Lewis as 9th best HW ever?

They should change the name to the Hall of Greatness then.

 

They'd have to kick half the fighters out!

 

And?:hey

 

Lennox wouldn't make my top 10.
I think people who have him in the top 3 or top 5 are overrating him by a lot, but it's all just opinion.

 

I think you're underrating him by a lot to not even have him in a top 10.

 

Like I said, it's all just opinion. :good

I didn't rate Lewis particularly highly 10 years ago. I don't think I will revise that opinion just because it's become fashionable to call him a top 5 all-time heavyweight.
I remember the mid-late 1990s and early 00s being quite a dreary heavyweight scene, and Lewis was quite disappointing at least half the time. Now often I read about how wonderful the likes of Mercer and McCall and Tua were in their alleged "primes".
I suppose I need to get myself a pair of the rose-tint specs, that'll sort it out ! :good

Again, that's just my take.

 

I'm not sure theres a giant conspiracy taking place for everyone to rank him in the top 5 mate. A lot of people just happen to think that, and not without reason IMO. I think around about 5 is probably fair. Or including him lower in a top 10 would be reasonable. Whereas I really struggle to see justification for him not seeing a top 10. I want to see the other 10 names in that scenario.

 

I wasn't implying there's a conspiracy.
Yes, whatever the reason, a lot of people have him in the top 5.

I didn't think he was anywhere near top 5 all-time back in 1999 or 2000 or 2003, and I haven't learned anything new about him since then, so I'd be a hypocrite to just follow the crowd on that.

 

1 Ali
2 Louis
3 Holmes
4 Marciano
5 Lewis
6 Foreman
7 Tyson
8 Frazier
9 Johnson
10 Dempsey

 

Wasn't Holmes' reign seen similarly? Now it would be blasphemy to have him outside the top 10.

I read that Facing Ali book a couple of weeks ago and it made out that Holmes was only just being considered an ATG in 2000. I don't remember as I wasn't around in his prime and only started getting into boxing around 2005.

 

Maybe because he never retired until 02...boxers always get more praise after retirement.

 

Distance in time gives a bit of perspective. Holmes and Lewis probably benefit from that while Tyson suffers,

 

I have him 5th or 6th on any given day.

 

Agreed with this.

You need that distance to be able to judge the era as a whole and get rid of the hype/emotional attachments.

That's why I don't like seeing people trying to rate the likes of Wlad, Vitali, Pacquiao etc. now. Give it a few years then we'll see.