At his absolute peak ,how would Lennox Lewis have fared against these guys?

For me, its actually hard to pick a temporal period where Lewis was 'peak' and that is why I always try to put together a unicorn fighter for these mythical contests, one where each fighter is at 100% for 100% of the time...maybe Morrison to Briggs, or Holyfield to Rahman were his best years? I think perhaps Morrison to Briggs was his best run over dangerous opponents?

 

Agree. 95 to 98. Or 99 to 01. In and around then.

But definitely not pre-Steward, 92 to 94.

Not even a maybe.

 

I did not say nor imply it was luck.
Although one may have paved the way for another, again I am saying cut stoppages are relatively rare-& have been for Vitali.
Don't know if it ever happened even in his MMA related & amateur fighting.

Lewis was 2 rounds down.
He was coming back a bit, but as a member here was named "Lewis gassed".
Although Vitali was not dramatically fresher, Lewis was running even more on fumes.

None of this says I favor Vitali head to head-again I would have said so.
A simple Google search reveals that Vitali's athletic peak & peak dominance was 2008-2012.
When his most complete & controlled championship performances were.
Even if his physical prime arguable included the fight with Lewis to his title win against Sanders.

If I had to guess & bet my life on it, I would bet on Lewis.
Because I believe Lewis was more declined than Vitali was from his peak.

But cuts like that are just statistically very unlikely to be the cause of another stoppage.
And I would have no confidence in choosing Lewis, because Vitali had a great chin & was a higher volume puncher than Lewis.

No reason to strongly favor either man.

 

Utterly insane. Vitali from 2008-2012 was getting old, riddled with injuries and was very inactive beforehand, he was forced to retire for about 4 years because of accumulating damage. People will interpret events differently but there is absolutely no way he peaked then, in 2008 he was pushing 37

 

Ah maybe you are correct.
Yet he did have a great record then unbeaten until retiring at 41 & recovering during those 4 years off refreshed his capacity.
Along with modern training & his dedication to fitness, Walcott without modern science yet eating (not hungry) better managed a late peak...Vitali was not fighting stiffs either.

But anyway he was very efficient at getting the best of production at a relatively advanced age.
I also admire his success in MMA, as an amateur, & especially this socially active PHD & his social & political activity, leadership including opposing fascism, Courage in standing up to Monsters & serving Ukraine & as Mayor.

Few with his level of success-& from very hard work-sacrifice for the common good instead of being self-indulgent or at least just bask in material comfort.
A Warrior for all Seasons.

 

if I may interject into this back and forth about Vitali’s prime. Vitali’s prime was immediately post the Lewis fight up until his leg injury three fights later. Boxing is a mental sport and both Vitali and his brother biggest issues at different points in their career was their confidence level in themselves. I don’t believe Vitali was in his prime going into the Lewis fight, because 1. His belief in himself against the best wasn’t there yet, but it came after when he realized he could more than hang with Lewis, and 2. He took the fight on two weeks notice.
I attended Vitali’s next fight at Madison Square Garden where he took apart Johnson. He looked like the best heavyweight in the world that night and he went on to take on Sanders and Williams in his next two bouts and win. Then his leg snapped. He was post prime after that.

 

That all makes sense!
But if so, what a great even great post-prime level.

All fighters & men have limitations.
But when you consider his size, strength, chin & work rate, he may be underrated.
And he did not need to be a Klinch-aholic like his Brother to get there,].

 

Hello, Fergy.
I agree with you. I would favor Lennox Lewis over all 5.