Let's face it, Ali has nothing that will trouble Lewis.

And Lewis never faced anyone as fast, skilled or durable as Ali. Knocking out slow moving big men with average defenses was his MO.

 

lewis is just a bigger version of sonny liston. Ali taunted liston so don't see how lewis would deal with Ali's speed.

 

Lewis is not on the same planet as Ali for hand, or foot speed.

 

After the layoff, I don't think Ali would win. Before idk

 

Lewis has 2 inches of height, 6 inches in reach, and some of the most accurate straight punches in the division's history. Not to mention he packed quite a punch.

But, he'd be going up against probably the most athletic and mobile Heavyweight of all time, with a legendary chin and unmatched resolve.

While Lewis had solid fundamentals, he was a bit stiff and not so quick on his feet. He never had to be given his other advantages. But Ali's bending at the waist, feints and jabs to the body, head movement, handspeed, and lateral movement would prove quite the stylistic challenge for Lewis. He'd never be able to set his feet and his accuracy would be ruined.

Lewis could adapt the Norton gameplan and have great success with it, given his reach advantage and quality jab. But it's far more likely Ali is able to exercise the superior ring generalship and exploit the drawbacks of being so big and tall.

 

What's Lewis track record against quick and agile heavyweights with superb hand speed who can jab with him?

Oh yeah, never faced one in his whole career. Sure would have liked to see him against Chris Byrd though. Or Larry Holmes. A fight that he did not want, apparently.

The myth of Lewis grows day by day. People aren't satisfied with him being commonly acknowledged as a top 5 heavy, but now he allegedly beats Ali with ease as well!

Revisionist history has looked upon Lennox kindly, but let's not exaggerate. The man looked like a phenom beating upon on chinny bodybuilders with rudimentary skillsets, but he was also a frontrunner who looked pretty beatable when someone could stand up to his power, alas Mercer or Mavrovic.

In Ali he'd be facing a package he never dealt with before. And the same goes vice versa. It would have been a good fight and either outcome is possible.

 

Sorry, I thought we were talking prime for prime.