Who was the best HW of the 1990's?

Only one of the three wasn’t a natural heavyweight, rapidly lost his hair, ended up in a government probe, and put himself in the hospital with heart failure.

 

He admitted to faking urine tests due to being a drug addict over a decade and a half after winning the title. You get an F.

 

Yeah man, Tyson sucks.

 

It’s naive to make bad faith arguments to people who already know the topic well.

 

LOL

Holyfield beats Tyson every time. '91 or '96. Tyson barely rates in the 90's. I don't think Tyson beats Lewis in the early '90's either.

And Holyfield was the most skilled heavyweight since Holmes/Ali.

 

Yes, you are right. People shouldn't select to be so naive.

 

Lewis even though Holyfield "made the 90s".

Lewis who beat Holyfield twice, even though Holyfield beat 6 lineal HW champions in the 90s (Douglas, Moorer, Foreman, Holmes, Bowe and Tyson).

Lewis, although the HW 90s would be poorer without Holyfield than without Lewis.

 

Lewis.

 

This is really close and these two were my favourite fighters especially back in 1999 but being British my bias naturally leans towards Lennox Lewis and Knockout Kings 99 is the game that got me into boxing which you could choose Holyfield or Lewis on the front. Being a Brit I choose Lewis of course. However objectively who was better?

Holyfield had a good succession of wins as Undisputed and Lineal Champion in the early 1990s and Lewis of course didn't get to fight Riddick Bowe and effectively become a Heavyweight Titlist and not Heavyweight Champion and loses to Oliver McCall. Holyfield wins back the Lineal against Bowe and picks up two titles and loses in his subsequent fight to Michael Moorer . He later fights Mike Tyson and wins his rematch with Moorer picking up the WBA and IBF Titles. Lewis loses his WBC title and gains it back from McCall and picks up the Lineal Heavyweight Title from Shannon Briggs. By the time they face each other I'd say they were even. Lewis's draw and win probably gives him a slight advantage. They both bookended the decade. It depends how you look at it.


Evander Holyfield (1990-1992) (Undisputed Heavyweight Lineal Champion)
Lennox Lewis (1993-1994) (WBC Heavyweight Title Champion)
Evander Holyfield (1993) (Lineal and WBA/IBF Heavyweight Title Champion)
Evander Holyfield (1996-1999) (WBA and IBF Heavyweight Title Champion)
Lennox Lewis (1997-1999) (WBC and Lineal Heavweight Title Champion)

 

In the 90s, the lineal title "wandered" as in the 30s:
Tyson-Douglas-Holyfield-Bowe-Holyfield-Moorer-Foreman-Briggs-Lewis

 

It's the best decade for Heavyweights in my opinion only just edging it other the 1970s.

 

For me, it's Holyfield.

He has the better top wins, fought almost everyone (all with their different style) and reigned longer.
Beating a prime Bowe and a still very good version of Tyson trumps any Lewis win.

And while it's true that Holyfield had more losses (3 versus 1 up until they fought each other), he had avenged all of his losses and only lost to top fighters whereas Lewis' loss was considered embarrassing.

To be fair, Lewis' win (or rather wins) versus Holyfield narrowed the gap but it was a little too late IMO.