Lennox vs Today's Top 10 Heavyweights

Usyk is no threat to a prime Lewis and im not a fan of Lewis in the least.

 

Does weighing 250lbs (his weight vs Tyson) really make him a "super HW"?
Maybe at the time but not in 2025. Usyk is an anomaly at 225.

 

Given that these are hypotheticals, my preferred approach for these kind of pseudo intellectual exercises is to provide actual reasons and elements of the style mashup that makes the case either way on the balance of probabilities. Simply asserting like you know what is going to happen if they fought on a given night doesn’t have much value.

 

Does he?

Lewis would've been nigh on impossible to stink out... I don't see it, myself.

Up to a point... I guess it depends whether this hypothetical Fury is lucky enough to have a perfect night (as he put it against Wlad) or whether he'd make a few of his trademark errors and leave himself open.

Yes, he was slick then - but would he have been able to beat a prime Wlad like that? I'm far from convinced.
And Lennox? Less so again.

Hmm, maybe - then again, remember this version of Fury lacked even middling power, he was a rare pitty-pat heavyweight who won on points and accumulations mostly... Would he really have enough threat to stop Lewis walking through him?

I just think it's realism...

Lewis is arguably the H2H GOAT - Fury isn't.

It'd be unrealistic to pick Fury over Lewis, if we're honest.

I guess the main reason anyone might be shocked now is that a mythical version of Fury seems to have manifested in some people's imaginations (not yours, I think?) that Fury at some point was, or even could've been, both a great points fighter and not hopelessly pillowfisted - I don't see it, I think the two different versions of Fury would take too much away from each other and be less than the sum of their parts... That Chimaera Fury wouldn't have been successful, IMHO.

 

Grant and Vitali were taller. Some others like Golota weren't that much shorter.

 

Listening to you its a wonder Usyk won any fights with how badly you think he'd do against every single HW in history

 

Yes, 6'5" and 250 is a SHW. Same size as AJ (although I think I've seen AJ listed as 6'6" in places).

 

iirc, Steward reported that Lewis felt he owed Vitali the rematch but Lewis's wife said if he fought again she'd leave him. assuming that's true blame Mrs. Lewis.

 

Oh well

 

Your preferred approach isn't my approach.

 

I guess it's just as interesting as anything else to build a fighter that realistically has a chance, barring flukes... Then see whether that fighter exists, with the right level of proven-ness to realistically have a chance.

It'd probably also be fun to build a fighter that could potentially win an upset, but would still very likely lose the rematch and trilogy.

To be an equal+...
An extremely high ring IQ is a given.
Durability is a given.
Excellent technique in general is almost certainly necessary.
Either very high power or extreme speed is necessary.

Usyk might sneak near this, but it's hard to tell since he's not fought at HW in his prime and could use a deeper resume - but he's the closest we have now.


So what about getting lucky?
It basically requires a few things...
Willingness to actually take the fight.
Real power.
Not completely crude skills wise.
Decent ring IQ, at least.
Not too slow, doesn't need to be mega fast but not a statue either.

So what about this era?
Usyk lacks the power element, so has to win on points or not at all.
Fury likewise, but wouldn't have nearly as good a chance on points.
Joshua would have that punchers chance.
Povetkin would have a punchers chance.
Dubois would have a punchers chance.
Parker lacks the power to KO Lewis.
Wilder lacks the balls to get in the ring to begin with, and the ring IQ and he's just too crude - has the power but little else.
Zhang is too slow.
Hrgovic lacks the power.
Kabayel is a question mark, but might not be hopeless if he lives up to his hype.
Whyte and Chisora, despite their own limitations, would have the punchers chance.

These guys with a punchers chance still don't have great odds, but they could get the job done on the right night (but would be crazily lucky to manage it twice).

 

Hw's are getting bigger and bigger. 275 might be a better line of demarcation.

 

With musings such as these, Serge, you're gradually entering the rarified air of ESB greats.