to see how Lennox handled these 2 potential banana skins.

[crold1]

Both held versions of the heavyweight title while Lewis was lineal champion both never got close to a fight being made against the true number one Lewis, you hear rumours over the years that manny steward wanted no part of Chris Byrd cause he would make Lennox look slow and clumsy and that John Ruiz had the better of Lennox in sparring back when Lewis was preparing for the golota fight, I would of liked to of seen both fights, just to see how Lennox handled these 2 potential banana skins.

Ruiz could have had a fight. There was a huge mess with the WBA coming up with a mando after Lewis-Holy II. Ruiz was the third name out of the hat after Akinwande had hep. King sued w/ Ruiz. They wanted a belt more than Lewis (prob King moreso). He allegedly paid 7 figures to get Lewis to vacate for Byrd a couple years later. There can be a case for avoiding Byrd. He didn't avoid Rui . Went to court to try to stop the strip and said he'd be happy to fight him after Grant.

[billeau2]

Both held versions of the heavyweight title while Lewis was lineal champion both never got close to a fight being made against the true number one Lewis, you hear rumours over the years that manny steward wanted no part of Chris Byrd cause he would make Lennox look slow and clumsy and that John Ruiz had the better of Lennox in sparring back when Lewis was preparing for the golota fight, I would of liked to of seen both fights, just to see how Lennox handled these 2 potential banana skins.

Lets say....for the sake of argument that indeed LL DID decide to duck Bird and Ruiz... one of the most remarkable things about Lewis is the people he did fight, the tough fights that he took when he could have ducked out. If you look at Lewis' reign he fought nearly everyone who the fans wanted him to fight. And...he chased Bowe who would not fight him. There was, during LL's reign, never a long list of up and commers waiting for a shot because even when Lewis knew better? he would fight.

For example, Michael Grant...a guy who everyone just knew was going to do Lwis in with his Dentey Wilder like power.

Now keep in mind: there were TWO klitschko brothers during most of the Klitschko reign, in a weak division with much FEWER guys who deserve a shot. How is it that Lewis managed, with one of him.....to only duck Ruiz and Byrd? when the Klits with TWO created a long line of challengers clamering for a shot at the title(s)? And incidemtly even the guys who beat Lewis badly were rematched, unlike another present champ who preferred to not fight others again.....

My own feeling is that Lewis thought a fight with either of these guys would be absurd. Neither guy could hurt Lewis and Lewis may well have felt that this was a good reason not to pursue....I don't know. But what I do know is that most guys worth some salt got a chance to fight Lewis unlike the present champ who dumped a truck driver instead of fighting someone like Tyson Fury who was a legitimate threat.

[billeau2]

Both held versions of the heavyweight title while Lewis was lineal champion both never got close to a fight being made against the true number one Lewis, you hear rumours over the years that manny steward wanted no part of Chris Byrd cause he would make Lennox look slow and clumsy and that John Ruiz had the better of Lennox in sparring back when Lewis was preparing for the golota fight, I would of liked to of seen both fights, just to see how Lennox handled these 2 potential banana skins.

There is no way that the sluggish Ruiz (at the time) was nearly the fighter that Golata was. Even if Jawney knocked Lewis from piller to post in sparring he never had any real abilities that would allow him to touch up Lewis. Golata actually had fast feet and hands and beat the crap out of Bowe, in addition to the fouling. Jawney never dominated a fighter of that calibre

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Lennox didn't duck them.. They were just emerging as titlist when Lennox was retiring

2000-01 Ruiz is having a trilogy with evander for a vacant belt, this would propel Ruiz into the main stage..
Byrd was basically unknown but pulled the upset over vitali but then promptly lost to wlad.
Lennox was having his first full year as champ and defended vs tua, grant, and those were much bigger fights than Ruiz n Byrd. Then Lewis was tied up for a year with Rahman fights..
By 2002 Lewis was only looking for Tyson fight, and late 2002 Byrd got a vacant belt for beating Holyfield..
2003 Lewis fought one time and hung it up and Ruiz was getting beat by Roy, and Byrd was drawing with fres..

It wasn't till 2004-05 that Ruiz and Byrd were really considered top champs... Wlad had been knocked out a couple times, vitali was injured and ultimately retired for a few years.

I don't think Lewis ducked them... He probably stops both, but Byrd would make him work for it..

[TBear]

If anybody did any ducking during that time period, it would have been Don King who was into keeping his champions far away from Lewis. Primarily because King could not get control of Lewis and his contract. So when Lewis beat them, Kings control of the title would be gone.

[Scott9945]

If anybody did any ducking during that time period, it would have been Don King who was into keeping his champions far away from Lewis. Primarily because King could not get control of Lewis and his contract. So when Lewis beat them, Kings control of the title would be gone.

That's the truth. I always admired Lewis for staying independent from King.

[Cardinal Buck]

Lewis did duck Ruiz in a sense, but more because there was no interest in the fight and Ruiz was with King. I don't think it had anything to do with fear of losing.

[Weltschmerz]

Nah he did not. What we know for sure is that Lennox DUCKED a Vitali rematch!!!

[Suckmedry]

Nah he did not. What we know for sure is that Lennox DUCKED a Vitali rematch!!!

Do shut up.