The Lewis Era vs. The Klitschko Era

[Chunk..]

The Klitschko fans are jealous of Lennox Lewis.

Lennox Lewis is the greatest Heavyweight champion of all time.

Fuck ya'll!

P.S, sorry Bringer that i couldn't contribute something with more substance to your good thread, but i had to keep this **** short!

[-Swizzy-]

The truth is, Wlad would get destroyed in most other boxing era's but Vitali could hold his own in any era.

Wlad in the 70's against Frazier, Foreman, Ali, Shavers would get ****d. Even in the 80's against Holmes, Spinks, Tyson and in the 90's against Holyfield, Lewis, Bowe. I just can't see Wlad being anything special in those era's, he would just get eaten alive.

[La_Vibora]

I'm not sure what your point is. The strength (or lack thereof) of a fighter's skin has always been a valid means of arriving at a decision in boxing. You get cut - you lose. Them's the rules. Nothing fluke about it.

Nothing fluke about it? Lennox was getting his ass handed to him. He also looked like he was on the verge of being knocked out at times in that 2nd round, even the announcing team was questioning whether he would make it out of the 2nd round. Listen, the point I am making is that Lewis did not win that fight by being the better fighter nor did he come close to knocking Vitali out, he got the win by a doctors call, period. Which I agree is the rules of the game like you said, but don't sit here and use Klitschko's name as a reference of Lennox' greatness when that fight proved absolutely nothing in regards to that of Lennox. There was nothing great about that fight for Lewis at all.

[roundingace]

There was nothing great about that fight for Lewis at all.

Except for the small fact of.........he won.

[MickyHatton]

How about comparing the calibre of the best of all their opponents and making a decision?

Lewis fought and beat

Grant
Ruddock
Tucker
Morrison
Bruno
Mercer
Golota
Briggs
Klitschko
Tua
Holyfield
Tyson
Weaver

Split that list in half and ask yourself has either of the Klitschko's fought that calibre of fighter so often? Obviously not.

Also you may argue that Klitschko was winning the fight against Lewis but a fight is 12 rounds long not six so....that argument doesn't stand also you may also argue that Lewis beat some of these fighters on the slide which is also a counter argument for his Klitschko fight, the difference being that was that Lewis was able to turn his fight around and win (and it was as legitimate a win as another TKO as the aim is to cause damage to your opponent).

Lewis was a great champion who took two fights lightly and paid the price, the difference was that he bounced back. Don't forget Bowe effectively ducked him also.

[J.B.moneY.]

How about comparing the calibre of the best of all their opponents and making a decision?

Lewis fought and beat

Grant
Ruddock
Tucker
Morrison
Bruno
Mercer
Golota
Briggs
Klitschko
Tua
Holyfield
Tyson
Weaver

Split that list in half and ask yourself has either of the Klitschko's fought that calibre of fighter so often? Obviously not.

Also you may argue that Klitschko was winning the fight against Lewis but a fight is 12 rounds long not six so....that argument doesn't stand also you may also argue that Lewis beat some of these fighters on the slide which is also a counter argument for his Klitschko fight, the difference being that was that Lewis was able to turn his fight around and win (and it was as legitimate a win as another TKO as the aim is to cause damage to your opponent).

Lewis was a great champion who took two fights lightly and paid the price, the difference was that he bounced back. Don't forget Bowe effectively ducked him also.

yea he tore up v. klits face...lewis is a great champion for a good era....the klits are just the figure heads of a bad era

[The Surgeon]

Ask any boxing fan about Lennox Lewis' ATG status and you'll generally get the same answer : Most people have him on their top 10 Heavyweight list of the greatest to ever do it.

Ask that same boxing fan about the Klitschko brothers' reign and the result will be.....Well, not exactly the same.

