First instinct is Lewis, but I so believe joe at his best can land some of those hooks and Frazier had power... I dunno its close in my mind.
I don’t think there’s a fighter 210lb an under that ever defeats Frazier, you have to outsize him to win, unfortunately for joe, Lewis has that in spades plus is very talented himself. Frazier gets destroyed. One of my all time fav fighters Frazier, top 3, but it’s the truth, he gets bounced
Fotc Frazier was a beast, an Ali was for me very close to his best regardless of opinions. I don’t think 60’s Ali has as much strength either
Really because RAY MERCER almost beat Lewis. OLIVER MCCALL knocked out Lewis. As did Rahman. Only two people ever beat Frazier - Ali and Foreman. Two HOF fighters. You didn't see Frazier get knocked out in his prime by ANYONE unlike Lewis. Frazier would grind him down and then stop him. Mathis was pretty nimble for a big man and Frazier just grinded him down. Frazier in his prime was a hungry relentless fighter who was from an era that had the most talented fighters fighting in the history of the heavyweight division and he beat pretty much all of them. Lewis was not from that era and in fact his era had less talent and yet he found himself knocked out not once but THREE times.
Or the relentless of a Frazier that wouldn't stop coming after Ali who had mocked Joe for months before the fight. Frazier was not going to be denied that night- Frazier was going to take whatever punishment he had to to get to Ali.
Just as easily as Joe firing that left hook right over that upper cut which actually is a dangerous punch to throw against someone who has a powerful hook.
Lewis was knocked out zero times from left hooks and Frazier hit the deck more times than I remember against the one big guy with a powerful uppercut. P.S. Ruddock, Tua, and Tyson all packed a bigger left hook than Frazier. I wouldn't rule out Butler, Morrison, or Briggs either. Mathis was a fatass festherfist who only matters to Frazier fanboys.
I see lewis as a bigger better and more scientific version of foreman. Used his jab amazing and knew how to distance himself better then anyone. And look how foreman and Frazier matched up.
Mathis made the Olympic team genius. Since your such a smart boxing historian can you please tell me the punch that SHANNON BRIGGS staggered Lewis with in the first round? Ruddock threw a hybrid half uppercut/hook that he nicknamed the smash- wouldn't call that a hook. Tyson was DONE well before his bout with Lewis and everyone knew it. Lewis went life and death with Ray Mercer and some thought he lost. And it was Mercers PRESSURE that caused Lewis problems. The "one big powerful guy" was George Foreman. You do know Frazier has two hands right? The fact that you even stated that you and I quote "wouldn't rule out LIONEL BUTLER as having a more powerful left hook then Fraxier " basically takes any credibility you have in any knowledge of boxing.
Problem with this idea is Lewis' chin compared to Frazier. Frazier would get knocked down but keep getting up, ready to fight. Lewis would get knocked silly and stopped.
No Neck you myst known better than that. Would you ever except a reference to a loss-& that was a draw-when the fighter was washed up & after 5 + years out of boxing had one comeback? Might as well rate Ali as trash by citing his Parkinson's & Thyroid damaged performance against Holmes. IThese are not valid or for any informed boxing fan, honest examples.
Butler had terrific power and the left hook was his strongest punch. The claim it was "harder" than Frazier's is hardly outrageous. Here's a post i made years ago - Drugs held him back. Talented and immense power. Here's comments from Lamon Brester. J.S: It’s great to be able to speak with you, Lamont. You had a great, exciting career, and you scored a number of KO’s – one over Wladimir Klitschko of course, and I’ll come to that later. But you were such a tough guy – who hit you the hardest in your career, amateur and pro? Lamon Brewster: I’ve been asked a few times before who the hardest puncher I ever met was. I must say, It wasn’t anyone I actually fought, it was a guy I sparred. A guy named Lionel Butler – wow, he hit so hard it was ridiculous! I sparred Lennox Lewis, Michael Moorer, Frans Botha – all hard punchers. But no-one hit like Butler. Why he never made it? It’s real simple: Coke. As soon as he began to make it, he looked to score some drugs. Had it not been for that, I’m sure Lionel would have been champ.
