Prime Tyson vs Prime Lennox ?

[Chunk..]

Tyson, even during his prime, always had trouble with bigger fighters. He struggled with Bonecrusher Smith and had his hands full against Tony Tucker. He beat Mitch Green but he should have beaten him easily. Green was already washed up by the time Mike got to him.

Lennox is WORLDS better than any of the men Tyson struggled against. If Tyson can't hurt or score an opponent his hands are full. He CAN hurt Lennox but the trick is HITTING him without being hit often himself.

Tyson is faster but Lennox has the range on him. Either he would attack first or tie Tyson up after scoring a few big punches in the early rounds. It's not likely that he would use option one, though he could if he chose. He usually attacks bigger opponents.

People don't realize how hard Lennox can hit. Tyson has power but Lennox has it as well. He didn't always use his power to it's fullest potential but he does have it. I dare say Lennox is in the top class of Hvt. when it comes to Power. BIG GEORGE has the top spot to himself, unless you include non-champions, in which case Forman shares the Top spot with Ernie Shavers.

In the next class you have TYSON, LEWIS and LISTON.
Next you have Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano just before Dempsey and Frazier. If I were to pick a few contenders I would say Ken Norton and Razor Ruddock would be in this class as well. In fact, Ruddock is in the same class with Tyson, Lewis and Liston. He certainly punches as hard as Tyson. Tyson just takes a better punch and makes better use of his power.

Who can forget the way Lennox finished off Andrew Golota, or the way he lifted Frans Botha off his feet? This was with long range punches. If Lennox gets close his power becomes greater.

Lennox would score early and get Mike's attention. He doesn't have Mike's speed but Mike has to come close in order for his speed to be an advantage. He also has to pay a price for his defiance. Lennox stuns him early. Mike usually changes his game plan if you get his attention.

Now Lennox has control of the pace of the fight. If Mike isn't allowed to dictate a fight early on, and if his opponent can stick to a game plan, he usually becomes discouraged as the fight progresses. Sometimes he will still have enough to catch a man, like he did with Bruno who tied him in knots early.

This fight would be a bit different from their actual fight, but would the outcome be different?

Lennox would not allow for all of what Bruno allowed Tyson to do. Bruno never knew how to use the uppercut. NO Big Man used it as well as Lennox uses it. Tyson would catch a few too many of those in the middle rounds. Though there are many differences between Tyson and Joe Frazier, Lennox would fight both in a similar way. Frazier would not take many of those uppercuts early. He would fall before the 4th.

Mike wouldn't last much longer.

Lewis by KO in 9. Chess players rarely get beat.

[damian5000]

Yea, IF Lennox made it to mid/late rounds. IF he weathered the storm. There's just as much chance Tyson lands.

[RichCCFC]

Lewis, too big, too strong and Tyson would eat the jab all night.

He would never be able to get inside on Lewis.

[RichCCFC]

Infact didn't Tyson say in the post fight interview he doesn't think he could ever beat Lewis, even in his prime? I'll go look it up now.

[Mike Tyson77]

Tyson KOs Lewis FAST, like in 1 or 2 rounds.

[Left Hook Tua]

everyone is saying mike will have a hard time getting on the inside of lewis.

mike tyson was not at his best on the inside.

mike tyson was at his best coming from the outside to the inside. he's too short on the outside and being on the inside was not his strongsuit. mike was dangerous in the middle range moving in.

if it goes to a decision mike would lose. lennox would popshot him on the outside and hold on the inside.

but i still believe mike , in his prime , has enough speed to catch lennox at least for brief moments. that's enough to get the ko.

[Dan...]

Disagree with pretty much everybody. There are very few heavies who could deal with a prime Tyson IMO and Lennox is not one of them. Sure he had some attributes that may have troubled Tyson but I just don't think he would have been able to withstand Tyson's onslaught. I would pick Tyson by a midround KO.

[FeFist]

I would give it to a prime Tyson, by stopage. In my opinion I think he would just evade the jabs and wear Lennox down with combos to the chest and head.

[Ryn0]

everyone is saying mike will have a hard time getting on the inside of lewis.

mike tyson was not at his best on the inside.

mike tyson was at his best coming from the outside to the inside. he's too short on the outside and being on the inside was not his strongsuit. mike was dangerous in the middle range moving in.

if it goes to a decision mike would lose. lennox would popshot him on the outside and hold on the inside.

but i still believe mike , in his prime , has enough speed to catch lennox at least for brief moments. that's enough to get the ko.

That's true but the Outside and the Middle ground is where Lennos excels especially with the uppercut and Lennox isn't good on the inside he always ties up on the inside and doesn't have any game there. Tyson might not be best on the inside but he's better than Lennox. I still think Lennox KO's him late though.

[slicksouthpaw16]

Tyson couldn't slip in and get on the inside of James Tillis. He went passive becuase he was getting a boxing lesson and his opponent was not discouraged by him. Tillis was giving him lateral lovement, kept use of the jab and didn't give him his opportunities. Lewis is a harder puncher than Tillis, has a better harder( and more consistant) jab. He would control the fight from the outside and keep Tyson at bay. Just like he did with Tua, Morrison and all of his other opponents that only had a punchers chance. He was just good against those certain type of fighters becuase like Terrible has stated, he kept his composure so Tyson couldn't force him into making any ****** mistakes.

I also don't know where some of you get Lewis having a glass chin and would go down from one hook. He took shots from Tua, huge punches from Klitscho ( who had a knockout percentage of 90%) Bruno( who won all but two fights by knockout) and many other heavy hitters. When motivated and ready, his chin was very good and seriously underrated.

Tyson has never beaten any great fighters that were in their prime. He was a very good fighter and very talented when he was in his peak, but i really can't see him beating Lewis even on his best day. There are cases of Tyson being a bit overrated.