Lennox Lewis would’ve cleared the 70s

Louis does better

 

Lewis would beat everyone. Has a close trilogy with Ali. Could get Rahman'd by Shavers if he gets lazy.

 

The jab-and-grab would carry him against Frazier. He needs to stay the hell away from Foreman.

 

Nah.

Considering he lost to 2 guys, neither of them were 10/10 punchers, there is no way he is going unbeaten.

Lewis is a great fighter but he isn't going unbeaten in any post 1950's era. No way.

He came razor close to losing to someone as limited as a Ray Mercer. He can make excuses all he likes regarding ring size.

He had a close contest (2nd fight) vs a completely faded Holyfield who was less than a year away from struggling vs John Ruiz for christ's sakes.

Lewis would certainly demolish Norton, Young, Quarry and Bugner. Sure.

But Lyle would have a real punchers chance. So would Shavers even though Lewis would beat them both 9 times out of 10.

Ali of 1971-74 is quicker than anyone Lewis has ever faced. Lewis has never had to deal with the kind of lightning hand speed Ali possessed. (and no, old fat Tyson doesn't count). On top of that, Ali can maintain a work rate old Holyfield couldn't sustain. Like Mercer and Holyfield, Ali had great durability but unlike those 2, he was a lot quicker, especially hand speed wise.

Foreman is so ultra agressive, its hard to imagine Lewis not getting hit. I don't think Lewis survives a slugfest vs Foreman.

I would favour 71-74 Ali over Lewis and i would favour Foreman over him too. Post Ziare, i think Lewis would beat Ali by decision but even then, it would be very competive.

Considering Lewis had more trouble with smaller durable fighters (Holyfield and Mercer and even Mavrovic to a lesser degree) than with larger men, the idea that he destroys everyone in the 70's is absurd.

Also remember he never fought a 15 round fight. Even though his stamina was very good for a big man, he did have a notable tendency to slow down and pace himself at times. In 15 round fights, unless he gets his opponents out of there in under 12, he could run into some major issues from rounds 13-15. Big heavyweights are not suited to 15 rounders.

 

Yep don't think he'll have much of an issue

 

Were there no more formidable rivals in the 1970s than old Holuy, old Mercer, McCall or Rahman? Would Mavrovic have been competitive in the 1970s?

 

He would stay the hell away from Foreman, and that’s how he’d win the fight.

 

He'd do great in the 70s .
I'm sure he'd take the likes of Ali, Foreman etc seriously and not sleep walk in to a McCall/Rahman type loss.

 

Ali out speeds and outboxes him
Frazier does not get ko’d by anyone in his prime not named Foreman, I’d like to see this one, can Lewis keep him down before Joes insane work rate does Lennox in? Im not sure.
Foreman ko’s him if it’s before the Ali fight, if it’s after where Foreman is not sure of himself and has yet to find god, Lewis has a chance.
Lyle has a better chance in a slugfest with him than he did with Foreman, but Lennox should be able to outbox him.

Problem with Lennox is he can get careless, he can’t do that against Foreman, Lyle, Shavers.

 

Yes, he beats Norton within a few rounds by simply pouncing on him with powerful punches at range and forcing him to go backwards, where Norton is completely neutralised.

He’d cautiously measure Frazier, keep that right hand up and be mindful of range, and would find a home for that uppercut, Frazier couldn’t take many of those against Lewis., Lewis also was never particularly vulnerable to the left hook.

He beats Forman off of the lead hand, jabs up and down, occasional lead hooks and off of that long lead, he’s able to see what’s coming from Foreman.

He outworks the 70s Ali, he wouldn’t punch himself out when Ali does the rope-a-dope, he’d simply poke and prod, try to set up right hands, and would simply do just enough when Ali is rope-a-doping, when he comes off the ropes, Lewis wouldn’t over commit to get countered, they’d both be waiting on the outside not doing much. Ali was able to control a taller guy like Bugner, who is nowhere near as well schooled with the long lead hand as Lewis, so Lewis would simply paw look to not overcommit when Ali isn’t doing his rope-a-dope. I actually think Lewis vs Ali would be quite a boring fight, Ali would be waiting for the opportunity to counter that never comes, and Lewis wouldn’t be taking the bait, and the difference is that he’d outwork Ali when Ali is doing the rope-a-dope.

 

In my humble opinion. Lewis does really well in the 1970s (does really well in any era ever, to be fair), and beats almost everyone, at least once (Lyle, Shavers, Norton, and a load of other guys I like...). As for the top dogs:
Ali: I think he loses to Ali, even the very early 70s one.
Frazier: few years ago, I used to really overrated Frazier in a H2H sense (we all have our favourites), but I guess Lewis stops Frazier, and convincingly.
Foreman: I really do believe Foreman chins Lewis. Sorry.
Holmes in 1979: 50:50.

 

Does Ali necessarily need to rope a dope against Lewis? I think if he’s pawing at Ali he’ll get countered with out having to overcommit