Who'd win in a battle of the jabs: Lennox Lewis or Wladimir Klitschko?

[kiDynamite92]

Also agree on Joshua. Lennox for such a big guy was pretty light on his feet and that's what made him so much better then these other 240 lbs fighters. I'm not saying he was Muhammad Ali or something but he was still nimble on his feet. Joshua looks really robotic, you can tell he's not a natural boxer, he looks very textbook and basic. He's quite stiff at times as well. The slabs of muscle he's got must contribute to that. When you looked at Lewis he wasn't nearly as ripped, he was lean but not to the point where you could see a 6 pack. I just wonder how much of Joshua's training is divided up into weight training. Joshua will always have a problem with fighters who are slick, the way Erislandy Savon showed him up at the olympics was evident of that, maybe after he gets pass Kevin Johnson they should put him in there with a Eddie Chambers or Steve Cunningham and see how he goes.

[JasonBoxing]

Wlad would win the battle of the jabs prior to him getting brutally put to sleep.
The slight advantages Wlad hold over Lennox are in areas that wouldn't prevent him from getting removed from consciousness.

[JasonBoxing]

I agree on the point about Joshua. He seems a decent prospect. Certainly a step above the standard, sub-standard garbage which has populated the heavyweight division for the last decade.

Comparisons with Lewis are entirely misplaced. Lewis was always light on his feet at a young age whereas Joshua's seem rooted to the ground.

A lot has been made of the paucity of fighting talent over the last few years. But I think the real problem is a scarcity of TRAINERS.

I mean, how many fighters today do you see who possess genuine head movement? How many fighters today do you see who know how to slip a punch?

At some point boxing made the mistake of listening to modern snake oil salesmen punting the idea that "progressive", "scientific" training methods (with special emphasis on diet, fitness, strength and psychological conditioning) are more important than the aforementioned skills which were passed down through generations of trainers all the way back to the sport's origins.

A great example is someone like Adam Booth. I have no doubts about his ability to devise a scientifically rigorous diet which puts twenty pounds of lean muscle bulk on David Haye moving up from the amateurs. I have no doubts about his ability to employ state-of-the-art technology and methods to increase Haye's fitness levels. And I have no doubts about him utilising the most up-to-date techniques which science has provided so as to leave a guy like Haye in the most positive mental state leading up to a fight.

But if the sum total of Booth's training leaves Haye unable to throw anything more than single bombs (scientifically "optimised" or not), flat footed because his calorically rigorous diet has impacted upon his natural agility and with a (positively re-enforced) head which might as well be welded to his shoulders like Batman and his early cape then what's the point?

If you look at the heavyweight division there are plenty of big guys who often demonstrate flashes of ability.

The problem is there aren't any BOXING trainers (as opposed to modern fitness conditioners) who can shape the raw material into something approaching a fighter like the early Greek sculptors worked with marble.

This is a fantastic point. I seen flashes of talent but no real trainers to get them out.

[BoxRep]

Wow, that's a top question... I'm going with a prime Lennox.. He had such great timing and threw it from closer range than many could ever dream of doing

[Mugwump]

This is a fantastic point. I seen flashes of talent but no real trainers to get them out.

I'd just like to say that I'm not one of those middle-aged types who thinks everything was better in his day. Far from it. And I have no issue with modern progressive training techniques as they undoubtedly offer benefits above that which was deemed "cutting edge" from the 70s back. Especially in relation to topics such as diet where the advances are obvious to see.

But I do feel it is utterly insane to discount the priceless skills which old-time boxing coaches possess in spades just because they are "old time boxing coaches".

There's a happy medium somewhere. Alas, I feel boxing in particular and society in general hasn't found it. After all, ours are the only three or four generations in all of human history perhaps which feels uncomfortable in the presence of old people and values "wisdom" below youthful vigour and "progress".

It's the same fool reasoning which compels the electorate in my country (which should certainly know better) to trust someone like David Cameron to run the country wisely when most bars I know would demand he show ID before serving him beer.

[Weltschmerz]

Lennox lacked heart. Vlad would make him cry and retire in his corner.

[Ray Corso]

Yes the heavyweight champ "lacked heart"!!! Ban these little jackoffz.

[Scott9945]

Lennox lacked heart. Vlad would make him cry and retire in his corner.

When did Lewis ever show a lack of heart? And what has happened to make you think Wladimir has a better one?

[beez721]

When did Lewis ever show a lack of heart? And what has happened to make you think Wladimir has a better one?

ridiculous to think wlad or lewis lack heart. you dont become a long reigning champ without it

[LacedUp]

I agree with you about everything else though. If Bruno was around today I reckon he would have cracked Wladamir at least once. A lot of people nowadays are comparing Anthony Joshua to Lennox Lewis but in my opinion he'll turn out to be more like Frank Bruno, which is still a big plus for the division.

He looks more like Bruno possibly, but he doesn't fight anything like him at all. He fights more like an early Lennox than any version of Bruno in my opinion.