Lewis, overated or a true Heavyweight great?

[Sir_Jose]

Lewis dosen't place in top ten, maybe fiften. Certainely not in top five where he places himself.

Why does the term "Ivans Momma" sound so framilar to me?

[Soundtraveler]

You cannot deny a fighter who rules a division for a decade, you have to give him his props. Especially if that division is the Heavyweight division.

Lennox Lewis put away an impressive list of fighters, he was never a loud "in your face" kind of fighter, but rather, a quiet almost "Zen" like confident fighter who let his fists speak for him. While others considered him arrogant, I considered it refreshing.

After spending a couple of evenings talking with Emanual Steward, I can tell you that Emanual says of Lennox, "of all the fighters I have trained, he is the strongest natural fighter of them all". He said in fact that Lennox does not lift weights, in fact he does little more than sit ups and pull ups along with sparring while in training, he is just a naturally big strong man, and a very agile one at that, with great speed.

Now, if a Hall of Fame trainer like Mr. Steward tells you that Lewis is a top 10 of all time Champion, who am I (or you) to argue? Emanual is a walking, talking, breathing, boxing encyclopedia. The man knows more about the sport and it's history than any of us will EVER know. If you ever get the chance to pick his brain, or even merely have the chance to sit and listen to this man talk boxing over dinner, you too will be astonished as I was...

[Great]

Lewis dosen't place in top ten, maybe fiften. Certainely not in top five where he places himself.

Why not? Lennox beat each guy whom met in the career. He one of three boxers (heavyweight) which have retired holding a title.

[anthetamine]

lewis does belong in the top 10, i would put him above marciano on size alone

and i dont think people are rating tyson highly enough either, he was a total power house who would crush frazier and lewis in his prime

just look at the holmes fight

1) louis
2) ali
3) holmes
4) tyson
5) foreman
6) holyfield
7) lewis
8) marciano
9) frazier
10) dempsey

[Great]

6) holyfield
7) lewis

To me it is not clear why Evander before Lewis.

[anthetamine]

Im not to sure, if you take these two at their best i believe that it would have been different than when they actually met

i dont think either were anywhere near as good as tyson at best though

maybe lewis does appear before holyfield, im not to sure, I have seen more of lewis, and seen more faults along the way, i cant really side with either

[J !]

YES HE IS TOP TEN UNDOUTEDLY, history will judge him as such as they did with Holmes, its the similar thing, technical fighters who maybe arent as high on the excitement as the likes of Marciano (whom I would like to point while retiring unbeaten 42 of those fights were non title affairs in some case against very quiestionable opposition (43 kos but yeah against who!) So in my view he wouldnt bew above Lewis for starters Lennox faced tougher oppostion than Marciano over the course of his whole career it was only latter fights where Marciano fought names most of whom were past their best. So who was in the weak era?

Just one example I could go on to pick holes in all of them but its a futile argument but is Lennox top ten **** me yes he is without a shadow of doubt.

[Great]

Im not to sure, if you take these two at their best i believe that it would have been different than when they actually met

maybe lewis does appear before holyfield, im not to sure, I have seen more of lewis, and seen more faults along the way, i cant really side with either

Holyfield was in the fine shape during the second fight with Lewis (despite of age). Lewis should be above. Enough to look at their records.

[Great]

i dont think either were anywhere near as good as tyson at best though

Self Tyson does not think that.

[bigpappy]

He's top 10 no doubt. Lewis like Holmes will not be apricated until he's been gone awhile. People let there personal feelings get in the way when talking about Lewis, cause they dont like him as aperson or think he was boring they dont give him as much credit as he deserves, but at the end of the day his resume is as good as any heavyweight who has ever fought.

His numbers stack up against anyone

Gold Medal
3 Time heavyweight Champion(Holyfield and Ali are the other two)
16 Title defenses over 10 years(3rd behind Louis and Holmes)
Beaten every man he has every fought(Only Marciano can say that)

He's in the 5-10 range and should always be put above Holyfield and Tyson.

actually marciano was undefeated lewis was defeated twice. yes i know he came back to avenge his losses.