Most Boring Champs

[Weltschmerz]

Anybody mention Nikolay Valuev yet?

[billeau2]

Unlike you I was a fan of boxing at the time and actually know what happened.

I have previously provided court proceedings for you where Lewis fights to keep his WBA belt - now that is a fact - Because Don King had taken it to court that Lewis would defend against Michael Grant which was signed before WBA even made a mandatory. He stated that he was happy to fight Ruiz afterwards.

With regards to Byrd, he wasn't the #1 contender, he was just IBF #1 which is why it's pretty damn ridiculous you keep relating it to Bowe-Lewis.

They were the winners of a mini tournament between Ruddock-Lewis and Bowe-Holyfield and they had agreed before hand to fight. Also, Byrd had already lost to Wlad, lost to Ike and dominated by Vitali which definitely didn't make his case stronger.

Add to that, Lewis had signed a rematch clause with Tyson and that was meant to happen, when it fell through HBO wanted Vitali Klitschko and they negotiated for the fight for a long time but couldn't agree on international TV rights so that fell through and I believe he decided to fight Kirk Johnson as mandatory for one of his belts which then fell through and the Klitschko situation was then resolved.

Add to that, HBO didn't want Byrd at all, they wanted Tyson II and then V Klitschko and then W Klitschko. They signed a new $100million mega deal with Lewis for this and Byrd was the only obstacle.

Now on top of that, I guess it's just a coincidence that Don King just happened to collect the two vacant belts and had his men fight for them whilst Lewis suddenly had a new range rover in his garage and an extra $1million in his bank account

Statement from Lewis:

"Today I announced my decision to vacate my IBF heavyweight title. Prior to today, my team and I had already determined that there was no public interest in a Lennox Lewis/Chris Byrd bout. My decision was also based upon the fact that I believe, as I have said repeatedly, that Chris Byrd offers no competitive challenge to me. The fact is that the champion makes the belt important, not the other way around. Accordingly, in light of a court order and an IBF ruling that would have required me to fight a meaningless fight against Chris Byrd in order to keep the IBF belt, I had no choice but to vacate. As I have recently stated, the world has yet to see the best of Lennox Lewis."

Nobody at the time even remotely thought Lewis was ducking Byrd which is why I know for an absolute fact that you weren't a boxing fan then.

You're garbage has been played out son.

Lewis ducking doe

Great post. Proof presented along with quotes from a source.

[billeau2]

if i was to believe a single word of this drivel, then i may as well believe in fairy's at the bottom of my garden....Of course Lewis was stripped for avoiding Byrd & Ruiz otherwise he would have held and defended those belts against the two tomato-cans and unworthy fighters he chose to fight instead. Grant & Botha...Any boxing fan who supports Lewis decision to avoid Byrd & Ruiz and instead fight Grant & Botha must be delusional... Lewis and his team (Manny Stewart) knew exactly what threat Ruiz & Byrd posed to Lewis at that time and what little threat Grant & Botha posed...Ruiz showings against Holyfield (floored Evander) and other top rated fighters Golota, Rahman, Changaev, Valuev, McCline show Ruiz would have been vastly superior challenge than Grant or Botha... Byrds performances against Holyfield & Tua, both of whom he defeated far easily than what Lewis did. show he was a worthy challenger...

Michael Grant in 20 20 hindsight is indeed not much of a fighter....Just like people now find it fshionable to talk of Razor Ruddock as a slow one armed fighter....its called the curse of Lenox...because it was because of Lewis that fighters like this were exposed.

Grant is very similar to Wilder... If lewis were champ he would dispatch of Wilder and every one would say "that guy was just a puncher and hardly a real threat to a decent fighter." But at the time Grant was considered a power punching menace, a man capable of imposing his size on Lewis and making the fragile Brit/Canadian retreat into a shell.

Ditto for Ruddock who was a favorite against Lewis. Then Lewis showed what it looks like when a one armed fighter is exposed.

The point is that at the time Byrd, who had lost fights recently, was small and past his best days, was not looked at credibly as a challenge to Lewis. Grant was looked upon as a legitime challenge. I have no dounts that in todays division Grant would still be out there much like Wilder is. And watch...the minute Wilder faces a guy who can move bit we will have the second coming of Michael Grant....except all factors being equl I think Grant was a better fighter than Wilder.

[billeau2]

Well, let's see it then. Just scan it and put it up for us to see. I'm happy to wait.

I can vouch for Sonny...I am the guy who sold it to him that night. You had the regular programs or the "special" programs and Sonny bought the special program for a few quid.

