Lennox Lewis chin: is it bad as advertised?

I hate Florida, but I have pride as a Floridian. There's no other place I can wrestle with gators while Elmer Ray's force ghost watches over me. I'm sure you've got some equivalent in Ohio... Do you fight stags often?

 

Lewis chin was decent. He has too many punchers on his resume to have a glass jaw.

What heavyweights have beaten more punchers than Lennox Lewis?

 

Ali? He possibly beat 3 out of 5 biggest punchers ever.

 

No, Lennox had an elite chin. HOWEVER, he twice came in with his chin left out to dry. That means he came in with his chin high and loose while not expecting to be hit. Chin strength depends on how you brace your chin for impact. People with supposed good chins, keep their chins close to their chest so the neck and back supports the impact.

If you haven't boxed do a quick test. Put your chin against chest and punch yourself on the chin moderately. Then left your chin/neck as high as possible in the air and try the same. You'll see the large difference in impact.

 

This content is protected

 

Ali for sure. I also think Jimmy Young and Larry Holmes. Both have certainly beaten better, bigger punchers than Lewis. Maybe Holyfield too.

 

As an Australian from all over I can tell you I’ve seen some S when it comes to showdowns with animals.

 

No, he had a solid chin IMO, too solid punches against Vitali, Briggs (who was limited, but a devastating puncher), Mercer who was a solid puncher and had ability.

He was never down apart from the 2 moments he got knocked out, both could punch, McCall was a solid puncher and Rahman was a huge puncher.

 

That version of Mercer was some kinda monster, wasn't he...

 

Lewis got up against McCall and given it was for the heavyweight crown he could well have been allowed to have his chance. There are numerous examples of fighters being allowed to fight in as bad or worse condition. By no means am i saying it was a premature stoppage but i do note that earlier generations of heavyweight champs would have been allowed to fight on.

 

He was a fluid natural, which is rare at HW. If he lived the life and trained like Holyfield who knows what he could have achieved. He was incredible lazy though and it seems only the Lennox/Holyfield fights he got into vaguely championship shape

I think maybe the Lennox and Holyfield fights flattered him a little as they both walked onto his punches. But a Tyson fight circa '95 would probably have brought the absolute best in him too. Although let's not forget old Holmes showed Mercer up.

 

Lenny did eventually come forward with his hands up, which tends to be the rule if youre fit to carry on. Looking at his legs the ref might have done him favour. A worse KO might not have seen him come back not being the same man

Also it should be noted, McCall's legendary chin is partially called because Lennox wasn't putting him away in the rematch. But Lenny was holding back on commiting to his punches because he knew he could get sparked by McCall's counter right at any time. It should be noted in fight 1 McCall was landing the counter before he got Lennox out of there. So Lennox always knew to be more cautious in the rematch

 

Nothing wrong with being shown up by Larry. I'd say Larry did better against Evander than Big George did, it's just the public were not as invested in his comeback. I'd argue beating Mercer was maybe a tougher ask than anyone Foreman beat in hos comeback...I never rated Moorer particularly highly. But hey, we all.love a fairy story, dont we?

 

He stumbled a bit but as i point out, it was for all the marbles. Lewis had that intestinal fortitude that can't be taught. Both times he got KO'd he chased rematches. He also came back extremely well from a hard KO vs Rahman so i think he would have been fine.

Yeah, Lewis thought he was playing quite a bit of possum. Steward found that flaw and had McCall go right thru it. A couple of times earlyish in the rematch you could see McCall chase that same opening from memory, but it wasn't quite there ever again. But yes, Lewis was a bit more cautious on the whole after Steward got him, except for the odd slashing occasion.

 

Yes I think Mercer probably takes Moorer to the cleaners too in '94 if he's there instead of Foreman. Although you wouldn't want to bet on either men with how unreliable they could be

Holmes would of beaten Foreman in the 90s for my money and yes beating Mercer in '91 is probably better than Moorer in '94, although Foreman's win there was kind of a beautiful thing and he was older wasn't he at 45? Around the same age Holmes was losing to a peak Oliver McCall.

I'm 45 myself now and if Foreman's joints were nearly painful as mine are now I respect the achievement all the more.