Lennox Lewis vs Zeljko Mavrovic 1998.. Points to ponder and a what if!

I wouldn't write off Louis against King Kong!
I take your point but Mavrovic was typically 30lbs heavier than Marciano, and in28 fights was never kod or even floored.

 

Fair play but Evander Holyfield at 205lb took 235lb Rid**** Bowe's shots and survived to see the final bell. Lewis connected with Mavrovic as clean as he possibly could and he ate the shots up. I'd say he had the best chin out of anybody Lewis fought.

 

Just because this type of unjustified title shot is rampant in boxing today doesn't make it right. It is mandatories like Mavrovic that set into motion the problems that have all but ruined modern boxing. Up through the 90s fighters were generally required to beat at least one ranked opponent before being ranked as a "mandatory" contender. Although I admire Mavrovic's obvious toughness, the truth is that he is not a championship quality fighter. Inferior to gatekeepers such as Zolkin and Schultz. In fact, I am not even sure he would be favored over USA Tuesday Night Fight level fighters like Obed Sullivan or Mike "The Bounty" Hunter. I certainly wouldn't take him over Samson Po'uha.

 

You're probably right,Mercer must be close though.

 

Agree 100% :good

 

I think Mercer is much more proven against hard hitters - Lewis, Cooper, Morrison, Damiani, Witherspoon.

Holyfield too - Foreman, Lewis, Tyson, Bowe, Cooper, Mercer, Rahman

Mavrovic - great chin, but fought only one hard hitter in Lewis

 

tired fighters being rushed can't punch as hard as they want to. Without the strength in the legs you just can't get that snap into the punch like you want too. Connection can be good but you won't get quite the follow through you want. Nobody can work as well when they are being rushed. Yes Lewis made clean connections but feeling weary and being made to work at an uncomfortable pace saps strength.

He might have been giving away a lot of weight but Mavrovic actually had a comparable reach to Lewis. The lighter fighter was capable of a faster tempo and this bothered Lewis. Usually a lighter fighter trying to set the pace can be controlled at a distance if he has shorter arms and stands shorter but Mavrovic was long and tall too. So Lewis got no rest.

The way to beat a superheavyweight is to make him tired. To be able to outworked him. the biggest guys are half as good when they are tired. Mavrovic was not quite good enough to totally take full advantage but he had the right attributes to get Lewis tired and that's a big thing against a superheavyweight.

 

I don't think he was defending the practice, just observing it is fairly common ,unjustified yes!

 

If I was the smaller guy fighting a SH, I would do what SRR did against Lamotta on Valentine's night, make him expend his energy chasing me.

 

Good points but Lewis was catching him hard early on in the bout. If Mavrovic could bang he would have given Lewis big problems.

 

Delete

 

But Robinson had height and reach on Lamotta. So yes he could do that. What would you do if you were shorter and lighter?

Usually a lighter fighter trying to set the pace can be controlled at a distance if he has shorter arms and stands shorter but Mavrovic was long and tall too. So Lewis got no rest.

 

And Lewis was really tired in that fight. His power was not the same as it was when he controlled the tempo.

 

Maybe he was "weight drained".:hey















Sorry,couldn't resist it.

 

Haha.

I think your getting confused between two seperate issues. One has less power than usual. One has less durability than he would usually g have.

Weight drained fighters are more vulnerable to a knockout. Because they are dehydrated or worn down before the fight even starts. This is one issue.

Tired fighters cannot punch their weight as it is more difficult to replicate a technically correct punch with full momentum and recoil once fatigued. This is another issue.