I meant to say five losses. I left out Norton. It was very late when I wrote that. But thanks for agreeing. The biggest names Lewis beat (Tyson, Holyfield, Vitali) were certainly comparable all-time to the biggest names Ali beat. And Lewis entered the pro ranks coming off a huge win over a Hall of Fame World Heavyweight Champ for the Gold Medal, he ended his career with a Heavyweight Title win over a Hall of Fame World Heavyweight Champ ... and he beat every man he fought as a pro in between them. That's tough to dismiss. When talking about Ali, people become so used to just going "he also fought Folley, Quarry, Lyle, Shavers" ... well, Lewis also beat guys like Morrison, Bruno, Ruddock, Tua, Golota ... he didn't split fights with any of them. Lewis didn't ask his corner to stop any of his fights just before the other guy quit. He didn't tell his corner to cut off the gloves because he was panicking. He didn't lose his title to a guy with six wins and a draw! I always smile when some new fan picks up the sport and they come on a board and start talking about ALi fights they just watched and they're scratching their heads like "this guy was the best?" And people have to make excuses like "well, he missed his best years." At some point, people just watch the fights and believe what they see.
That one always makes me chuckle too. The Ali legacy so fondly remembered today was created after his absence. The Norton, Foreman, Frazier, Lyle, Shavers fights all happened after he returned. And in any case, he was only 28 when he returned and fought until he was 39. Granted, his last few fights were already affected by his illness, but still - he had an ATG legacy in him until he was at least 36, so saying his prime was over or nearly over at only 28 is risible.
I always look at the entirety of a career. People often explain away fighters' losses with he was "green" or he was "old" ... but the losses all count just like all the wins count. And if you don't want late career losses to count against you, don't rack up late career losses. People put on major blinders with some boxers, and ignore YEARS (if not decades - see Duran and Roy Jones) of their careers, and only look at the positives. Yet the same fans will ridicule other boxers for one loss here or there in an attempt to run them down. I try to judge every fighter with the same criteria. Which is why, getting back to the topic of the thread, you can't look at the entirety of Lennox or Evander's careers and say Evander's was better. Lennox's career was better by MILES from his last amateur fight to his last pro bout.
Lennox is considered by many as h2h the best HW ever. Evander is considered almost universally as the greatest CW ever........but most of his career was at HW and he had a number of ups and downs at the weight and looked very precarious on a number of occasions. I'd say Lennox, all due respect to Holyfield though.
Was he ever caught using???No but Vander was a proven Peds cheat. So were Floyd, Canelo & several others. Thats the Cheater lovers stock answer " They all do it". Dosent matter who it is if theyre caught cheating theyre proven & I want nothing to do with them
Lennox Claudius Lewis was born in Hampstead London England which makes him BRITISH !!!!!! he emigrated to Canada at 12 yrs old to join his mother. I can understand Canadians trying to claim Lennox though LOL They don't have too many greats do they ?. As Lennox himself said when asked who he represented as his parents were Jamaican, Born in England & represented Canada to win Gold in the Olympics. I thought Lennox had a great answer " I am Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World so I guess I represent the whole world don't I . "
Don't try telling Lennox that !! Someone said of him he was the greatest HW champ ever. Lennox stopped the guy & said " That is not true the greatest HW champ of all time was Muhammad Ali I could never have beaten him in his prime "
One thing you have forgotten my friend ? Ali was banned from boxing for 3 1/2 years what was a purely political ploy. He lost 3 1/2 years of his prime years. He was not even officially allowed to train even but Angelo said " Its your gym Muhammad youre welcome anytime". When he came back he was no longerthe fast man they couldn't catch & he had to reinvent himself. Even so he was STILL the best out there until the Parkinsons got hold of him. He should have retired after the third Frazier fight.
Lennox Lewis started his career at 231 pounds. After the Oliver Mccall loss he realized that he needed to be bulk ped up. Went from 238 to 251 between Mccall fights. After he finished his career he became very slim once again. He was on the juice.
He went from 238 to 251. That’s all the proof I need, i wasn’t sure before but now you’ve provided such compelling evidence I agree he was on the juice.