[sonnyboyx2]

Michael Grant in 20 20 hindsight is indeed not much of a fighter....Just like people now find it fshionable to talk of Razor Ruddock as a slow one armed fighter....its called the curse of Lenox...because it was because of Lewis that fighters like this were exposed.

Grant is very similar to Wilder... If lewis were champ he would dispatch of Wilder and every one would say "that guy was just a puncher and hardly a real threat to a decent fighter." But at the time Grant was considered a power punching menace, a man capable of imposing his size on Lewis and making the fragile Brit/Canadian retreat into a shell.

Ditto for Ruddock who was a favorite against Lewis. Then Lewis showed what it looks like when a one armed fighter is exposed.

The point is that at the time Byrd, who had lost fights recently, was small and past his best days, was not looked at credibly as a challenge to Lewis. Grant was looked upon as a legitime challenge. I have no dounts that in todays division Grant would still be out there much like Wilder is. And watch...the minute Wilder faces a guy who can move bit we will have the second coming of Michael Grant....except all factors being equl I think Grant was a better fighter than Wilder.

Everything you claim here in this post is wrong. You obviously were not around in the year 2000.

To claim Lennox Lewis exposed Michael Grant and Ruddock is wrong. it is a load of rubbish... Take a look at the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP0_M-_Hc2M

Grant was exposed by Andrew Golota who floored Grant twice in the opening round before quitting in the 10th round.. Golota is a known quitter.

Lennox Lewis sat ringside with Donald Trump watching the above fight and immediately announced he was to fight Michael Grant next.

Trying to make out Grant was a power-punching champion in waiting is laughable, it shows just how little you actually understand this sport... Lewis chose to fight the exposed Grant rather than the official No1 contender John Ruiz. Ruiz showed from 1996 through to the very end of his career in 2010 that he was a worthy contender and champion, who would have given Lewis a far greater battle than what the exposed Michael Grant did...to claim otherwise is delusional.

Donovon Ruddock was not the favorite to beat Lennox Lewis 1992 Lewis was the clear betting favorite at odds of 8/11 with Ruddock at odds of 15/8.. i was in attendence at the fight in Earls Court. Ruddock had a huge Campervan parked outside on the Earls Court carpark... Ruddock WAS NOT exposed by Lennox Lewis.. Ruddock had already been exposed many times over, he had struggled to beat old 35yr old Mike Weaver as well as being stopped by club-fighter Dave Jaco.. but prior to his bout with Lewis, Ruddock had fought two fights against former champion Mike Tyson, losing almost every round in both fights. Ruddock was given a frightful and brutal beating by Tyson in their second bout. Having his eye-socket smashed aswell as his cheeckbone broken..If Ruddock was not exposed then i don't know what exposed means.. By the time Ruddock got around to fighting Lewis, he was "Damaged-Goods".. He never threw a single punch in the Lewis fight and put up a feeble performance. Ruddock was booed by the 12,000 crowd in Earls Court for going out without a fight.. he was pathetic!

Chris Byrd was the official IBF No1 contender having easily defeated Vitali Klitschko, David Tua & Evander Holyfield. the later two fighters far easier than Lewis defeated them... Lewis trainer Manny Stewart wanted nothing to do with Chris Byrd, Stewart told Lewis, "Byrd could easily make Lewis look very bad and that Byrd would most likely win a point decision..

For you to try to make Grant out to be a world-beater and Byrd and Ruiz to be nothing but tomato cans is laughable.. You know in your own mind that Lennox Lewis beat not a single fighter of worth other than Mike Tyson who was addicted to Prescription anti-depressants, alcohol, ******* & cannabis. Danny Williama & Kevin McBride also beat that version of Tyson.

Lewis greatest career victory was a fortunate win over Frank Bruno who had schooled Lewis for 7rds before getting tagged.. I must agree that i feel Lewis was unfortunate not to be given the decision in his first bout against Evander Holyfield. Yet i can see how the judges scored it 6rds each and a draw. Even the British judge scored it as a draw... But Lewis was clearly fortunate beyond belief to be given the decision in their rematch.. i felt Holyfield won 8-4rds.. Holyfield himself also feels he won it fairly easily..

Deontay Wilder is a fighter Lennox Lewis would run a million miles from. Lewis would want nothing to do with Wilder because Wilder is undefeated and can punch.. i would fancy Wilder to take care of Michael Grant in the first round by knock out.

