Lennox Lewis should have been the undisputed heavyweight champ earlier than 1999

I think an earlier version of Holyfield would have beaten Lewis tbh.

 

Your last sentence sums up a lot of what is wrong with the rest of your post.

A man who lost to McCall like that is a long way from a sure-thing to defeat all those others guys you talk about.

 

:deal /End thread.

 

(just kidding around). You make a plausible argument about how things might have played out had he been given chances sooner, but your assessment seems a bit bold, given the knockout losses.

 

Agreed,

While his post makes some valid points a lot of it is just " shoulda" " coulda" and "woulda" type logic.

 

Lewis would not have really fought a meaningful Tyson anyway,up until 96/97 though I like Tysons chances even in those years its a 50/50 for me..holyfield was the best I think in the years he fought Tyson though I like lewis anyway...for me he is easily top 3 all time HW,for his accomplishments and for dominating a tough 90's era which imop is the best era thus far.Bowe would have changed his status had he defeated him for sure.Though its safe to say lewis easily ranks over him,as Bowes resume is extremely weak,he beat a 205/210 pound Holyfield twice that's all.

 

Bowe clearly ducked him when he had the title and so yes I think he could have become the undisputed champ earlier than he did though his reign would not have been long based upon his flaws that was exploited by McCall.

Holyfield the warrior that he was actually signed to fight Lewis in Nov 94 but Holyfield lost his next fight to Moorer and even if he hadn't Lewis lost to McCall later that year and would have had to face his mandatory prior to Holyfield.

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/16/sports/boxing-holyfield-lewis-set-bigger-bouts-later.html

Lewis didn't step aside against Tyson because he was unsure it was a business decision that made sense. He could face Tyson for the WBC or he could step aside get $4 million for nothing and face Tyson later that year for the WBC and the WBA belt Tyson had won from Seldon. Why fight for one title when you could fight for 2 and get paid more to do so, it's a no brainer, he couldn't predict that Tyson would dump his belt to face a supposedly shot Holyfield.

 

I think the thread title should changed using the phrase " could have been" and not necessarily " should have been." His becoming lineal champ was contingent on weather or not he " could have" beaten Rid**** Bowe in 1993. Not "should have."

 

I hate to say it, but Bowe going to beat Lewis in 1993 anyway.The later version of Lennox would probably win a close one.

 

I tend to agree. Lewis was still improving in the early 90s. Really good chance that Bowe catches him and hurts him.

 

Tyson didn't drop the belt to avoid Lewis, he did it to face Holyfield for more money.

Tyson got a record payday for Holyfield in 96 to the tune of $35m. Money which he would not have got for Lewis.

Money which he did eventually make, 6 years later when they did eventually fight, after years of the fight being built up.

 

And do you know that for a fact or do you want to believe that??