this is imagination fights too many. not any fighter will win with all other fighter among big man heavyweights if imagine all time all together. it is impossible task.
Well since it’s who could beat him in his prime, not who would beat him on his absolutely best ever night, I’d say there’s a few. I think he’s the only ATG heavyweight…except the legendary Marciano of course…to beat every man he fought. He has the physical gifts to beat anyone in history. But a good few also have the gifts to beat him too, especially with his tendency to switch off at times. If he becomes careless, even in his prime, I could see both Shavers and Wilder sparking him out. But leaving aside the guys who could beat him with just a punch, and concentrating on those who could outbox him I’d say… Holmes Young Tyson ( though he’d have to work out that killer jab first) Young Ali Older Ali Young Foreman Louis Liston They’d all be more than capable of beating him. But tbf, he’d be more than capable of beating them too.
I'd make Ali and Holmes clear fave, prime Holyfield a slight fave and Tyson and Foreman a fair chance.
This man already did: This content is protected If Mercer could do it, a prime Louis, Ali, 73 Foreman, prime Tyson, Holmes, etc could do as well. By the way prime Lewis has a chance against those as a well.
I get you. Who is likely to beat him as opposed to who could beat him on any given day. I’d say: 60s Ali Prime Larry Joe Louis Early 70s Foreman Liston ( No mob, no shoulder injury, no nothing. Just the terrifying, hard punching Liston with no baggage)
Solid list. I think early Foreman isn't all that likely to win though. He was not used to being the smaller man. Lewis would cause real issues for him because George wouldn't be able to overpower him like he did everyone else. I don't think Louis is likely to win via decision, but he may well KO him. As to Ali and Holmes, those are two rough nights for Lewis. Faster, more mobile, too durable for Lewis's power advantage to matter much, might be able to out-jab him, and both have that champion's heart. Liston, I need to re-watch more of his fights to have an opinion. A somewhat uneducated opinion is that if Ali could knock him down by timing him right, it ain't going to go well for him if Lewis times him right.
I thought long and hard about pre ‘74 Foreman and I can see Lewis ahead on points but getting KO’d. The type of power Foreman possessed was something Lewis never faced in his career. I just don’t have confidence in his chin holding up against Foreman for 12/15 rounds. Lewis wasn’t chinny as such, but his chin wasn’t exactly made of granite, as his two KO defeats against much inferior fighters show. I can see George getting the opportunity to give that jaw a stern examination! Lewis will have to either box clever which he’s more than capable of doing admittedly, or go all out to stop Foreman which would be a very dangerous tactic. KOing or stopping George would not be easy at all…it’s A feat only Ali managed to do in 70+ fights. Liston was no slouch in the boxing department and his strength and punching power was incredible. This would be a hard night for Lewis. Yes Ali beat him twice but those fights are shrouded in controversy. Our 60s experts know more than I do about this, but I do know that the 2nd fight was said to be dodgy as ….! The first Ali fight he quit on his stool apparently. All in all a very messy business, as rumours about The Mob and throwing fights raged on. All I do believe with confidence is that a focused Sonny Liston was a monstrous and dangerous opponent.
I think young Foreman gets credited a little too much with the chin and durability of old Foreman -- I cannot un-see Foreman-Lyle. I think it's fair to characterize Lewis as being in the same power class as Lyle, and he's a far better fighter than Lyle was. Foreman barely survived that fight with a win. That said, it's a dangerous fight for Lewis, but he's had those before. Ruddock was real dangerous, Lewis bombed him out like he was a bum.
Indeed Lewis destroyed Ruddock. In much the same way young George destroyed World champion Frazier…and Ruddock was and never would be…Joe Frazier! As for Lyle…there was a reason I said pre 74 Foreman as opposed to post 74 Foreman. His aura of invincibility was gone, but let’s be honest about this…Lewis had his fair share of dodgy performances too. Apart from his two KOs against Rahman and McCall, I saw how Ray Mercer matched Lewis in every department and was unlucky not to get the decision. And Mercer was no Foreman. These things happen in boxing, but if you’re going to define George by the Lyle fight, we can also define Lewis by the Mercer fight. Or maybe Rahman? Or McCall? Edit: My apologies…I said early Foreman not pre 74 Foreman on this thread. I’m mixing it up with another thread on another site! I’m juggling a few threads on different sites at the mo…my bad. Early Foreman will do though as I dealt with his bad night at the office against Lyle. Btw…note George’s heart, and sheer refusal to lose against Lyle. It’s that determination and strength of mind and body, along with his decapitating power that saw him through that night. He was taken to Hell and emerged victorious
What after sending Lennox into retirement after a doctors stoppage on a cut where he was adamant he wanted to continue on lol