Peak Tyson V Peak Lewis

Much to my surprise, I'm going with peak Tyson. Lewis is a technically better fighter and has a good size and reach advantage. He also has a less than fantastic chin. I believe that at some point the whirling dervish that was peak Mike Tyson catches Lewis and puts him down for the count.

 

Tyson because he's fast enough and has the technique to slip Lewis' jab, he shows him what Cus meant when he told Tyson "don't show him everything" when they sparred

Tyson breaks Lewis down with vicious body attacks after slipping, around 5 or 6 he starts slipping deep to the outside after the body attacks and gets in hooks and uppercuts to the head, either an uppercut or Tyson saves a big unexpected right if Lewis survives the round

 

This.

 

This is all wrong for Mike Tyson. Tyson has a much shorter reach and has no jab to allow him an opportunity to work inside. Lewis will be raining down jabs all night long and eventually pummel him on the way to a KO.

 

This is pick 'em fight for me, but saying 1980s Tyson had no jab is to say that you don't know 1980s Tyson. He almost always closed the distance behind a jab (occasionally with a kangaroo hook) and usually set up his power punches at mid-range with jabs. He also routinely landed solid jabs on men who were much taller with much greater reach.

 

Agreed. It is a hard call.

Subject to certain finer variables this could go the way of either a 3/4 round KO win for Tyson or survival for a cautious Lewis over the same number of rounds before Lennox steadily takes the fight over for a later rd KO/Stoppage.

Mikes own prime speed, reflex and stamina could make all the difference in allowing him to get inside and land the crucial punches early.

For mine, Mike’s on a timer - and I think he might know this also and fight accordingly. Very important to get Lennox out early otherwise the balance of power will quickly shift in Lewis’ favour.

As to Mike’s jab, as abbreviated as it’s effectiveness was, it actually allowed Mike to get in to some degree very early in the fight - but the speed and stamina of old simply weren’t there.

I also recollect an early round Tyson jab that connected well and clearly sent Lennox stuttering backward on his heels - it didn’t appear to be just a balance issue. Am I wrong on that?

 

Tyson actually had a very respectable and underrated jab.
The bigger problem for me is Tyson’s (lack of) inside game.

 

It’s anybody’s fight really.

 

Tyson's only chance is if he gets to Lewis in the first few rounds. He would never win a decision over Lewis IMO. I think people forget that these men are the same age and had about the same amount of fights when they met in Memphis. The big difference was most of Tyson's fights ended in three rounds or less where Lewis fought at a much more messerured pace. I honestly think a prime for prime fight unfolds the same way with Tyson starting fast but being broken down by one of the most cerebral yet physically strongest heavyweights that ever lived.

 

Lewis was actually older than Tyson.

 

50/50 but gun to my head I’ll go Lewis purely because he was mentally stronger than Tyson

 

Yep, by almost a year. Lewis also had 94 amateur fights and Tyson only had 27. Lewis was older and fought way more rounds. He also was a true professional that took care of himself outside if the ring. Tyson? Not so much.

 

Tyson had the tools to beat Lennox in a prime for prime scenario. But I can't see him doing it. I visualise Lennox using his superior strength,size and punching power to stop Mike around the tenth.