I think Fury would beat, perhaps even school, Lennox. Lennox was a beast and developed into a varied fighter but he'd have a lot of trouble with a man who is bigger than him with an equal or better skillset and better recuperative powers. Lennox's only hope is to impose himself and KO Fury early, but I can't see it. Fury can beat Lennox in several different ways.
I've seen Fury knocked down 6 times in 4 fights during his career. In 3 of those fights he came back and brutally bashed up his opponent. In the other (Wilder 1), he was doing something similar but the fight ended. I saw Lewis knocked down twice. Once he got up but was in no fit state and flopped into the referee, stumbling on spaghetti legs. The second tiime, he didn't beat the count and couldn't seem to process what had happened. Fury is a rare breed indeed. Do not underestimate him. I've never seen a fighter as big and fat as him get up so well from knockdowns and fight back so ferociously and with such ring IQ. Lewis is ahead of Fury in terms of resume, but in a fight, I'd pick Fury. Fury's as good a bet as anyone since Larry Holmes, I reckon. And this is coming from a guy who dismissed him as a clumsy bum for years when he started out.
Lewis was one-punch stopped by lesser fighters than Wilder. The punches Fury got up from, Lewis would not have. His best wins are over an already worn-out Holyfield. I think people are looking back with rose-tinted glasses. The day Fury gets sparked out by a plodding 6'2 Rahman-type, you'll all be calling him an overhyped overrated bum. But, that day might never come. Certainly Lewis MIGHT be able to beat Fury up. But the whole idea that Lewis and his era was at "another level" is nonsense.
The funny thing is, Fury was clearly very sloppy and in poor shape (even for him) the other night, but pulled out a gutsy and remarkable and dominant win against an extremely hard puncher who had him down twice hard. Fury doesn't need excuses and extensive backstory for his 'off night', reasons why he was iced for a 10 count. Because he wasn't. He won, and won big. People should appreciate him while he's here because we've never seen a big man with these abilities.
Lewis is easily as versatile - probably more so than Fury. He is also quite probably faster, more accurate and a big puncher, to boot. Lewis has more than one hope, I'd say.
Lewis would beat him is my current opinion....not only was Lewis one of the stronger heavyweight champions he had the ring IQ to deal with Fury and the mentality to brush off his head games. Lennox is proven in one the greatest eras of big skilled heavyweights far better than the current era
Yeah, Fury at his best would be a formidable opponent for Lewis. The supremely-skilled, supremely-athletic version of Lewis I hear described on this forum is a little different than the fighter whose career I remember following. https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/lennox-lewis-in-todays-heavyweight-division.622764/
I think Fury is more versatile. Better recuperative powers, just as accurate, at least as fast. Yes, I agree Lewis is a bigger puncher, punch for punch.
I agree. Lewis was a terrific fighter, a major talent - but the way he's regarded by a lot of people on his forum doesn't quite align with how he was in reality. He was an awesome destroyer on occassions and a very good boxer but people exaggerate his overall abilities, ignore his flaws, and seem to have a very inflated view of some of his opposition. I'd rate him above Fury based on resume as of right now, but head-to-head I have to favour Fury.
