Why doesn't Lennox Lewis get much respect?

[MELLY-MEL...]

Lennox is a top 10 atg at heavy. great fighter.

[VirusTI]

he is great, but was getting his ass handed to him by Klit and retired

[Clegg]

People have more respect for Lewis now than they did in 2005 (when this was posted).

I've never been a fan of Lewis' style, but as always, many of the responses in this thread are over the top.

This is why people shouldn't rush to a conclusion about Wlad until his career is over. A lot of the criticisms of him were also made about Lewis, yet nowadays almost everyone respects Lewis and rates him highly.

Much as I love Tyson's fights, I don't think he would beat Lennox prime vs prime. Tyson did have problems against bigger guys who could tie him up on the inside, and the right uppercut that Lewis landed so often vs old Tyson would still have landed vs young Tyson, because that punch will always be effective against a shorter guy who comes forward with lots of head movement.

[TheManchine]

[Squabbles94806]

I'd like to think it's because the people where confused with him. He's loved now, but at the time he was almost regarded as the Klitchkos.

It did take me a while to actually appreciate Lewis's style. It could have been around the time he KO'd Tyson.

His style's pretty good. And he as pretty fast for a Heavyweight. That right hand was fcukin solid.

[UnDeniable]

People have more respect for Lewis now than they did in 2005 (when this was posted).

I've never been a fan of Lewis' style, but as always, many of the responses in this thread are over the top.

This is why people shouldn't rush to a conclusion about Wlad until his career is over. A lot of the criticisms of him were also made about Lewis, yet nowadays almost everyone respects Lewis and rates him highly.

Much as I love Tyson's fights, I don't think he would beat Lennox prime vs prime. Tyson did have problems against bigger guys who could tie him up on the inside, and the right uppercut that Lewis landed so often vs old Tyson would still have landed vs young Tyson, because that punch will always be effective against a shorter guy who comes forward with lots of head movement.

Agreed

Tyson was good but instead of people analysing any Tyson match, they instantly say Tyson KO, because of how hyped he was, facing in truth, a lot of bums. Lennox would have been too big, strong and skilled. I believe Lennox is the worst style matchup ever for Tyson , with the exception of Foreman who Cus said no swarmer ( Frazier, Tyson etc ) could ever beat

[joseph5620]

[QUOTE=El Jesus;738803]Jesus Christ, lets be ****ing logical, Mike Tyson, at 19 years old, with Cus as his trainer would have ended up making lewis look like Frazier/Smith/Green etc. Lennox would be ****ing scared the moment he got in the ring, and not to mention, there would be no feeling out rounds, or getting warmed up, with Tysons elite head movement, hand speed, and combinations, wtf would lennox do? Cover up? Come on, with Tysons father in the corner, there is just no way he would make it out of 3 rounds.

Lewis had trouble with 35 year old Mike in rounds 1/2 and i think 3 before gaining control of the fight, and not to mention, he easily had one of the best in his corner to help guide him, while Mike had ****ing Panama Lewis (ugh).

Had trouble with Tyson? What trouble?The only round Lewis might have lost to Tyson was the first and I'm not even sure about that. After that it was all Lewis and it wasn't even close. Who did Tyson ever beat that came even close to Lewis? If Tyson couldn't knock out Bonecrusher smith, Tony Tucker, Mitch Green(all 6-5 heavyweights) no way he beats Lewis at any point in his career. Also, Tyson had an opportunity to fight Lewis after LL fight with Mercer as a mandatory. But Tyson and Don King paid Lewis 3 million to step aside so Tyson could fight what was percieved as a washed up Holyfield. Lewis was never afraid of Tyson in any way, shape, or form.

[Kris Silver]

Some un real plain hatred in this thread, I'm quite shocked by it actually.

Also, none of it really makes any sense. There just excuses for hating a legitimate top HW.

Too ****y - hardly compared with the likes of Tyson, fine when he does it, double standard.

Boring - what with a 72% KO ratio, most of them very impressive quick combination KO's with good power. Yup, right, makes sense.

People need to sit back and truly ask themselves why they take such a disliking to someone. I'm afraid often it's clear from the odd invalid excuses it's just plain hatred for a stranger you don't know, it's because you can't accept. You can't accept he's one of the best then, one of the best ever HW's, that he beat the guys your slightly more a fan of than him, he was ****y doing so sometimes, isn't from your nation and a couple of other things.

Frightening hatred, really is. Sad really.