Aside from Ali , who beats Lennox?

Not sure if I agree with all of what you said, but some points are interesting. i don't think Rahman especially outworked lewis, so much as Lewis wasn't climatized to the altitude of fighting in South Africa and he was in him mid 30's. had there been a set formula for beating him then surely Rahman would have won the second fight. As for McCall i think he was told to time lewis's punch and he basically got lucky and did so. Lewid did manage to get up but was counted out. Out of 44 fights I don't know if you could call either of these a formula for beating him, anymore than you can label Conn's method a formula for beating Louis, or young's and Ali's formula for beating Foreman.

Why?

because I don't believe you ever fight the same fighter twice. The Foreman that fought young was not the same Foreman who fought Frazier. The Ali who fought Liston wasn't the same Ali who fought Foreman. All fighters evolve, some in a positive direction and others as they decline in a negative direction. But you rarely ever face the exact same fighter twice unless there is an instant rematch. And even then, lewis proved he wasn't the same fight he was in South Africa. And the young Lewis that beat Ruddock looked like he could have fought a full fight at that pace.

 

Lennox is no worse then 50/50 with any heavyweight in history. He's a H2H nightmare because how many guys that size can box as well with the coordination he had, virtually none. I think he would struggle more with people the size of Liston rather then people like Foreman or even Ali. Shorter guys could surprise him more because they threw punches outside his direct line of sight. I think you can make a case for him beating everyone.

 

The pace in the mercer fight is stop starty. There was more mauling than in a Joan Collins film. watch that again and tell me you cant see moments where they take turns to wait for the other to make a move. hit, hold, move then 3 punches cover up, move - its action but it is a cycle that suits both....McCall was chasing Lewis out of the ring and flustering him. rahman had him move when Lennox wanted to rest. I watched Lewis’s whole career and when he was in control you could read it on his face but if the other man was making him work you could see him sapped, he was a big powerhouse and he needed to ration out his work rate on his terms.

watch the first round of McCall- Lewis. Lewis was not enjoying the distance control he liked to maintain because McCall was rushing him. Lewis was open mouthed and flustered in that first round. lennox came out for round two starting faster than was comfortable and mcall timed him. McCall had him load up when he wanted Lewis to load up. The pace from the previous round had been dictated by McCall.

 

lewis not being in best shape helped rahman i agree, but rahman dictated that pace. fighters who can predict their opponents next move stay calm and composed but the same fighter can panic and start breathing heavily if he is rushed into reacting at the last moment rather than when he is ready to do so.

seconed time around rahman stood off too much and lennox was way more alert and prepared.

both managed to fluster lewis and have him react to what they were imposing on lennox and not the other way around. a flustered fighter is an unfocused fighter -and open to get nailed.

ruddock was explosive but another man who fought in short bursts then stood off, this was always a perfect pace for lennox to remain focused and composed.

 

I can agree with a lot of this. lennox is a genuine top ten ATG and within reason you can make a case for most to beat the others. most top ten deserve 50-50 chance against any fighter in history.

 

Can't disagree with that. Not too sure about him beating Marciano though, even with that size disparity.

 

Holmes
Vitali
Liston
Louis
Bowe
Holy
Dempsey
Frazier
Foreman

 

4got Tyson too

 

Prime for prime on both mens' best night, no gaffes.


I would favour

Ali
Louis


50-50 Foreman.


Everybody else, I'd favour Lennox.

 

Again, in head to head match-ups, it is the best version of Fighter A against the best version of Fighter B as evidenced in the ring. It is not the South Africa version of Lewis against Joe Louis pummeling a cruiserweight Schmeling.

Head to head, given the best versions of both fighters, I only pick Ali above Lewis. Holmes I am about 50/50 on. And Jack Johnson and Jack Demsey don't see the 8th round.

 

I believe I acknowledged that point in my first sentence.

"Prime for prime on both mens' best night, no gaffes."

 

I think there's something amiss with your last sentence.