Lennox Lewis: One of the Greatest Heavyweights?

[oldgringo]

simply said, yes, he's an all-time great hw. number nine or ten on my list.

[K-DOGG]

I think Lennox wanted Mike Tyson again so badly because he knew it would be his biggest payday, and because it was easy money, (for some reason later in their careers both of these great fighters also liked to slack off in their conditioning as well, I'm sure this made a Tyson Fight payday very attractive to anyone who could get into the ring with him...)

As for the Klitschko stoppage; (and this one always makes me laugh)...

Vitali Bloody near lost his ****in' eye, and people are still saying the fight should have gone on. These people are idiots.

Sure Vitali looked like he wanted to keep goin', but lets be completely honest here and look at the facts, Vitali never faught a "real top contender" after he was "handed" over his heavyweight belt, and then he quit when a manditory big name was sent his way. So if Vitali didn't want to fight Rahman or Toney even as an example when he was healthy; (and hey Vitali has other huge career prospects so all the power to him now that he is not a boxer), but imagine how he would have felt losing not only a fight to Lennox Lewis that night, but also a ****in' eye.

It was a great stoppage. There are rules in boxing to protect the boxers, this is a "gentleman's" sport, and had that fight gone on much longer, the entire respect of the sport may have been lost. I mean sure boxers die, and basketball and football players collapse and die as well; But imagine a politcal figure wearing an eye patch in an internationally broadcasted debate or interview or whatever, because the referee of a boxing match let a very poorly conditioned Lennox Lewis take the guys eye right out of his face before claiming victory for the champion is absolutely rediculous, and imagine what kinda of dammage that could have done to boxing around the entire world...

There are very clear rules about cuts in this sport that date back to ... hell I don't even know how far, gotta be the bare knuckle days. And those rules proved their purpose in the Lewis Klitschko fight, just like the TKO rule was necessary when Rahman grew a beachball on the side of his head. The object of the game is to win, not to end the oppponents life, that's what seperates the "art" or the "sweet science" of boxing from MMA (which I also love and have a complete respect for), and other combat sports which are derrived from complete survival fighting, which is totally different. Boxing is a very tough "gentleman's" competion, one on one, hands only, no huge bones to strike with like elbows or skulls, and has very distinct rules to keep it as safe as possible, and as UFC has even proven, any fight sport has to have a certain level of rules now or people will die, or possibly worse, have to be pushed around in a wheel chair all disfigured for the rest of their lives, because a ref let a fight go 10 seconds too long.
Anyone who says the Lewis Klitschko fight should have gone on either has never been inside the ring, or is a complete idiot. End of discussion...

Now THAT...is a great damn post!!

[Panamaniac]

Is Lennox 'The Lion' Lewis one of the greatest Heavyweights of his era?

I resist the use of the word "greatest" in the same sentence with "Lewis" because it implies that he was sorrounded by other greats. That aside, he is definately one of the best heavyweights of his time, but he pales in comparason to the greatest heavies of all time.

In my view, only one fighter of Lennox's era belongs in the top 10 ATG's and that would be Mike Tyson. Before you counter that Lennox KO'd him, let me remind you it was way past Tyson's prime. The only other fighters of note during Lewis' era were Holyfield and Bowe; the rest of 'em were journeymen at best.

My top 10 hevies are:

1. Joe Louis
2. Muhammad Ali
3. Jack Johnson
4. Jack Dempsey
5. Rocky Marciano
6. Larry Holmes
7. Mike Tyson
8. Gene Tunney
9. George Foreman
10. Joe Frazier

[Zakman]

Lewis wasn't even the best HW of his own era - that's Holyfield. Borderline top ten, at best. Tends to be very overrated by some boxing fans.

[DuttyAlacrity]

top 25 but not top 10
here are my 10 reasons why:
Jack Johnson
Muhammed Ali
Joe Louis
Jack Dempsey
Joe Frazier
Larry Holmes
Jim Jefferies
Evander Holyfield
George Foreman
Gene Tunney

[number6]

I resist the use of the word "greatest" in the same sentence with "Lewis" because it implies that he was sorrounded by other greats. That aside, he is definately one of the best heavyweights of his time, but he pales in comparason to the greatest heavies of all time.

In my view, only one fighter of Lennox's era belongs in the top 10 ATG's and that would be Mike Tyson. Before you counter that Lennox KO'd him, let me remind you it was way past Tyson's prime. The only other fighters of note during Lewis' era were Holyfield and Bowe; the rest of 'em were journeymen at best.

My top 10 hevies are:

1. Joe Louis
2. Muhammad Ali
3. Jack Johnson
4. Jack Dempsey
5. Rocky Marciano
6. Larry Holmes
7. Mike Tyson
8. Gene Tunney
9. George Foreman
10. Joe Frazier

If Lewis isnt on the list because he isnt in an era where there are greats around him why is Tyson high on the list. Non of the Tysons opponents in the 80's were anything near great. Holmes was the only one but well past his best at that stage.

[number6]

top 25 but not top 10
here are my 10 reasons why:
Jack Johnson
Muhammed Ali
Joe Louis
Jack Dempsey
Joe Frazier
Larry Holmes
Jim Jefferies
Evander Holyfield
George Foreman
Gene Tunney

How does Holyfield get above him on the list

[Money May MOFO]

too bad he was boring to watch and had no personality

[hugh grant]

Lennox was up there. But i will never be impressed that even Frank Bruno was ahead on points of LL and battering LL. I mean...come on Frank Bruno of all people.
But other than that and his 2 knockout defeats, LL had a great career. Not sure if he was as dominating as Louis and Ali, but still.

[DuttyAlacrity]

How does Holyfield get above him on the list

because by the time he fought holyfield he was past his prime even if you take holyfield off Sonny liston has a good arguement of being ranked before him. I am a fan Lennox don't get me wrong but those two KO's by nobodies will forever hurt his legacy