Classic opinions requested on a possible Lennox Lewis come back

There's no doubt Lennox could have some degree of success if he was to come back now. But the question is how much success he could have, exactly.

He's a massive fighter and he always used those advantages to their fullest. Look what Wladimir Klitschko has accomplished lately by just being a super heavyweight with a good jab and a devastating long right hand.

Lennox always had both in abundance and even now, degraded as they might be, he could blow out a lot of fighters.

Who knows. A 37 year old Vitai just beat the **** out of the supposed second best heavyweight in the world. Who's to say the best heavyweight of the 90's couldn't pick up a strap and make some odd more million dollars?

 

Also, Lennox could be 50 and more then likely beat Valuev.

You don't stand straight up in front of Lennox Lewis like that, without any head movement to speak of.

Lennox, 43 years old or not, blows Valuev out in four rounds max. And I respect Valuev quite a bit. Just a terrible match for him.

 

Depends entirely how much bodyfat he can drop, how near he can get his stamina levels to past levels and how much explosivity he retains. But even an overweight, much slower Lennox beats most of these bums, Wlad, Vitali and Haye are the only 1s who'd possibly beat him even if hes way out of shape and I haven't forgot Valuev, Chagaev or Povetkin

Lennox isnt coming back, he can't be bothered with it anymore, hes visably enjoying his mum and wife's cooking, it was an off the cuff remark

 

Chagaev could be dangerous.

Anyway, if Lennox did come back he'd have to drop quite a bit of weight fast to make the most out of the time he does have left. Usually that's hell for a heavyweight.

Who knows how it might affect him. Remember what excess weight and over confidence did to him against Rahman.

 

But weight is only one consideration.

What's more pressing is his reaction speed, timing and stamina. If those aren't at least still decent, he has no chance against a belt holder.

 

Don't do it.

 

Agreed. Tho i don't doubt he could make an reasonableimpact in a struggling division i hope like hell he doesn't come back. He'd never even be 70% of what he was, perhaps not even close.

 

No. Stay retired please Lennox. :good

 

I think the general idea of Lewis making a comeback, is to try and force a Vitali Klitschko rematch. The sport is almost completely overrun with fighters who are 35+ or on the comeback trail.

 

I think Lewis is well aware of two things. That his standing actually increases with him not fighting again, both in terms of his achievements in comparison and being seen as someone that knew not to go on too long. And that he doesn't want to do the whole grind of training again...if he can't perform at the top level, he's simply not going to be interested.

I think he also loves yanking the media's chain a lot of the time too.
Like when he got cornered by a journo on a morning jog a few years back and basically fed him a complete load of nonsense about a $50m comeback, just to amuse himself and get rid of the guy.

 

That is highly speculative. Valuev's defence has improved and he uses a snappy jab throughout 12 rounds now. Truth is no one here knows how much Lewis at 43, fat and out of the ring for 5 years has left. We do know that Valuev has looked as good as he ever did in his last fight, and we know that he's never been down and hardly ever been troubled by punches. Great chin outlasts great punch 9/10 times, although he hasn't been tested at Lewis' level yet of course. But to say with 100% certainty that Lewis blows him away in 4 rounds is too much speculation for my taste.

 

I agree,

Although we have no idea what he's still capable of, Lewis would have to be considered an underdog against any major top rater at this point.

 

Very true. I don't think he's really serious, but watching Vitali come back may have stirred the old passions for a while. He probably seriously entertained the idea for 30 minutes.

But what you say about his stock increasing as he stays retired is 100% accurate.
Vitali is inadvertently adding to it, and will continue to do so the longer he is successful.
If Lewis came back at a bloated 270 or so, it would be a damning image and it could only lead to tears eventually.

 

Nothing to lose, everything to gain. If it wasn't for the small problem of getting your brain smushed into incomphrension, even more fighters would carry on years after their best.

Look at Holyfield...he's in a situation where if he loses, no matter how bad he looks, the view is he's shot and old and it doesn't count at all. If he wins though, he's Mega Mighty Holyfield and it adds to his legacy. That's too tempting a prize for him to resist. Look at the difference between the encouragement for his chances after the Savarese fight, and then after the Ibragimov fight.

On Valuev - I do have to say that I was a bit disappointed with his last fight, against Ruiz. It wasn't even the 'Ruiz Effect'...his jab did not look at sharp as against Liakhovich, and even his usually impressive stamina was letting him down for once, he looked pretty tired come the last three rounds in a way I haven't seen from him over recent years.