Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko: Revisited

Crowning achievement of the pugilsit specialist. Faced a bigger, younger contender on short notice, was seriously challenged, and pulled it out.

Lennox is the head to head greatest ever. Guys like Ali, Louis, Holyfield and Marciano may have more ATG names on the resume, but Lewis would have beaten any man in history.

 

Any?

I don t think he would beat Ali´66, Tyson´88 and Foreman´73.

Ali was to fast on his legs, Tyson lacks reach, Foreman footspeed, but they both can floor Lennox with one hard hit.

Lennox was definately head to head one of the greatest HW ever. Guys like Rocky, Dempsey, Louis etc would just have a lucky punch chance (to slow, to small).

 

I second this. I would have loved to see him up against a prime Wladamir Klitschko.

 

Lewis chin would have been smashed against a prime tyson

 

A prime Tyson knocks out every heavyweight hall of famer with just a jab right?

Lewis beats any version of Tyson. Of course the prime version would be his biggest challenge. But, aginst the bigger guys Tyson would come through on the inside with his bob and weave or fight at mid range. Any of these approaches would suit Lewis all night. Realistically, I could see Tyson walking into a Lewis uppercut and falling asleep in the ring.

 

Lewis was losing badly to Vitali. All judges had Vitali up on the scorecards was stopped on a cut. Without the cut Vitali would of won a wide points decision. Lewis is not the greatest ever he was a great fighter though

 

The fight was stopped in the 6th round. There were 6 rounds remaining, so lets look at the facts. Vitali didn't win all of the rounds leading up to that 6th round. Lewis looked tired but had clearly had the armoury to take the lions share of the last 6 rounds. I'm afraid you're pulling at thin air with that statement.

 

Tko6!!

 

60's Ali is a 190 LB guy who was almost KOd by Henry Cooper (don't even bother to argue, Angleo Dundee admitted that they had to cheat with the split glove). It is not even on the table. 70's Ali would have done better.

We don't really know how good 88 Tyson was. He beat up on fat old drug addicts. No one that Tyson ever beat, not 37 year old Holmes, not 33 year old LHW Spinks with knee problems, not heroin addict Thomas, not coke head Tucker, was on Lewis' level.

Foreman is probably your best argument but Lewis, who was bigger, just as powerful, and a better boxer, would at least be even money. Foreman had stamina problems back then, and was not used to being physically challenged, so my money is on Lewis all day long.

Marciano, Dempsey and Louis would be crusiers today and should not even be in the conversation. They would have no chance at all.

See above. This is silly.

Completely irrelevent. A boxer has to defend himself at all times. Vitali didn't and got cut.

By the by, the fight only went six rounds, and Lewis won two. So he was by no means "losing badly." He was losing but pulled it out with a lot of fight left.

 

:good

A most enjoyable read!!

When discussing 60s Ali, many people ignore (or are unaware) that Cooper was 185!! He would barely be a CW now! Ali outweighed Henry by over 20lbs and Cooper had Ali in all sorts of bother!! 60s Ali would have almost been a CW if he fought today.

Lennox would have outweighed 60s Ali by 40lbs!!

Both were great, but the edge H2H goes (imo) to Lewis.

The biggest challenge the laid-back Lewis ever faced was focus/motivation.

And in a fight against any of the ATG's not only would Lewis have been focused, he would have been concerned. And a focused, concerned Lewis was an absolute monster!!

 

Lewis at 38 not in the best condition of his career by some distance was losing the fight on the cards 4-2 rounds.It itself pretty meaningless with 6 rounds left in a fight of that brutal nature.

It was never going to the cards.

Vitali four cuts requiring 60 plus stitches tells you how much damage he had taken.His face a mess externally also a big laceration inside his mouth so swallowing plenty of blood.

 

a lot of head clashes causing most of the damage.. It should of went to the scorecards Lewis was very tired and looked pretty much spent.. I don't think he even claims the moral victory in that fight. I had Vitali winning every round same as most at the time..

 

ive watched this about 20 times now and it was pretty much nip and tuck while it lasted. lewis looked a bit sloppy and was losing his shape, due to weight/ conditioning which made him looks ****. . but as the fight progressed he seemed to be finding some monstrous punches. not with the same volume as klit but with more power.

I had it 3/3 . But klits face was like a car crash. this is fighting and if you face looks like that its game over

h2h lewis beats them all on his day apart from maybe foreman as he did have that death touch.

Its amusing when people talk about past fighters 6 ft tall and 14 stone lol gimme a break. doesn't matter how good your chin is you cant stand up to guys that big with the same skill.