Lewis, but I don't think he'd go for the KO. Lewis had tendency to play it safe against dangerous punchers and Baer definitely was such. Maybe late TKO but early KO scenarios are simply stupid. That said, if someone like Rahman or McCall could and did stop Lennox with one punch, then Baer definitely would have chances. He was better than them.
Baer would be a dangerous opponent for Lewis, but Lewis was not a fool, and he would know this. The most likely outcome, is that Lewis would implement a safety first fight plan, and succeed in outpointing Baer, or perhaps stopping him late.
The skill gap is enormous. When Lewis was in the zone he was a formidable intimidating presence. Baer apart from his right hand and solid chin was extremely crude and limited. Lewis would beat him up inside 5 or 6 rounds.
That depends what you mean by skill. If you mean technical ability then I agree. If you mean natural talent, then I don't. In any event, everybody top opponent that Baer batters senseless, was better than him from a technical standpoint.
The skill gap IS enormous, and Baer is still a very live threat to Lewis based on the styles and his ability to hold a shot. You could see Baer on the end of the jab after four and suffering badly for it but he'd come for Lewis early and that means shootout with Lennox Lewis.
"Natural talent" isn't a skill. A skill is learned. That's why we admire them. A natural talent is just that.
Baer was a sloppy, uncoordinated mess in the ring who even with his wind 'em haymakers that would be avoided by any schooled boxer didn't hit as hard as Rahman, Morrison, Ruddock, Tua, Tyson or any number of the guys Lewis dominated. It's almost as if some people don't actually watch boxing as a skill and athletic endeavor but are interested in myth creation.
Yes, my point is that Baer made a career out of beating people with more skill than him. Saying that somebody had more skill than Baer in a fantasy fight, is like saying that they remembered to put their gumshield in!
I would say Lewis hit harder than Baer and took a better punch than Baer as is proven by who they actually hit and were hit by, not by some mythology allowed to ferment over decades. And that reality leaves Max zero room for a victory.
There's nothing mythical about a punch in the face. This content is protected Neither Baer nor Lewis are "mythology". They both existed and they both punched people's lights outs, professionally, and at the highest level.