Holyfield vs Lewis & Tyson, Prime for Prime?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by George Crowcroft, Jan 19, 2021.


Which Is It?

  1. Holyfield Beats Both

    26.7%
  2. Both Beat Holyfield

    20.0%
  3. Holyfield Beats Lewis, not Tyson

    17.8%
  4. Holyfield Beats Tyson, not Lewis

    35.6%
  1. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Holyfield the warrior, loses to Lewis.
    But imo always beats Tyson.
     
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  2. TheSouthpaw

    TheSouthpaw Champion Full Member

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    Its very possible that Holy just had Mike's number at any stage of either of their careers. Prime Lewis Vs Prime Holy would probably had been way more exciting.
     
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  3. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Lewis beats him and i'd favor Holyfield over Tyson.
     
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  4. Balder

    Balder Well-Known Member banned Full Member

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    Prime Tyson would give him a run and a few scares. But, Holyfield gets to him late and wins a SD. Lewis struggled with an old shopworn version, prime Vander probably gets him in trouble and knocks him out.

    Evander was a ATG and would have been in any era.
     
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  5. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

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    I think the combination, clinch, reset method would always work vs Tyson, as you can see how Douglas beat him while using combos and resetting the angle as he moved out. Instead of using the clinch when he got close, he didn't let him get close with jab. Bonecrusher Smith did clinch when he got close, and it let him go the distance. I see no reason to think the strategy wouldn't work vs any Tyson. Now, I do still pick Tyson to win. Simply because, he was so explosive, quick and powerful, he'd land something huge on Holy from his crouch (like Cooper did) and then finish him off. It'd be a great fight.

    I think Holyfield from Thomas to Bowe I stops Lewis. In the rematch, Holyfield took away Lewis' jab with cross-counters and then followed through with left hooks. This is when he was way past his best, too. I like Holyfield in his prime, with quicker hands, feet and better stamina, to close the gap more consistently, land his power punches more often, and stop Lewis late. Benton would know exactly what strategy to use, so Holyfield wouldn't fight like he did in the first fight.
     
  6. GOAT Primo Carnera

    GOAT Primo Carnera Member of the PC Fan Club Full Member

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    Good thread.
    Holyfield is somehow a double-edged sword. Quick, agile, sharper and more agressive as a younger fighter, with the tendency to get hurt more easily in the process. The older version looked bigger, stronger, more calculating and more durable, or eventually more safety first boxing.
    Not that easy to assess how a younger, quicker Holyfield would do against to oppononets who were quicker themself in their prime.

    Since it makes sense that young Tyson would make 12 when the jail version made 11, I´m not so sure how it would look like if Lennox fought a version that was offensive and more open.
    I´ll tend to a decision win for Lewis also.
     
  7. White Bomber

    White Bomber Boxing Addict Full Member

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  8. slash

    slash Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Holyfield is better than both of them, lb4lb. to wit: he would have ko'ed Lewis in 93.. I have no doubt. And he definitely ko'ed Tyson in '96 when he was really hampered, his speed had left him.. or he probably would have ko'ed Tyson sooner than 11- rounds wise (like, in '91.. probably about 7).

    '90's: Holyfield > Lewis > Tyson
     
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  9. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

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    This content is protected
     
  10. MarkusFlorez99

    MarkusFlorez99 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Nobody dismisses those losses, those losses should teach newer generations not to too overconfident, but Mccall has an iron chin so i dont see the reason for to diss Lewis because Lewis couldn't hurt him, and as we can all see, Lewis destroyed Rahman in an immediate rematch, obvious proof that those losses were off nights. Lewis isn't the greatest but at his best he's a top 3 heavyweight H2H
     
  11. C.J.

    C.J. Boxings Living Legend revered & respected by all Full Member

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  12. C.J.

    C.J. Boxings Living Legend revered & respected by all Full Member

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    Vander had 2 chances at Lennox Lennox beat him twice as we all know but the ??draw?? screwed him
     
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  13. Bah Lance

    Bah Lance Active Member banned Full Member

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    I think he beats both.

    Evander was physically on a steep decline when he beat Tyson and gave Lewis hard fights. Tyson and Lewis were still exceptionally quick and powerful dominant forces, while Evander was the older man in his mid and late 30s in both match ups and had slowed down a lot, he wasn't even as muscular and strong as he was in Bowe 2.
     
  14. sauhund II

    sauhund II Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Holyfield is always Fiction vs Reality.........

    His claim to fame is beating a washed up post prison Tyson twice.....thats where this "legendary" Holyfield talk comes from, on one hand Tyson is a bum but in this case Tyson is the major feather in Holyfields cap.

    Earth to reality.................besides Tyson good ol Holyfield is 0-2 against Lewis, 1-2 against Bowe and add insult to injury 1-1- against glass cannon Moorer who was flat ko'ed by a ancient fossil in his first title defense......the we have the number one fraud Huggybear Ruiz who went 1-1-1 against "Killer" Holyfield who was waxed in like 60 sec by the one trick pony Tua.

    Classic forum gospel Holyfield wins..............in reality he lost more than he won and would loose to the two fighters in this thread too, prime vs prime.
     
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  15. White Bomber

    White Bomber Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Holyfield was roided to the gills when he faced Tyson, while Tyson was just a head hunter, he had lost his amazing movement and defense.
     
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