is Lennox Lewis overrated on boxing forums

[Ray Corso]

You don't need to be 200lbs to put someone down you need to hit hard, have accuracy and be a mean mother ****er!!! That covers it............

[KnockoutNed]

The only people who have ever claimed that Ruiz was doing well in sparring with Lewis are Ruiz' attorney Anthony Cardinale and his trainer Norm Stone.

A sparring partner who was actually in those training camps gave a more realistic version of events.

http://www.ajdugger.com/forum.html#nabble-td4090601i80

Ruiz just ran away and held on to Lewis.

Anybody who thinks Ruiz could beat Lewis in sparring or a fight are delusional.

[LacedUp]

I see. Do you have a source for those two things?

Also was in one the articles where it states that Lewis said in court he'd fulfill his mandatory after Grant. King said that was unacceptable. Clear duck from King, not from Lewis.

No one wanted to see Lewis fight the exposed Grant, Every boxing fan worldwide wanted to see Lewis fight the No1 contenders. John Ruiz went on and beat Evander Holyfield. He even put Holyfield on the canvas, something Lewis never came near to doing in 24rds.. Chris Byrd went on to fight Evander Holyfield, beating him far easier than what Lennox Lewis could. He also beat David Tua far easier than what Lewis did. John Ruiz went on to be a two-time Champion, which gives thought to just why Lewis wanted nothing to do with him and his "Grappling-Hook" Style.. Michael Grant went on to be KOd four more times in his career never beating anyone of worth.

As I said. You clearly weren't around at the time so your opinion really means nothing.

There was not a single boxing fan in the world who wanted Lewis to fight Ruiz the fight wasn't even on the table as I've just proven. And certainly no one would want to watch Lewis fight Byrd over Tyson.

You also ducked the tyson situation in 1996.

Maybe you could do your case the world of good, by explaining to us who Michael Grant had beaten to deserve a World Title fight?... Had he fought and won an elimination?.. had he decisively beaten any Ranked contenders?... Or maybe he was just "Hand-Picked" by Lewis for harmlessness. So Lewis could avoid the No1 contenders.

He had just beaten Golota in an eliminator and was ranked in the top 3 by ring magazine. In comparison, Ruiz wasn't even in the top 10.

[billeau2]

Saying "you stink out the joint" as a reason for not getting the titleshot that you have earned is lame. Fact of the matter is that Lennox refused to fullfill his mandatory obligations. We can debate whether that is a duck or not, but regardless of that it's clear that those fights is not easy wins.

Good for Lewis! Wlad should have ducked his mandatory a few times....If there are better fighters out there that the public want to see you fight you should duck a mandatory.

[billeau2]

You make it up as you go along lol. i have yet to read anything which is factual you have put into print about Lennox Lewis. You just keep sprouting excuse after excuse for the guy. Do you have links of proof for:

1/. King knew Lewis would smack those guys around like ragdolls?
2/. Byrd & Ruiz Ducked Lewis?
3/. Lewis more than happy to fight Ruiz?
4/. Ruiz didn't want to fight Lewis, he wanted a belt?

You also assume that Byrd & Ruiz who were both mandatory No1 contenders, were inferior fighters to 2002 version of Mike Tyson (drug addict). Michael Grant (exposed bum) Vitali Klitschko (thought of as nothing special).. But you are wrong.. Since when did HBO dictate who the Heavyweight Champion fights?

You sprout all these accusations of Lewis done this and Lewis done that. But you fail to answer every single question which is put to you.. You come across as a very young 20yrs old or younger, who has never seen a boxing match in his life. I have asked you many questions on this subject which are still to be addressed by you.

Grant explosed? yeah by Lewis! Grant was considered very much a threat, an unexposed threat, prior to meeting up with Lewis. And one can very clearly know from their experiences in the ring, that neither Ruiz or Byrd were much of a challenge to Lewis....neither guy was a big puncher, neither guy had any particular intriguing skills that would challenge the hegemony of Lewis, though neither guy was a bad fighter per se. Ruiz was a dirty fighter who could hang in with the best and usually did so in a losing effort. Byrd was an exceptional boxer, but had no weapons that could threaten Lewis.

At the time when these fights were being considered Grant was looked upon uncategorically as a much stronger challenge to Lewis.... Thats a fact. If he was exposed why was he undefeated before fighting Lewis!? Again answer that question....IF GRANT WAS AN EXPOSED FIGHTER PRIOR TO FIGHTING LEWIS WHY WAS HE UNDEFEATED?!

[billeau2]

I wouldn't label a professional boxer a coward... boxers, even champions in the majority of cases have very little say in their opponents - and those that do will always go for the most money least risk.

I doubt Lewis would have been stripped in the manner he was if he fought in a previous age.

Well....It wasn't really Lewis' fault you see.....At the mere sight of Stoney and Jawney boy Ruiz, quite a few fighters were given to sudden bouts of palpatation, loss of bowels and the sudden need to find Jesus in their lives.

Never was there a more feared presence than that unmitigated juggernaught, that humping terror in the ring, commanly known as Ruiz. A man so pathologically imbued with the skill to do damage in the ring....no doubt Lewis was forced to abandon all moral precept, nay not all the gold stolen from fort knox, nor all the Bush Mills consumed on snt Patty's day would provide the liquid courage to face Jawney Boy. Can any of us blame Lennox for his cowardly act of ducking the man who once his hands came towards you....a humping sensation would arise and cause a terror that was unspeakable and apparently unspoken, until Sonnyboy opened the veritable gates of hell to unleash upon us!!?

Nay run one run all....for once the forsaken name Ruiz has been spoken do not be suprised to feel a hump on thy leg, a grasp upon thy bosom, and maybe even a punch for good measure.

[Scott9945]

Grant explosed? yeah by Lewis! Grant was considered very much a threat, an unexposed threat, prior to meeting up with Lewis. And one can very clearly know from their experiences in the ring, that neither Ruiz or Byrd were much of a challenge to Lewis....neither guy was a big puncher, neither guy had any particular intriguing skills that would challenge the hegemony of Lewis, though neither guy was a bad fighter per se. Ruiz was a dirty fighter who could hang in with the best and usually did so in a losing effort. Byrd was an exceptional boxer, but had no weapons that could threaten Lewis.

At the time when these fights were being considered Grant was looked upon uncategorically as a much stronger challenge to Lewis.... Thats a fact. If he was exposed why was he undefeated before fighting Lewis!? Again answer that question....IF GRANT WAS AN EXPOSED FIGHTER PRIOR TO FIGHTING LEWIS WHY WAS HE UNDEFEATED?!

Lewis-Grant was a PPV and got 375,000 buys. So it is hardly like nobody was interested. A PPV with Ruiz or Byrd wouldn't have likely done nearly as well.

[joseph5620]

Lewis-Grant was a PPV and got 375,000 buys. So it is hardly like nobody was interested. A PPV with Ruiz or Byrd wouldn't have likely done nearly as well.

I forgot this fight was PPV. I do remember that Grant was seen as a more formidable opponent than Ruiz at the time.

[LacedUp]

Lewis-Grant was a PPV and got 375,000 buys. So it is hardly like nobody was interested. A PPV with Ruiz or Byrd wouldn't have likely done nearly as well.

Lewis vs Ruiz on PPV?

Doubt it would even have been on PPV.

[Scott9945]

Lewis vs Ruiz on PPV?

Doubt it would even have been on PPV.

Probably not. Lewis didn't work cheap and a PPV would be a sure money loser. So if HBO didn't want it, then that's a problem.