Is Mike Tyson greater than Lennox Lewis on the all time greatest heavyweight ranking?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mark ant, Jan 21, 2019.


  1. cuchulain

    cuchulain Loyal Member Full Member

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    His second career forms part of his total career.

    Coming back after a 10-year absence from the ring, and recapturing the linear HW championship at almost 46 years of age , more than 21 years after capturing the same distinction from Frazier, is a singular and unique achievement and DEFINITELY counts towards the man's overall legacy.

    (In addition, at almost 49, by any reasonable judgment, he defeated a prime Shannon Briggs, and holds the record for KOs for a HW champion, 68)
     
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  2. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Tyson`s body didn`t look as vim when he fought Douglas compared to his condition under Rooney.
     
  3. young griffo

    young griffo Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Maybe but he was hardly out of shape either. He was still defined and wasn't sporting any excess flab. He looked a far better physical specimen than Douglas did that's for sure.

    He looked as good physically as he did when he blasted Carl Williams 6 months previous and no one was questioning his conditioning after that fight.
     
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  4. louis54

    louis54 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Lewis no doubt.....and he did better with common opponents
     
  5. PernellSweetPea

    PernellSweetPea Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Good argument. I was looking more at the title fight record, which I thought was ok. I am not sure I put him higher on the all time list, since that would mean he could go head to head when he was in his prime. But if it adds to the legacy part his second career I see what you mean. I suppose it is hard to add to legacy without putting someone higher on the list.
     
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  6. Webbiano

    Webbiano Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    You could rate either man anywhere from 3 to 14 without that much to much hassle. The only way either are getting above Louis and Ali is if you discredit them for every decision they had that was close and turn it against them.... Or in other words re-write history.
     
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  7. cuchulain

    cuchulain Loyal Member Full Member

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    :thumbsup:
     
  8. salmos

    salmos New Member Full Member

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    Depends on what you rate as more important. There is A LOT of revisionism with Mike’s career (especially after his absence) so whatever system you use to rank boxers, it becomes a real pain in the ass to analyze his career with all the differing accounts. I know rankings don’t tell a full story especially when comparing eras but they do help minimize revisionism a bit. Mike beat several top ranked HWs in a short amount of time. Lennox beat more in a longer stretch. Mike also lost in his prime to Douglas. Anyone who is going to bring up McCall as a blunder in Lewis’s status but not Douglas in Mike’s is on a mission to rank Mike higher. Post-absence Mike lost to Holyfield as an almost 30-1 (can’t remember exactly) favorite when he was still ranked 3 or 4 by RingMag.


    It’s a fun topic but if you honestly can’t understand how someone could rate Lewis higher than Mike, then you simply don’t know enough about Lewis’s career. I can see arguments for either. It depends on what you rate as more important.
     
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  9. kostya by ko

    kostya by ko Boxing Addict

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    IMO the Douglas loss was more down to Mike's mental state than anything physical. Jaded is the best word I can think of. And Douglas was really in a peak zone for him in that fight.

    Tyson seemed to have a controlled disciplined disposition about him early on, then later seemed to default to headhunting.

    I tend to rank fighters 50% on career achievements and 50% on prime head to head. I think Lewis ranks high career wise but I think Tyson would likely beat him prime to prime. Tyson would take the fight seriously, plan it out, train properly with Lewis in mind. He'd be hungry to win it. Tyson with an active well tuned defense was a different proposition.
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2019
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  10. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    Good post but just one point regarding the loss to Rahman. I don’t think Lewis’s performance that night was due to any physical decline. The way he avenged the loss shows that physically, he was just fine. The loss came from a lack of focus so in that sense it was pretty similar to Tyson’s defeat to Douglas.

    You’re right that Lewis fought at a high level for longer though - he got better as his career went on. Tyson blew through the division at such a young age that almost inevitably he peaked early and after that he never got it back.
     
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  11. The Long Count

    The Long Count Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Because I have to put Tyson’s career as a whole I would rate Lewis above him. Tyson’s second career has a lot of water in the boat so to speak. However if I was able to split Tyson’s career like say, George Foreman. To pre and post prison. I would rate pre- prison Tyson higher than Lewis. Just by a shade.
     
  12. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    I would had Holmes anywhere from 4-7 and usually closer to 4. There's Ali and Louis and then the rest for me. Over the years I've come to see Lewis as the man for #3 but he's a ways behind the top 2. Pretty sure a recent thread and poll in here for who is third behind Louis and Ali had Lewis winning by a substantial margin.

    But it is pretty tight among those below Louis and Muhammad. So many variables.
     
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  13. thanosone

    thanosone Love Your Brother Man Full Member

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    Rankings I have Tyson at 3. Lewis at 5. H2H Lewis is the Goat.
     
  14. VVMM

    VVMM Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Tyson did better with common opponents compared to Ali. What does it mean ? Is Tyson the greatest heavyweight fighter ever ?
    By your opinion yes.
     
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  15. Kyrie

    Kyrie New Member Full Member

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    There's a clear difference between the two since Joe Louis was nine years older than Marciano who was in his prime, you can't really blame a 37 year old Louis for being no match for a 28 year old Marciano. Lennox was a year older than Tyson! So i think it diminishes Tyson in comparison that he was finished before Lewis, longevity and conditioning are part of being a great fighter.

    I have Lennox higher. Tyson didn't last very long at all and his best wins aren't much more impressive than Lewis' if they even are at all.
     
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