Lewis has an excellent resume, one of the best. He was unlucky he didn't get the chance to expose Bowe or Tyson (in the 90s), but even if he did I think you'd still discredit it
Yes, buy my book "Where in the ATG's is Lennox Lewis", a 300,000 page volume that breaks down the careers and records of every professional HW boxer to ever lace up gloves, roughly 30000, and where Lennox Lewis belongs amongst them - coming out Fall 2011. :think
Good observations, yet this is how great fighters in general tend to stack the deck in their favour. Its not all about talent and heart, its also about smart match making. If this is so, you can rationalize away every great boxer's resume with a similar logic. Lennox did face Ruddock, Morisson, Vitali and Golota when they were in their primes so credit has to be given for that. In retrospect, its easy to dismiss Golota as a bum as you do, but at the time Lennox took him, Golota was seen as a monster (both physically and talent wise) with some discipline issues. The name Golota was on everyone's tongue at the time and Lennox had the balls to take him.
Holyfield, and not by a little either. Beat a PRIME Bowe, and a still dangerous Tyson. Lewis face a washed up Tyson, no Bowe, and an old version of Holyfield himself. The rest of the names on Holyfield's ledger are equal to, or better than, the guys Lewis fought, or, as in the case of Mercer, he had a better win against them. It's nice to see there are boxing fans who recognize just how absurdly overrated Lewis is!
lewis doesn't care.he won a gold and then heavyweight champ.he fought the guys that mattered sooner or later.maybe they didn't what to fight him at there peaks.he didn't duck anyone.give the guy his props.he beat danger men,called out guys,beat white hopes and usa black hopes,brit hopes an avenged his defeats.don't be stupid
Andrew Golota - A bum with no good wins on his resume. This bum over jabbed, made hit the canvas one of the best heavies of all times, Riddick Bowe. He lost due to DQ but on scorecards he was ahead even with taken points fr lowblows. ^^ Golota was losing against his own mind, but he wasn't a bum. He was 3rd Olympics, had really good amateur career, great technique, good chin and an amazing jab. I can't agree to most of your points since you are bum and troll.
Lewis was a great fighter. He's just incredibly overrated right now as a result of being the last of the great heavyweights. I see people on these boards rating him as a top 3-5 ATG heavyweight and I just shake my head. The guy never beat an elite fighter in his prime, he lost to two journeymen, and he had a highly questionable decision win over a past him prime Ray Mercer. He deserves a lot of credit for his longevity and his 11 title defenses. But there is no way that he belongs in the top 5 of atg heavyweights.
We've heard this time and time again. That Holyfield, Bowe, and Tyson ran from him for years...Okay, Bowe did. But there's no evidence that Holyfield ran from Lewis while he was in his prime. What I know is Lennox waited until Holyfield had been kayoed by Bowe until he showed any real interest in the fight.