Lennox Lewis Knocking out Tua

[salty trunks]

Lewis knew he had a suspect chin. He had been knocked out before. Look what Rahman did to him one fight later. Tua had a slew of late round knockouts and Lewis knew it. Guys who dont have confidence in their chins fight like he did and like someone said the same reason Wlad fights like he does.

[dyna]

I think a young Lewis would have pulverized Tua.
Older Lewis didn't need to take the risks, he won and that is what matters.

[lufcrazy]

I think tua's chin gets overrated and lewis's gets underrated.

I mean lewis doesn't really have a bad chin, what was bad was his defence. If you leave yourself open to a flush power shot against a 16 stone+ athlete, you gotta be ready to get knocked out.

Tua didn't really fight consistently at a high enough level to be classed as having a granite chin.

[DaveK]

Originally Posted by lufcrazy

I think tua's chin gets overrated and lewis's gets underrated.

I mean lewis doesn't really have a bad chin, what was bad was his defence. If you leave yourself open to a flush power shot against a 16 stone+ athlete, you gotta be ready to get knocked out.

Tua didn't really fight consistently at a high enough level to be classed as having a granite chin.

x2

I'll differ only in the way that I'm not sure it was defense (or lack of it), it was lapses in focus. The McCall KO was just him getting caught period. He got crushed and that happens. He took a risk by throwing hands in close and McCall landed big.

Lewis' chin gets underrated for sure. Tua's chin gets an undeserved pass. I think a big reason is his mental shrinkage against Lewis after tasting the power. If he had such a trusted chin, why not walk through Lewis? He didn't want to get KO'd.

[Hattons Hook]

Lewis blatantly had a good chin. Laughed in Briggs's face after taking flush shots.

[DDA365]

I really dont get the Lewis 'cautious fighter' thing, it was a style he could use, but definitely not his standard way of fighting.

[van_pelt]

Originally Posted by lufcrazy

I think tua's chin gets overrated and lewis's gets underrated.

I mean lewis doesn't really have a bad chin, what was bad was his defence. If you leave yourself open to a flush power shot against a 16 stone+ athlete, you gotta be ready to get knocked out.

Tua didn't really fight consistently at a high enough level to be classed as having a granite chin.

The fact is you really can't dominate a very strong era in HW history like the 90's with a bad chin. It is just impossible. Somehow Lennox survived two tough rounds with Briggs and Vitali mainly because his chin didn't let him down. How does his chin qualify as being bad? Because of the KO he took from Rahman? I bet no boxer in history could have taken that brutal punch and still stand up. In the match vs Rahman (the first one) Lewis can be blamed (which he was) for not being professional, but not for having a weak chin!

Of course, there is the McCall fight, but, come on, there wasn't a legit KO on Wembley that night. Lennox got up and could have made the round. Stupid referee, but no bad chin! Other than those two hiccups, one based on a mistake and one on a brutal KO, there is no evidence whatsoever to sustain the "Lennox had a bad chin" thing. None. In fact, his chin was good enough for Lennox Lewis to be remembered the strongest and most dominant boxer in an era full of good fighters.

But if Leenox really had a bad chin, well, for me, that may be a reason to view him even higher on the ATG scale. It means that this guy was such a wonder, that he managed to become Unified HW Champion without the help of his genes. Based on skills alone. Isn't that something?