Usyk vs Lennox

Many would argue so which is telling

 

Mercer hit much harder than Usyk. I think Usyk and Holyfield hit about equally hard.

 

What's actually telling is your inability to answer a straight yes-or-no question about a fight that bears almost no resemblance to how a Lewis/Usyk match would likely play out.

 

Fair points, but I think it's more credible to suggest Fury went in without a coherent strategy --- or if he had one, it didn't involve mounting an early forward assault on Usyk. The idea that he only began attacking because Usyk slowed down doesn't quite gel, for mine.

He could have gone to the body from the outset, but chose not to. Yes, there was a shift in Fury's approach around rounds 4–7, but that was about a tactical change, not Usyk's pace dropping.

And even then, Fury wasn't setting any records for output --- it was steady boxing with some good shot selection thrown in. By comparison, Lewis/Holyfield I showed what consistent, high-class output over 12 rounds looks like.

Nothing Fury did in those middle rounds was beyond what Lewis produced as a matter of course. Lewis always fought in measured bursts, but he could sustain disciplined pressure, a stiff jab, and punctuating power shots all the way through a fight.

 

When Lewis quit he had 20 more fights under his belt than Usyk. Age is virtually irrelevant when talking these two. Usyk wouldn't be going to well in 20 fights time.

 

Lewis won’t suddenly get better defense and better movement because he fights with Usyk, everything will be worse because Mercer was a one-dimensional slugger with no feet and a decent jab and he almost couldn’t miss Lewis, I can’t even imagine Usyk in there.

 

Yes. But wouldn't you say that the opposite also applys?

 

Too bad we never got Lewis vs Byrd. Would have been interesting to see how he handled that. Not that Byrd and Usyk are carbon copies of each other, but I would have liked to see Lewis against a technical southpaw.

I think Joshua has better technique than Lewis, but he isn't as natural a fighter. Lewis had real dog in him and could really take the fight to his opponent if plan A didn't work out.

Usyk has everything except size and power, though. Smarts, skills, chin, toughness and a great engine. Lewis would need to put some real hurt on him. Great match-up. Two true gladiators bringing different things to the table.

 

I don't think either guy stops the other. Lewis never stopped anyone with Usyk's combination of defence, chin and resilience and Lewis sure as hell isn't Dubois.

 

Building a strawman out of the Lewis/Mercer fight is really not the way to go here. That bout was a toe-to-toe anomaly, not typical of Lewis's style.

Treating Mercer's jab stats like Top Trumps cards is childlike analysis. By your logic, better fighters than Mercer should have improved on his 60% connect-rate against Lewis, right?

You can't imagine Usyk in there because you're using a fight that wouldn't remotely resemble a Lewis/Usyk bout.

 

I can’t use anything else because Lewis never fought anything like Usyk, while Usyk danced around and bullied plenty of big stiff HWs that hit like trucks and chased down HWs that were faster and slicker than Lewis ever was. All I know on Lewis’ side is that he moves like a baby deer, gets hit a lot when his opponent can get close and all that means trouble against Usyk so how about you address those points instead of asking for a comparison that quite literally does not exist for Lewis?

 

Well that's partially true, but it's not like Lewis had A lot of fights 41 isn't a huge number of fights, it's certainly not Foreman, Holmes or Wlad who had 64 and that was all against world level competition. Usyk doesn't have Lewis's mileage of pro bouts but nobody at 39 is physically what they are at 24 whether it's ballet or boxing.

 

No he doesn't why do you keep saying this. Not only is Lewis more fluid with more tools he also has better footwork and superior iq. Aj is more athletic and a better combination puncher but that's pretty much it

 

Lewis was levels above Chisora, Joshua, Fury and Dubious. There's no comparison, save for some similarities in size.

 

Iq is separate from technique. AJ is stiffer, yes, but his fundamentalss are better. Could perhaps say the same about Bruno, actually...

Lewis is of course better than both, though. Better instincts, better ring general and more dog in him.