Lennox Lewis vs Mike Tyson, prime for prime, who wins?

The way to beat a peak Tyson :-
1. To move constantly, use different angles (don't let a puncher get set).
2. To keep your distance by using an accurate jab constantly - doubling the jab up etc. You gotta let Tyson know he's in a fight and not let him charge through without thought. Need massive work rate of punching.
3. By having a great chin.

You can keep that up for the first 5 or 6 rounds then you can win. Lewis has a good chance cuz of his extra reach (you gotta make that reach advantage count) but he would have to up his work rate and if Tyson landed, there's always the question whether Lewis chin would take it. Tyson before 6 or Lewis after 6 rounds. But i think peak Tyson is definitely going to test your chin in the opening 3 rounds and you'd better have a good one. I think a peak Ali and a peak Holmes could beat Tyson - they had great chins, could move quick, had accurate quick jabs and a high output of punches.

 

What a shallow way to perceive things, no matter what corner one is in.

 

did any one see the tyson ring side on this morning on ESPN classic

it was his early fights and he fought alot of boys the size of lewis and could get inside there jab fast

but you cant compare some journeymen/club fighters to lewis

 

Exactly. Lewis is a top 10 ATG Heavyweight not an easybeat. He going to ask big questions of anyone at his best, and how Tyson deals with these questions is up to individual interpretation of both players.

 

what i meant is that i dont think tyson will have a problem slipping his jab and getting close but i think tyson will struggle with his overrall skills because lewis would be clever and hold him up close or throw a right uppercut as tyson come in but i still think tyson by 7th rnd KO

 

Tyson will eat uppercuts at various stages after slipping the jab. He will also be tied up and tired out inside. Lewis isn't letting him fight at his favourite midrange, as seen by his tactics against the latter Tyson. Lewis will fight exactly the same, it's whether Tyson can combat him at any stage of his career.

I vote Lewis by TKO again.

 

Nonsense.

 

Bruno was scared of Tyson so let's not say 1996 version that beat him was anywhere near the same as the peak 1988 version. Bruno never had a chance with that mentality.

 

Lewis wins by UD or late ko/tko. Unless he gets careless, and is not focused, gets caught with a lucky punch again.
Tyson's chances are slim because, of the sheer size disadvantage he is at. Lennox has shown he is good at dealing with shorter hard hitting opponents that come under 6ft tall. (Tua, Butler,) This is a mismatch for Iron Mike...

 

Lennox Lewis would always prove to be a danger to Mike Tyson, however I'm not sure that I can favor him prime for prime. While both men were certainly past it in their actual meeting the difference between how far each man was removed from their best was collosal to say the least. By 2002, Lennox Lewis was probably 3-5 years out of prime, while Tyson was at least 12 years past his, as he was never the same man after the original team Tyson broke up. The fight itself revealed a few telltaling signs, or at least from my perspective. Tyson came out early and in the very first round, managed to stun Lewis to the point of a near knockdown. Following this effort, he admittadely did nothing for the remainder of the fight, but did take Lewis's best for 8 rounds before crumbling. I think that the fight may have shown us a glimpse of what might have happened had a fully primed Tyson with all the handspeed, aggression and full package of skills might have done say around 1988. While his chin has always been suspect, remember he did manage to survive the direct artillary of Bonecrusher Smith, Frank Bruno, Razor Ruddock and Tony Tucker over many rounds, and even dealt with many of their holding, clinching and neutralizing techniques when digging on the inside.

Tyson has been stopped in all of his proffessional losses, but keep in mind most of the defeats were either:

A. The results of sustained beatings over a duration

B. Came when he was either damaged goods or past his best

Lennox Lewis has shown us on two occasions that he can be put to sleep with a single punch, and one of those came when he was either at or near the peak of his game. That's a dangerous thing to have hanging over your head against one of the most ferocious punchers of all time, and one with Tyson's handspeed and tenacity on the inside.

CONCLUSION: Lennox Lewis is an all time great who deserves a sporting chance against any champion, and for all I know, he may well have beaten Tyson on any day of his career. But, after looking at both men closely on film, both in their initial match together as well as their career highlights, I've arrived at the conclusion that a peak Tyson during the 80's deserves the benefit of the doubt. Albeit a slim margin.

 

good summary

 

:rofl .