[LacedUp]

if i was to believe a single word of this drivel, then i may as well believe in fairy's at the bottom of my garden....Of course Lewis was stripped for avoiding Byrd & Ruiz otherwise he would have held and defended those belts against the two tomato-cans and unworthy fighters he chose to fight instead. Grant & Botha...Any boxing fan who supports Lewis decision to avoid Byrd & Ruiz and instead fight Grant & Botha must be delusional... Lewis and his team (Manny Stewart) knew exactly what threat Ruiz & Byrd posed to Lewis at that time and what little threat Grant & Botha posed...Ruiz showings against Holyfield (floored Evander) and other top rated fighters Golota, Rahman, Changaev, Valuev, McCline show Ruiz would have been vastly superior challenge than Grant or Botha... Byrds performances against Holyfield & Tua, both of whom he defeated far easily than what Lewis did. show he was a worthy challenger...

Michael Grant was the actual #1 contender. NOBODY wanted to see Lewis fight Byrd or Ruiz. NOBODY. HBO didn't want those fights and neither did the fans. The plan was Tyson II, Wladimir and Vitali. That was the deal he made with HBO - that is just a fact. Now, Wlad went and got himself knocked out vs a guy who was Lewis old sparring partner and not even ranked in the top 15 - that ruled him out. Tyson didn't want it, that ruled him out.

Then Vitali and Lewis couldn't agree to a deal - this is a fact. So he chose to fight Kirk Johnson who then dropped out. Then ended up with Vitali.

Lol @ Ruiz dropping Holyfield. He also lost to two former middleweights So worthy. Whatever Byrd did afterwards doesn't justify or make claim for him to challenge Lewis at the time because he had already lost to fighters inferior to Lewis.

As I said, it's clear you weren't a boxing fan at the time. It's clear to me and everyone else.

[sonnyboyx2]

Michael Grant was the actual #1 contender. NOBODY wanted to see Lewis fight Byrd or Ruiz. NOBODY. HBO didn't want those fights and neither did the fans. The plan was Tyson II, Wladimir and Vitali. That was the deal he made with HBO - that is just a fact. Now, Wlad went and got himself knocked out vs a guy who was Lewis old sparring partner and not even ranked in the top 15 - that ruled him out. Tyson didn't want it, that ruled him out.

Then Vitali and Lewis couldn't agree to a deal - this is a fact. So he chose to fight Kirk Johnson who then dropped out. Then ended up with Vitali.

Lol @ Ruiz dropping Holyfield. He also lost to two former middleweights So worthy. Whatever Byrd did afterwards doesn't justify or make claim for him to challenge Lewis at the time because he had already lost to fighters inferior to Lewis.

As I said, it's clear you weren't a boxing fan at the time. It's clear to me and everyone else.

You live in cookoo land mate... You keep stating your own personal opinions and calling them facts...

Your claiming nobody wanted to see Lewis vs Ruiz or Byrd?... did you go around asking every boxing fan in the world?

Your claiming: The plan was this, the plan was that, HBO this and HBO that... which is a complete load of rubbish... Lewis held the undisputed title (WBC, WBA & IBF).. Ruiz was WBA No1 contender, Byrd was IBF No1 contender. Kirk Johnson was WBC No1 contender. Wlad Klitschko was WBO Champion and not on the radar... All your assumptions of this plan and that plan simply are in your own head. They are in your head to justify Lewis actions of abrogating his responsibility as champion by not fighting the official No1 contenders..... By you claiming HBO did not want Ruiz or Byrd or nobody wanted that fight is ridiculous... Are you claiming Ruiz & Byrd should have "Hung Up their Gloves".. because the professional trade which they both chose to become a tradesman, The customers did not like them?.... should Muhammad Ali & George Foreman have refused to fight Jimmy Young???? because Jimmy Young had a style similar (but not as good) as Chris Byrd?... Lennox Lewis refusing to fight the No1 contenders was like Ali & Foreman refusing to fight Jimmy Young and instead fighting Howard Smith, Duane Bobick or Stan Ward who were Top 10 rated in 1976..

You are so deluded that you even mention Tyson vs Lewis (2).. completely blanking out of your mind the outrageous circumstances of Tyson vs Lewis (1) were it was well documented in the run up to that fight that, Mike Tyson was addicted to Prescription Anti-Depressants, Alcohol, ******* & Cannabis..The fight was farcical. Yet Lennox Lewis who was well informed months previous to their first fight, was trying to sue Tyson into accepting a second fight..Lewis was a fraud, who's greatest career win was over Frank Bruno. who avoided every single fighter who was "At The Top of their Game" throughout the period of 1992-2003.. fighters who held versions of the title like Holmes 93, Foreman, Moorer, Tyson 96, Bowe 95 Sanders, Hide, Wlad Klitschko, Holyfield 93 & 95 were all avoided.. Herbie Hide was the undefeated WBO Champion in 94 and the whole of Britain wanted to see Lewis who had lost his WBC belt (taken out of rubbish bin) take on Hide in a multi-million pound Battle of Britain. Yet because Hide at that time was undefeated and unexposed. Lewis was unsure what Hide was, so baulked on the money and the fight.. Lewis career is littered with huge money offers of lucrative fights he turned his back on.. But Lewis and his team always claimed "They were all afraid to fight me" LOLOLOLOL :*******:

[The Old LefHook]

All I know is that I did not want to see Ruiz or Byrd against Lewis. Both fights were foregone conclusions, and both of those fighters were awfully boring. I badly did not want those fights, which I would have considered copouts.

