Lennox Lewis. Does he have some holes in his legacy?

No, it reads that Lewis met most of the top guys of his era just like Holyfield did. But neither faced all of them.

I'd say they faced a very similar number of ranked contenders. Both were quite active against top opposition. And that is in most cases as good as it gets.

 

Agreed. Muhammad Ali is about the only man I can think of who actually fought "everybody." but just about everyone else missed a guy here and there. Its almost impossible to fight everyone. Lennox and Evander did more than enough in my eyes. I'm not about to doc Lewis because he didn't fight John ****ing Ruiz.

 

This thread is just ****ing re****ed. Lewis faced the deepest collection of powerpunchers of any heavyweight champion, Weaver, Ruddock, Morrison, Bruno, Tua, McCall, Briggs, Grant, Rahman, Tyson, Vitali... It's an embarrassment of riches. If he had faced some of those who gave him a tougher fight but whom he beat, "multiple times" as Mendoza suggests, he would still be fighting today. Half his career took place after the Ruddock fight, almost all world class opponents (ok, i spot you Justin Fortune)... How many more fights was he supposed to have?

This thread epitomizes armchair warriors.

 

Can't imagine two less relevant opponents. COMPLETELY irrelevant to Lewis' legacy.

While the sport has been in long decline (even in these years), there is no denying that Lewis eventually obtained some name recognition here in the US and even some casual fans knew (could recognize his picture/face) who the big dreaded British heavyweight was. That wasn't the result of and wouldn't have occurred from fighting these two marginal nobodies. They would have added nothing at all to his CV or resume of work.

John Ruiz was a f'kn athletic mediocrity. Chris Byrd was a powder puff. There were ZERO newspaper articles in the fight capital - ZERO coverage at all HERE IN VEGAS - and ZERO interest whatsoever in either of these two second rate heavyweights. It would have been laughable to hear that Lewis was announcing bouts with either of these guys - AND, OF COURSE, it didn't happen. He knew what EVERYONE knew. Everyone but you apparently. There was no interest, no challenge, and no necessity in bothering to fight such inconsequential opponents.

Just pick some other weak opponent that he KO'd during his career (because everyone has a few on their CV) and pretend it was Chris Byrd or John Ruiz if that helps you get through the night. No one cares now and no one ever cared then. The betting line in Vegas would have been a joke and he would have been ridiculed for wasting time with another obvious mismatch. The world had already seen Chris drooling and slobbering after getting separated from his senses by Ike in early '99. No one doubted that Lennox would have found Chris equally as overmatched.

"Allowing Ruiz to call him a girl, and Byrd to mock him instead of getting into shape and taking them on took away from his legacy."

Where do you get this garbage?

If some second rate athlete calls out a great one does he imagine the great one is listening? Same thing here. When second rate heavyweights call out their betters they must be looking for publicity and a pay day. Why that means something to you when it meant nothing to anyone else is really a better question.

 

Well said.

I'd like to see Bivins BS response to this.

 

You're really searching for something here, though. As been said numerous times in this thread, it isn't Lewis fault that the fight with Bowe didn't come off in 1993 or with Tyson in the mid 90's. Nor can you blame him for retiring instead of rematching Vitaly when there was no controversy in the first fight. You can always claim he got a bit lucky with the cut, but he still won the fight fair and square.

And why would trash talk force him to fight certain opponents? Do you feel Wlad has an obligation to face Briggs just because Briggs has been provoking him? This is a multimillion dollar profession, not a playground.

If Lewis had beaten Bowe in '93 and Tyson in say '96 and Vitaly in a rematch, his legacy would have been greater for sure. No question about that. But I think it's damn good as it is.

Wlad would also have been a very good scalp (but much easier than Vitaly, I suspect), but it's hardly like people would compare Lewis to Ali and Louis just because he beat Byrd and Ruiz.

 

I can't agree. Holyfield met Tyson, Bowe, Foreman, and Moorer in the 90s.

Lewis did not.

 

Why? I have nothing to say to an emotional rant not rooted in an ounce of fact or truth. If that embarrassing post gave you chills, good for you.

 

That's your personal opinion. I think Holyfield faced more threatening punchers in Foreman, Tyson, Lewis, Bowe, Moorer, Rahman..etc.

I could say the same for your Maricano rants.

 

Maloney admitted it was a good offer (in his book, I believe, or perhaps and interview in BOXING MONTHLY - this was years ago) - and it was a good offer.

I think it was 2.5 or possibly 3 million, YES, to fight a nobody on a Bowe title bill ... and then a guarantee of 9 or 10 million for the Bowe fight.

FACT is, they were just as willing to jump into bed with Don King and the WBC as Bowe's camp were willing to dump the belts and milk the title.
Obviously, for Maloney and Lewis, getting the title gifted to them without having beating the new champions was a jackpot too !

 

Strange rationale, since i'm sure you've been outspoken about "punching power" being the "most overrated" single attribute of fighters on numerous occasions.

 

Well said!:good

 

There is no denying Lennox had no compunction about facing the "hitters".

 

He has two holes in his legacy.Kinda big, but two.