Is Lennox Lewis overrated?

[The_Demon]

probably rank him 5 or 6 atg heavyweight,he was pretty special.by far the best HW in the last 20 years

[Spray_resistant]

No. Dude earned his place in teh HW top 10, although I wouldn't say he's in the top 3. When cats are tryin to place fighters on these hypothetical lists, they **** up thinkin a fighter must be able to defeat everyone beneath him in the rankings. That ain't true. Yea, there's some guys also considered ATG HW's that could take LL. But you judge this ****, or at least should, based on what they did in their eras, not dream matches that we can never see and know who'd win 4 sho.

That is true because when comparing fighters from different eras you never know how fighter A. would have done in fighter B's. era and vice versa. Who knows a great fighter in one era could have blasted through all of the best in another era or maybe got stopped early in their career one time and never got a shot at greatness ever again. It is still fun to have fantasy matches up though, and it's not at all out of the question to this Lewis at his best could have beaten any heavyweight who ever fought. He did have physical advantages over most ATGs.

[.Mik.]

I hated him when he was boxing, but have come to respect him greatly since. I wouldnt say that he's a top 3 heavyweight of all time and there is no point comparing who he would or wouldnt have beaten because the heavyweight game was so much bigger, heavier and different, all that you can do is compare his accomplishments. He had an incredibly strong resume, he fought everyone there was to fight, he avenged all of his losses, he defended his titles many times, he beat a few fighters who went on to much bigger things.

Top 5 heavyweights of all time? I cant name many better.

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

Top 5 heavyweights of all time? I cant name many better.

I can certainly agree. Anywhere from 5 to 15 is a very reasonable assessment depending upon how one sees it. He was a great champion that I have a ton of respect for.

[P4P Opinion]

Lewis at least deserves to rank inside the top ten, probably inside the top five and possibly inside the top three. He beat everyone there was to beat and avenged his only losses; you just can't ask for more than that.

My list:

1. Muhammad Ali
2. Joe Louis
3. Lennox Lewis
4. George Foreman
5. Larry Holmes
6. Evander Holyfield
7. Joe Frazier
8. Jack Johnson
9. Rocky Marciano
10. Mike Tyson

As much as I enjoyed him as a fighter, I feel aggrieved giving Tyson a top ten spot, but to be honest I couldn't think of a better candidate for my final choice. I rate Tyson exactly the same as I rate Prince Naseem Hamed; both dominated before letting issues outside of the ring kill their potential.

[Mr. Philadel]

Lewis is some what underrated IMO......I think he's better than a top 10 HW of all-time.....I think he's top 5......his resume speaks for itself so anybody who disagrees should rap with his resume

[T.Horton]

based on accomplishments

I rate Lewis around 7.

Ali
Louis
Jack Johnson

Foreman -- you may laugh but the man came back after ten or eleven years and eventually won back the title. Disney couldn't have written a better story than that.

Holmes
Marciano
Lewis
Liston
Tyson
Dempsey

Frazier
Holyfield

I wasn't very impressed with Holyfield's career at heavy....exciting as hell but he just didn't have the big wins -- besides Tyson and one over Bowe.

[arargh]

americans think lennox lewis is over-rated.

[Ray*]

I dont think he was overrated to be honest, I remember how people never give him any credit when he was active, He has some great wins and some good wins.. He was a big HW who uses his brain rather than brawl when he doesnt need to, Overall i think he would make the top 15 best HW of all time.

[P4P GOAT]

I dont know. Sometimes i think his size was big factor in why he was able to establish himself above a lot of fighters that could not compete with him physically, but then that sounds like im saying he did not have any skill and he was just a big lump, and that is far from the truth.

Lewis was a unusual type of HW, because even though he was built like a mountain he was tentative counter puncher. His counter punching skills get overlooked far too much.

I dont think he would of been as dominant without that size, but by the same token he was very skilled and a great fighter.