Would Lennox Lewis have been even better,if he'd been with Emmanuel Steward from the

Sometimes I think Lennox had to lose to be able to take on Steward. You know that epiphany, "If Steward trained McCall to KO me, he'd be better off as my trainer". I think his personal development as a fighter suited him so he could go back to basics with Steward.

 

I think you answered your own question. Not only was Steward a better pro coach, but he understood the strengths and weaknesses of opponents. He would have never said to Lewis "go knock this sucka out", when referring to Oliver Mcall, because that was not possible. So yes I think he would have, but, it also might have created complacency sooner in Lewis because I believe the loss to Rahman like Tysons loss to Douglas, was the result of boredom from being so far above the rest of the division.

 

Well, Lewis and Steward would have probably gotten overconfident and cocky earlier had they been together from the start.

People are always quick to credit Steward with improving Lewis, but slow to acknowledge that it was the Steward-Lewis invincible partnership mindset that led to the defeat against Rahman !
Steward's conduct leading up to that defeat mirrored Lewis's. They both thought Rahman wasn't really worth much preparation.

 

So I guess we could say that Lennox's losses are a case of cockiness. I'd buy it based on how I saw him in his early days.

 

Yeah, but a cockiness shared by almost all of the great heavyweights...without that arrogance, that drive, that supreme belief that you deserve to be the top guy, it can be very tough going getting anywhere.

I think if Lewis had gone from Davenport to Steward, all the Correa Era fights would've gone either the same or better. In that respect it would've been better.

Doesn't mean to say he couldn't still have lost somewhere along the line still, even if it wasn't McCall in '94. We'll never know.

 

Absolutely think so.

 

Yes!! No question about it, some of his early fights would have looked a little diffrent but diffrent in his favor!! Look at some of the early LL pre ES. Like his fight againt Tony Tucker, Bruno, Mccall.. Things would have been diff with ES early.

 

I would say definitely yes.
Great trainers make a great deal of difference, Lewis improved immensely from a technical/strategic perspective when he hooked up with Steward in 1996 and if he'd got with him earlier then he would have had more time to develop his natural abilities.

 

With Lewis in his corner from the beginning, the loss to McCall might never have happened, but there would've been more opportunities for Rahman-like losses to happen.

 

Steward's in my opinion rounded off Lennox's game. I think Lewis respected Stewart enough to keep his own ego in check, and listen to the wise man's opinion on what to look out for, and how to win.

I also think Steward had a say as to when to make matches with Holyfield, and Tyson.

 

yes.and wlad also.