Lewis is the greatest of all time

And Lenny beat Holy who beat Holmes and Lenny beat Tyson who destroyed Holmes. This game can go on forever. Instead, why don't you list Holmes top ten scalps and compare them to Lewis' list.

In the end, we are probably talking about the #3 and #4 ATG heavies. I'm going to put Lennox at #3 because he fought in a better, more dangerous era but remain a huge Holmes' fan. I have no huge gripe placing Holmes at #3. However, I am curious if you have any others (aside from Louis, Ali and Holmes) ahead of Lewis.

 

It's roughly the equivalent of denigrating Ali for fighting a Evangelista.

 

Best ten wins for Lewis and Holmes

Lewis:

Klitschko
Holyfield
Mercer
Bruno
Tyson
Tua
Rahman
Briggs
Morrison
Ruddock

( You could argue Tucker or Golota )

Holmes:

Norton
Shavers
Witherpsoon
Cooney
Mercer
Smith
Berbick
Ali
Weaver
Snipes

( You could argue Roy Williams, Carl Williams, or the robbery in Mike Spinks 2 )

I’d have to side with Lewis here, even though I think Holmes competition is slightly underrated by the boxing media. I'm also a bigger fan of Holmes for what's its worth.

 

Yes - something not far off that.

Lewis wasn't all that keen on the Jackson bout, but it was considered low-risk, stay-busy activity, with a [very optimistic] view to getting a fight on with Holyfield. At the time the fight was made and other than McCall, Tucker and Butler were the only other WBC options, ahead of Jackson.

Lewis had already faced and beaten Tucker, the previous year. I'm not sure why Butler wasn't selected, at the time, but I can't see it as having made a difference, either.

Almost every Champ has a lemon or three. Circumstances often force the situation. Holyfield/Cooper is another good example (with Duva working his magic on the commissions, again).

 

Michael Grant is another guy who I feel is very overrated. I don't really see any evidence that he is better than say Monte Barrett. He was ranked ahead of Barrett by Ring Magazine but his record doesn't really justify such ranking.

In 2000 when Lewis fought him I would put him behind
Lennox Lewis
Vitali Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko
Evander Holyfield
Oliver McCall
David Tua
Henry Akinwande
Mike Tyson
Hasim Rahman
John Ruiz
Chris Byrd

I'm pretty confident in picking all those guys to beat him. And there are other guys like Barrett, Briggs, McCline, Whittaker who might also be favored.

 

Grant was hyped to the gills but was roughly equivalent to a Cooney or Fred Fulton. Heavily hyped KO launchers who bring a lot of excitement and danger. A time tested formula for the division's champs.

 

Holyfield was completely shot when he fought Lewis.

The first fight was a joke decision.

Their primes missed each other. Just the way it is.

 

Yeah - Lewis shot him... ...twice!

 

Anyway, I agree Lewis has a good resume in terms of contenders beaten I just think Wlad may have a slight edge resume wise.

 

Boston Tom McMustache blasts him out in 2.

 

Lennox is#2 all time HW chap #1 is the Greatest
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MUHAMMED ALI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lennox rateS ALI #1 too

 

Holyfield is a good win. Tyson is the one who seems to have been totally shot to the point where its questionable whether the win means much.

 

I know I am late to this, but in my opinion...

By accomplishment, #4 for beating three great fighters, a huge number of big, good and dangerous ones, presiding over the second golden era of heavyweight boxing, beating every man he stepped in with, and scaring Bowe into throwing a belt in the trash.

H2H, I would say #1. In my humble opinion, Lewis would win two out of three or better against any fighter. This is not, however, how I judge fighters. Fighters are properly judged by accomplishment in their era, so whereas I share OP's enthusiasm for the man, I keep him at 4.

He beat him when he could get him in the ring. It is not like crushing a 23 year old human wrecking ball Mike Tyson, but it counts for something.

 

By your "humble opinion" Lewis is the number one in the H2H comparsion.
By my humble experience -unfortunately- you're not alone with this overestimation.
Please, don't forget the chin importance in the heavyweight division !
Maybe it's painfully but McCall and Rahman debunked Lewis' chin problem and we can't ignore
this factor in a H2H comparsion. This means Lewis was always in danger when he fought and this situaton
can degrade his position in a H2H list, but strongly.
Of course i know Lewis had lots of dangerous puncher opponent just this can't change the sad
facts.