Lennox Lewis vs George Foreman FULL FIGHT WRITE UP

He was also impossible to stand in front of Ali, Lyle and Young glided around the ring armed with chairs and a whip like Circus Lion Tamers.

 

I’m not going to quote everything I wanted to reply to across this thread but there are a lot of good & interesting points & counter points. I can see both sides of some of these arguments.

Initially, I was suspect on the claim Lewis had more heart than Foreman - but as someone said, there is a tendency to kind of merge old Foreman’s great displays of courage with young Foreman. That’s dangerous because heart is really a state of mind, & these were two very different minds in the same body at opposing times. Prime Foreman required no feats of courage, the closest we come there is the Lyle fight, though you could argue the fact Foreman was out of sorts & never the same after Zaire makes his bravery even more impressive, I suppose. Still, his brave displays are virtually all second-career.

Then there’s Lewis. There isn’t much meat on the bone here, either. The Klitschko fight is probably fair to call a decent heart showing. Beyond that…Mercer, perhaps? But then that wasn’t much more heart-wise than Peralta for Foreman - tough fights, but not crazy wars.

I would give heart to Foreman but it’s not as clear-cut as I initially thought.

Now as to the fight itself, I can see I don’t think nearly as much of Lewis as a fighter as most here do - & I rate him pretty high in history. He’s tactically very good, but also very big & not terribly fast - it’s hard for me to imagine Foreman never lands on him (unless, as some posited, Lewis goes hard early for the KO, feeling threatened). Lewis has little in the way of recuperative powers or chin - I can’t see him never getting tagged, or surviving, so he’d have to blow Foreman out early. Boxing_101 said the flip to that coin is Lewis was very cautious of power punching Tua & boxed cautiously, so yes, he may try this with Foreman.

Ultimately I think Foreman beats him. If Lewis goes hard early (I would advise him to, if I were Steward), Foreman showed against Lyle he might be able to hang in there for a little while - & he really only needs one punch to win. If Lewis goes ultra-conservative, I don’t think he’s elusive enough to escape the whole way through. Foreman in three, for mine. Lewis would never get off the canvas if he went down once.

One thing I will say which I don’t think anyone has yet added is Foreman seems to hold Lewis in genuinely very high regard - might psychology play a part here? You can tell Foreman is pretty contemptuous of Tyson, for instance, but he seems sincerely in awe of Lewis’ capacity. He didn’t prefer taller, bigger guys either, for what that’s worth.

 

Twice!

 

“Overman” Ossie!

 

Lennox Lewis always reminded me of the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz.
Once Lennox Lewis gets hit on the chin the fights over. He couldn't handle McCall or Rahman I don't think he'd handle Foreman. He's not fleet-footed enough to run for 15, hell he never even had to go the full 15. Foreman KO inside 5.

 

You yourself said that Foreman had trouble with movers, which is pretty clear if you watch the Peralta fights. Ali walked the big dummy to the ropes and beat him up by fighting the fight that George wanted to fight.

 

God, I remember this fight like it was yesterday.

 

My man come on now he absolutely punched himself out to the point of exhaustion against Ali
If he had anyone besides Clancy (who I respect very much) in his corner against Young I think he wins the fight. Clancy was just the wrong guy for George. Tried to make way too many changes.

 

I like this , Foreman was very, very good at cutting the ring off, even Ali said so which is why he went to the ropes. You are spot on in your assessment of Lennox ,he'd fight cautiously and try to control distance but George would cut the ring off and get him into exchanges. Once the fireworks begin Lewis is outgunned especially in the chin department. Now could Lennox win? Sure, if can stay away but this isn't an old Holyfield following him around.

 

I’m interested to see you substantiate your claim Foreman ever ducked Holmes.

 

Actually Big George did have explosive shot he
Just pick his shot and foreman had fast hand speed tbh

 

This made me laugh. I also question whether Foreman hit harder than Lewis