Only fair to rank Wlad in amongst the top 10 90's HW for what he did during that era

What are you trying to tell me?

 

Wlad was the Deontay WIlder of that era then, eh?

 

. .

 

90's Wlad wasn't good enough to beat Ross Puritty and to get his big brother to beat him for him, the same thing happened in the 00's with Sanders.

Wlad wasn't worthy of fighting Lewis or Holyfield.

 

Lewis got a lot of stick for fighting Jackson. Jackson had been dominated by Ruddock who Lewis had destroyed in two rounds and very few people considered him a worthy challenger - and that was in 1994. Wlad fought Jackson in 1999, long after Jackson's prime and well into his decline.

Lewis also recieved a lot of criticism for fighting Botha since he was rated only 9th by the WBC and unranked by the IBF had been knocked out by Tyson and had a close fight with Shannon Briggs who Lewis had dominated to a TKO in 5 rounds two years previously, and, like Jackson, Botha was considered weak opposition at the time.

Rahman won an eliminator to become mandatory to Lewis's titles. Whether he was a great fighter or not that qualifies him as being worthy of a shot.

 

It's funny how you mention Jackson, Botha and Rahman as weak opponents for Lewis, when Wald also fought them, but years later, after they had lost to Lewis and were finished or shot

 

Plus the Botha fight was just so Lewis could fight in London and put on a rare show for his UK fans.

And the Botha and Rahman fights were also after Lewis had cleaned out the division and there were not many people left for him.

 

Wladimir Klitschko - Number one ranked contender who got destroyed by Sanders, Lewis fought and beat his tougher brother.

Riddick Bowe - Number 1 ranked contender who refused to fight Lewis and gave up his title rather than get in ring.

Chris Byrd. - a total mismatch, the fight didn't happen because there was zero interest in watching 6ft 5 245lb Lewis beat up a crappy middleweight.

John Ruiz - Again, there was no public interest in this mismatch.

Corrie Sanders - Would have happened if Sanders had beat Rahman, but he didn't and Rahman fought Lewis.

Valuev. -

Chagaev - had only been a proper pro for about a year-and-a-half by the time Lewis retired

Foreman - old man, pointless fight, plus Forerman wanted no part of Lewis.

Ibeabuchi - unless this happened in a prison boxing ring and then don't see how that fight could have happened.

Schultz. - a nobody

Homles - old, Lewis would have got no credit, although it would have been a good fight.

Hide - glass jawed nobody

Roy Jones -