Throughout his career Lewis was generally looked upon with disdain by most in the boxing public : He fought once a year, he dominated his division, but yet people still defined that era as "post Tyson". Not to mention embarassing knockout losses to 2 contenders of his era : Hasim Rahman and Oliver McCall. Lewis would go on to avenge both of those losses by knockout. But the damage to his reputation was already done.

In the years since Lennox has retired, a begrudging amount of respect has been bestowed upon the former Heavyweight kingpin : Most people now recognize his talents, and give full credit to his accomplishments.

Now look at the Klitschko brothers Era : They took the reigns after Lewis' retirement and have pretty much dominated it ever since. Vitali was looked upon as the stronger of the two for a while, but a 4 year retirement and numerous failed comebacks (thanks to repeated injury) thrust his brother Wladimir into the spotlight.

Wlad is a fighter very similar to Lewis : He's technical in his approach, not one for taking unnecessary risks in the ring, and he's pretty much dominated every opponet put infront of him. To top it off, he also has 2 embarassing knockout losses to contenders of his era Lamon Brewster and Corrie Sanders on his record. Unlike Lewis, Wladimir avenged only one of those losses, scoring a 6 round RTD over Lamon Brewster.

When casual boxing fans think of the Heavyweight division now, they generally say it's "gone south". Or that it's not nearly as good as eras past.

But was Lennox Lewis' era really that spectactular by comparison? What's the difference between Corrie Sanders and Oliver McCall? Is there one?

When it comes to the issue of legacy, most people consider Lewis to be the greatest of his era, and they list him as an "All Time Great" Heavyweight Champion. Fans and experts alike

When it comes time for Wladimir and Vitali to step aside, they can rest assured that they will go down as the greatest Heavyweights of their era.

But when it comes to "All Time Great" status, one must ask oneself: Would Lennox Lewis get the same amount of respect he gets today, if during his era, there were TWO Lennox Lewis' who fought in a similar style, dominated their opposition, but refused to face one another?

Really good thread Bringer, couple of things about Lewis that differ tho are on occasion he would just open up with the bombs and gamble, he was in some good fights and had a couple of wars too where as Wlad has been consistantly boring.
I think its pretty cool that there are two brothers on top and both have PHDs and ****! I always start a fight rooting for Klitchko, just waiting for him to unleash some venom but he never does and i end up rooting for the poor bum in the other corner, I WANT to like Wlad but he makes it so damn hard!
I Hope Haye knocks him into next week!

[totalstranga]

blah, blah blah

Chris Byrd, Corrie Sanders, Lamon Brewster, steroids/injuries

[Mugwump]

Nothing fluke about it? Lennox was getting his ass handed to him. He also looked like he was on the verge of being knocked out at times in that 2nd round, even the announcing team was questioning whether he would make it out of the 2nd round. Listen, the point I am making is that Lewis did not win that fight by being the better fighter nor did he come close to knocking Vitali out, he got the win by a doctors call, period. Which I agree is the rules of the game like you said, but don't sit here and use Klitschko's name as a reference of Lennox' greatness when that fight proved absolutely nothing in regards to that of Lennox. There was nothing great about that fight for Lewis at all.

The fight proved that Vitali didn't have the defence to prevent himself cutting up. He cut up. He lost. If he didn't want to lose on cuts he should have evaded Lewis's punches. He couldn't. Lewis's hitting was too accurate and Vitali's defence was too porous. Lewis, on the other hand, did keep his face clean. He was the better fighter - regardless of what Vitali achieved earlier. Fights aren't won on 'could haves' and 'should haves' - they are won within the rules both fighters accept when they enter the ring.

I'm not saying Vitali didn't put up a good show. He did. But he lost within the rules he accepted. He can have no complaints.

[Mugwump]

Addendum: I'm also confused by the assertion that Lewis's skin is stronger than Vitali's. Where is the scientific evidence to prove this? I've certainly not seen any and I very much doubt there IS any.

There is an implied racial assumption here that I am VERY uncomfortable with.