Lennox's victory over Tyson: Proof of greatness?

[Naps]

Lewis would have beaten Ali.

[Don Corleone]

Not really just proved he had a longer reach than the washed up tyson. He basically jabbed him into submission. Nothing wrong with that i know but tyson wasn't the same tyson as in the eighties.

Lewis was good but i would never describe him as great.

Then who would you describe as great. He was a perfect definition. He was the greatest boxer of his time and I'll challenge ANYONE to that. When Lewis was focused and in shape he was unstoppable. No one can really say whether he was better then the era of Ali because there were different boxers back then but he deserves to be respected as much as they do. After he left the sport fell in a way and his absence was proof of how valuable he was to the sport. Lewis didn't need Tyson to be great. He beat everyone they put infront of him and if he didn't then he avenged it. I would definitly put him top 10 and he is my favourite HW boxer ever. Great boxer no doubt

[the_godslayer]

No one can really say whether he was better then the era of Ali because there were different boxers back then but he deserves to be respected as much as they do. After he left the sport fell in a way and his absence was proof of how valuable he was to the sport.

I agree with this part of the statement however, IMO a prime Tyson would beat a prime Lewis 9 times out of 10. Tysons biggest fault was nothing to do with his boxing ability at all, it was his fragile state of mind coupled with some very poor choices of entourage who just ****** him dry .... if Cus has not passed (RIP) then I think that Mike Tyson would be almost as legendary as Ali by now and unfortunately that will never be said of Lewis.

[coufsax]

No, this was a miss match, poor tyson

[SnoopySmurf]

Lennox did say in an interview that though both are nearly the same age, they peaked at different points in their lives.

This is probably his way of saying "Tyson was not at his prime."

It's true. Because of Lennox's style, he would not peak until well into his 30's while Tyson took the heavyweight world by surprise by his quick hooking punches while in his early 20's. Lennox would be avoided due to his difficult, sometimes boring style.

By the time these two met, Tyson was looking forward to the prize money more than glory for his glory days were long gone.

[DuttyAlacrity]

No, like someone said he already proved himself before the Tyson fight..
Tyson was a shell of himself

[CardioMonster]

Everyone is both overrated and underrated, Tyson being perhaps the prime example, but saying "what great fighter did he beat?" is a pretty weak (and overused) argument, especially among heavyweights.

You can easily use this for a lot of HW champs who are considered greats.

Jack Dempsey's best opponent? Fred Fulton? Luis Firpo?

Larry Holmes? Aging Ken Norton? Gerry Cooney? Green Tim Witherspoon? Earnie Shavers? Mike Weaver?

Sonny Liston's best win was Floyd Patterson, a borderline top 15 HW all-time.

Lennox Lewis- 37 year old Evander Holyfield? Shot Mike Tyson? Razor Ruddock? Andrew Golota?

The list goes on.

If you dont use the quality of opponent as a barometer of greatness, what the hell can you use?

I could spend all my time fighting nobodies and amassing a record of 100-0, does that mean i`m great?

The point is that Tyson never beat anyone who was a threat and lost to those that were, and some that weren`t.

He aint great.

[STEELHEAD]

Did his victory over Tyson is a proof of greatness?

no. but he's still great!
one of my favorite fights.
i still get requests to play it on lunch break.
man did lewis clock tyson!
tyson paid for pushing lewis's buttons!

[Truth]

Tyson was done. Good win but c'mon now...that Tyson was terrible.