[LacedUp]

You live in cookoo land mate... You keep stating your own personal opinions and calling them facts...

Your claiming nobody wanted to see Lewis vs Ruiz or Byrd?... did you go around asking every boxing fan in the world?

Your claiming: The plan was this, the plan was that, HBO this and HBO that... which is a complete load of rubbish... Lewis held the undisputed title (WBC, WBA & IBF).. Ruiz was WBA No1 contender, Byrd was IBF No1 contender. Kirk Johnson was WBC No1 contender. Wlad Klitschko was WBO Champion and not on the radar... All your assumptions of this plan and that plan simply are in your own head. They are in your head to justify Lewis actions of abrogating his responsibility as champion by not fighting the official No1 contenders..... By you claiming HBO did not want Ruiz or Byrd or nobody wanted that fight is ridiculous... Are you claiming Ruiz & Byrd should have "Hung Up their Gloves".. because the professional trade which they both chose to become a tradesman, The customers did not like them?.... should Muhammad Ali & George Foreman have refused to fight Jimmy Young???? because Jimmy Young had a style similar (but not as good) as Chris Byrd?... Lennox Lewis refusing to fight the No1 contenders was like Ali & Foreman refusing to fight Jimmy Young and instead fighting Howard Smith, Duane Bobick or Stan Ward who were Top 10 rated in 1976..

You are so deluded that you even mention Tyson vs Lewis (2).. completely blanking out of your mind the outrageous circumstances of Tyson vs Lewis (1) were it was well documented in the run up to that fight that, Mike Tyson was addicted to Prescription Anti-Depressants, Alcohol, ******* & Cannabis..The fight was farcical. Yet Lennox Lewis who was well informed months previous to their first fight, was trying to sue Tyson into accepting a second fight..Lewis was a fraud, who's greatest career win was over Frank Bruno. who avoided every single fighter who was "At The Top of their Game" throughout the period of 1992-2003.. fighters who held versions of the title like Holmes 93, Foreman, Moorer, Tyson 96, Bowe 95 Sanders, Hide, Wlad Klitschko, Holyfield 93 & 95 were all avoided.. Herbie Hide was the undefeated WBO Champion in 94 and the whole of Britain wanted to see Lewis who had lost his WBC belt (taken out of rubbish bin) take on Hide in a multi-million pound Battle of Britain. Yet because Hide at that time was undefeated and unexposed. Lewis was unsure what Hide was, so baulked on the money and the fight.. Lewis career is littered with huge money offers of lucrative fights he turned his back on.. But Lewis and his team always claimed "They were all afraid to fight me" LOLOLOLOL :*******:

Mate. I was a boxing fan then. You weren't. Don't tell me I live in cookoo land when I lived through it. Who cares if they were belt #1?s No one cared then or now. Only you. The fact is that Byrd and Ruiz were not wanted by HBO in the new mega million dollar contract that was signed by Lewis. This is not an opinion of mine - it is a fact. Tyson signed a rematch clause - another fact - and that was the fight HBO wanted first and foremost.

No that's that not the same at all since Grant was the actual number one contender and Ruiz and Burd were just top 10 contenders. That is another fact. We can go back into the history books and see who were highest ranked.

Or.. You could re watch Lewis-Grant and listen to Merchant say exactly the same. Not a word of Ruiz or Byrd was in that fight. Why? Because NOBODY cared.

As for the rest of the absolute garbage you wrote - couldn't care less because it hasn't got anything to do with what we're discussing and it further emphasizes that you just want to hate on Lewis.

Anyway, it's been proven over and over again that you don't know what you're talking about. Someone who'll reject court proceedings where Lewis fought to keep his belt, isn't to be taken seriously. And you definitely aren't.

[LacedUp]

All I know is that I did not want to see Ruiz or Byrd against Lewis. Both fights were foregone conclusions, and both of those fighters were awfully boring. I badly did not want those fights, which I would have considered copouts.

Exactly. If Lewis had fought those guys instead of Klitschko, Grant, Tyson or whatever. Pff.