1980's heavyweights vs 1990's heavyweights

The thing is if we are talking 80's, that is when Tyson was at his best. I think the 1990's was perhaps the most talent the division has seen.

20 years from now, the 1990's will have had 7 or more heavyweight that were active in the hall of fame. Who are they? Tyson, Lewis, Holy, Holmes, Foreman, Klitschko, and Klitschko.

The era also had some top level punchers in Morrison, Tua, Ruddock, and Ike, some shocking upsets, and memorable brawls.

 

You mean the Lewis that got knocked out and beaten by Oliver Mccall whom then went to defend his title for a close 12 round decision over a 45 year old Larry Holmes? atsch

 

Good synopsis. Except I wouldn't put Michael Moorer in the gatekeeper category. And I'm not sure I'd favor Lewis over Holmes, though I suppose a reasonable argument can be made.

 

Strong decade, but not as strong as the 70's.
Ali,Foreman, Frazier,Spinks, Patterson,Tate,Coetzee,Cooney Holmes,Norton,Lyle,Quarry,Bonavena,Bugner,Ellis
,Shavers,Foster ,Liston.

 

Yea Lewis was screwed by a dumbass referee that stopped that Mccall fight way too soon, but let's talk about the rematch when Mccall was in tears, and his worst loss against Rahman when he was knocked out but he was more focused in the 2nd fight and got revenge knocked his ass cold:deal.

80's Holmes was beaten 2x by a 200lb Spinks, got the **** knocked out of him by Tyson, and barely barely survived a 1983 fight with Witherspoon...

Lewis ONLY lost 2 fights and avenged them both!!!.

 

I agree 100%, THE 70'S were the best decade in the history of heavyweight boxing:good

 

I think that about sums up the level of thought that goes into discussing who can beat who in this instance.

 

Most of the guys you listed were past it by the mid 70's, and some had their best years in the 60's.

If you can list 1965-1975, then you'd have a better case.

 

Lennox fell into the ref''s chest during the count. Hardly the sign of a man who can protect himself. My take is different. Had the ref let it go on, Lewis suffers a bad KO loss, and would have a harder recovering in a mental sense.

 

I was taking the decade as a whole as you did. and your criticism more aptly applies to the 90's and your picks.At the start of the decade,both Holmes and Foreman were 41, and 50 when it ended.Tyson was past prime.Holyfield was in and out.Wlad was not rated in that decade.

My point, and pick is therefore validated.

 

I think over all the 1980s were better.
The 1990s enjoyed more hype.

Early '90s (ie.'c. 90-'93) competes well with early '80s though.

 

I don't think a 1988 Tyson qualifies to represent the '90s against the '80s.

I'd pick Witherspoon to do at least as well as Bowe in the 1990s. In fact, I think his record measures up well against Bowe's as it is, just didn't get matched as favourably... didn't have a cherry-picking manager ... and I gather he would have beaten Bowe in 1996, 38 year-old against 29-year-old.

Lots of the 1980s heavyweights suffered from being badly handled by Don King's monopoly.

 

Perhaps I am reading this incorrectly. Lewis made his pro debut in June 1989. I hardly think that qualifies him as an " 80's " fighter.

OOps my mistake. He did have 5 more fights that year facing guys that had managed 64 wins between them, as opposed to 76 defeats. Perhaps that counts.