Prime Mike Tyson vs Prime All time Heavyweight Champions

[The Old LefHook]

I think Lennox tells the truth. So what? The way Lewis tells it he was able to hit Tyson because he put his hands down in frustration, practically inviting him to. This proves nothing at all. Lewis is obviously drunk on the podium and is gracious towards Tyson. Then he foolishly aggrandizes his acheivement of beating a version of Tyson who was a shell of his former shadow as a fight between the two best of their generation to settle it all.

Uh, Lennox, the two have to fight when they still are great for a fight to have the kind of importance you attribute to this one. Have another drink. You are a nice man, anyway. We all deceive ourselves in many ways all the time.

[PitbullParsons]

Cus was throwing puppies to his pitbull.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! There's only one pitbull in boxing lol

How about an article/interview a lot closer to when it happened then some story you read on a forum 2 weeks ago? haha


http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sport...yson-lewis.htm

[Joeyzagz]

Whoa, whoa, whoa! There's only one pitbull in boxing lol

How about an article/interview a lot closer to when it happened then some story you read on a forum 2 weeks ago? haha


http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sport...yson-lewis.htm

Thank you for posting this link! Sometimes sonny boy can be so persistently naggy he can convince someone telling the truth that they are lying.

I m human, Im not going to remember the story word for word especially with slight variations of what occurred floating about on the internet.

My only point was to show thAt Lennox did in fact face Tyson in a boxing ring at a young age and that he held his own. Young Lennox gets highly understated on this site. He was quick, explosive and much more athletic than the guy we saw vs Rahman, Holyfield, klitschko.

[PitbullParsons]

I've had my moments with Sonny but I respect the guy and his views. One of the few who doesn't act like he has been a fan of the sport for less than 5years lol

I don't think anyone denied that they had sparred with each other but the way you had described it clearly isn't the way it happened and I don't think anyone who knows how the both of them fought around that time would have believed it the way you explained it.

I personally think Lewis was/is overrated. He was good but shouldn't be on a pedestal the way some fans do. Then again rating how good a fighter is in perspective to the history of boxing is subjective. I personally think Jack Dempsey was and is the GOAT. I don't think Ali is even in the top 5. I have my reasons and depending how deep of an understanding one has of boxing they can either see there is justified reasoning or they think that I'm crazy.

No matter who the fighter is, there is someone out there that can beat them. That doesn't make that one person a better boxer, it just means he has that guys number.

[The Old LefHook]

I don't think Ali is even in the top 5. I have my reasons and depending how deep of an understanding one has of boxing they can either see there is justified reasoning or they think that I'm crazy.

Yeah, you're reasoning ability is off the charts.

[billeau2]

I don't know if anyone could sit through fifteen minutes of lennox Lewis talking. Here is another great Lewis quote from a fight I watched the other night. Straight from the HBO post-analysis desk.

"Felix Trinidad really showed the world that if someone is strong in the head that means he's weak in the body, but if they are weak in the body, that means he's strong in the head."

Because you may want to play this cherished moment over and over, I have provided a link. Put it on at your next boxing bee and hush your guests. Works well at bachelor parties and anniversaries. Stuns! Amazes! The fun starts around 1:33:50.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGMshtgA4rA

"When the opponent is throwing those punches you really have to not get hit."

"_____ has to throw punches and hit his opponent to be effective here."

[billeau2]

This is probably your first time hearing the story, it is my 4th or 5th. I heard Teddy Atlas speak on it who was actually there and the common thread is always Cus Dmato stopped it.

The moral of the story is that this 18 year old prospect from Canada was the only boxer, Man, Boy or Pro, who could last multiple sparring sessions with Mike Tyson. Not only that he was getting BETTER each time and eventually hurt Mike.

I know of these type of situations from being part of the fighting tongs in Baltimore....There were always dojo stormers and fights.

What I take from these type things, and what I think, based on my own experience having to fight guys who wanted to take my head off is the following: Seldom is there a cut and dry victor...oh it does happen, I put one on a guy once! but more often than not both guys get a few good moments and magically those moments are preserved, and the other guys moments are forgotten in posterity.

I once fought this freakin monster for my teacher and this guy so wanted to separate me from my waking moments...well he couldn't but then again I couldn't take him down (I got a lecture for that one!). Recounting that now i realize that I had to be damn good to not get hit, at the time I felt like a loser.

Im sure during that sparring both guys ebbed and flowed and got some shots in. Thats just usually what happens.

[billeau2]

Im not going to get into the lewis stuff but there is no doubt that the version of Tyson he beat does not qualify. Lewis was a great fighter, he does not need Tyson on his resume... And no he would not lose to any Klitschko, he beat the better one as far as I am concerned. Vlad would get KTFO against Lewis real quick.

[juggernaut666]

Lennox had a secret fight with Mike Tyson back in the 1980s.



1. Tyson won the first round handily and staggered Young Lennox several times


2. Round 2 was more competitive with Lennox making adjustments to Mike's ferocity. Toss up round .

3. Round 3 Lennox had clearly taken control of the fight when a frustrated Cus Dmato threw in the towel. "Get Mike outta there! he may have to face this Monster some day, but not tonight, not in my gym"

A SECRET fight with then 15 year old Tyson without the structure he developed?


P.s it wasn't a SECRET fight both were up and coming amatuers who cus wanted to see spar..."SPAR". Tyson took on a lot tougher chareacters there after real grown men pros' who he battered when he sharpend and learned actual skill.

you also didn't mention they spared for a few days,it wasn't like they stepped in a ring and that was that they went at it for at least 2 times.

[Ray Corso]

First day Mike got the better of Lennox.
second day it was more competitive.
Third day Lennox got the better of Mike.

Both had troubles getting good sparring and most heavyweights encounter that throughout their carriers unless they pay well can bring in who they like.

I know what happened at Cus's gym because I was there with a few other friends who often frequented Cus's home.

I think Lennox had just turned 16 and Mike was 15 still boxing in J.O. (junior olympics) that I was the Region One coach in and Tyson fought on that team. I got Cus the excemption for Teddy to work the corner their first year in Colo. because prior to that no "personal trainers" were allowed to work corners at a National event only the team coaches worked corners.

Not sure what the big deal is about JO kids giving each other good work but it obviously means something to some.

Ray