R By who? Why by anybody! Find one that ranks Frazier above him!When you can't, ask yourself why that is? Lewis was the lighter man against Ruddock Mason Butler Bruno Equal in weight toTucker and Golota. He beat these men because he was flat out better . Ali and Foreman were bigger than most of their opposition and they prevailed for the same reason!
The weight gain is very suspect at such an age don't you think? Of course if you want to bury your head in the sand then crack on. I'd say it's highly likely Lewis was on PED's during his reign. He's not unique there but we are comparing different eras here.
That ATG list you posted there is amazing for it's quality...... not! I bet I can find plenty of lists compelled by journalists and fighters that rank Frazier higher than Lewis, wanna wager on that?
RING magazine May 2017 A poll of 30 experts asked to rank 20 heavyweight champions in order (the champions were John L. Sulllivan, James Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James Jeffries, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko.) [url]https://www.ringtv.com/488242-ring-greatest-heavyweight-time/[/url] Frazier came in at #8 Lewis was at #11, tied with Holyfield.
Oops, it's only the list of all lists. Saved me fcuking about first thing in the morning after no kip.
THE PANELISTS Trainers: Teddy Atlas, Pat Burns, Virgil Hunter and Don Turner. Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz and Bruce Trampler. Media: Al Bernstein, Ron Borges, Gareth A Davies, Norm Frauenheim, Jerry Izenberg, Harold Lederman, Paulie Malignaggi, Dan Rafael and Michael Rosenthal Historians: Craig Hamilton, Steve Lott, Don McRae, Bob Mee, Clay Moyle, Adam Pollack and Randy Roberts Lewis and Tyson also participated in the poll. Neither fighter ranked himself. Instead, a weighted average from the other panelists was assigned to their respective slots on their ballots.
I've said many times, some of the views (ratings etc.) that form a loose "consensus" on this particular forum are completely different from what I hear and read elsewhere. There's a very strong contingent that drums that "consensus" over and over. Lewis's "top 5 lock, all-time" and Frazier's "likely to get destroyed by any good big puncher" are two examples, that are peculiar to this forum in the extremes to which they have been instilled here. Interestingly both those views are combined in the thinking that has dominated much of this thread. All opinions here are valid though. I'm just saying this forum isn't representative of the wider thinking on boxing history among interested parties across the board. This forum has it's own little quirks and favourites. I'm probably guilty of the group-think too, but it becomes really clear when you go against the grain, against the false consensus.
In my opinion, Lewis is a TOP 10 lock, all time.Let's not forget that he was KOD twice in his prime. Also, the versions of tyson and holyfield he beat were not prime.
Lennox Lewis was a great fighter certainly. I suppose any ranking of him is valid as the next. He averaged out at #11 on the RING poll of 30 experts, which is fair enough too.
I'm old fashioned I say innocent till proven guilty. In eleven years ,from the Ruddock fight till his last against Vitali at 37, he gained what 22lbs, less in most of those fights.That indicates nothing to me.