Does Anyone Rate Wlad ahead of Lennox

Definitely Lewis ranks higher. I do think if they would have fought, I think that Wlad would be a very live underdog.

 

An argument can be made.

There is a much better argument to be made that Wlad is the greatest heavyweight of all time than that he is the 15th greatest heavyweight of all time. I'll die on that hill.

 

I have Wlad over Lewis, For a variety of reasons, He reigned far longer, made double the amount of title defenses, performed better against common opponents. He also faced more prime challengers and a more diverse group of styles, including southpaws.
I know I’m in the minority in that assessment and believe me Wlad’s style was tedious to watch sometimes, but he also dominated like few before him have.

 

I unironically agree with this, even if I don't have him in my top 3.

 

Yeah, he ain't top 3 but he sure as sht is top 10.

 

Oh dead god, no.

 

I have Lewis at #3 and Wlad at #5.

That said, I can see a case for Wlad beating Lewis H2H. Wlad had a more refined gameplan, better technical ability and possibly a power edge. In a long range jab fest, Wlad takes him to pieces. Sorry Lewis fans.

Lewis had a slightly better chin and more junkyard dog in him. He also had better infighting and wasn't afraid to trade. He's got the size to compete with Wlad and to force him to fight. In a shootout, Lewis has got to be favoured.

On the other other hand, Wlad was always metronomically well-prepared for his fights and Lewis blew hot and cold. I'd take virtually any version of Wlad over a flat version of Lewis.

On my third hand however, the best version of Lewis is probably in with a good shot for being the best H2H dude in history.

 

I do. I rank Wlad one place above Lewis. Lennox best names in his resume were either well past prime (Holyfield) or downright shot to pieces (Tyson). And except of them his opposition isn't better name wise. A lot of Wlad's best opponents bested Lewis' best opponents actually:

- Byrd beat Vitali, Tua and old Holyfield;
- McCline battered Briggs in utterly one-sided fashion and demolished Grant;
- Ibragimov schooled Briggs;
- Brewster and Austin demolished Golota
- Williamson beat McCall
- Povetkin demolished Rahman (least relevant here because of age difference. Golota and McCall were 40 when they lost to Austin and Williamson respectively but Ray and DaVarryl were only 2 years younger each)

You would actually struggle finding Lewis opponent beating Wlad's one

 

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/h2h-heavyweights-mount-rushmore.717538/
Neither ATG nor H2H Wlad is above Lewis.

 

No absolutely not.

 

Vitali beat Sanders and Purrity (Wlad lost). And he beat Peter more easily than Wlad did in the first fight.

 

Byrd beat Holyfield when he was 40+ and had an injury that's not at all relevant to when Lewis beat Holyfield when he was champion.

All of those losses for McCall were in the 2000s when clearly his best decade was the 1990s I don't see how that's relevant. Wladimir also didn't technically beat Williamson legitimately Wladimir was floored and then the fight got stopped early and went to a technical decision after a headbutt.

Lewis beat a virtually undefeated Golota in 1997 and you're bring up Golota's losses to Brewster in 2005 and Austin in 2008 the latter he was completely past his best. You also fail to mention Golota got a draw vs Byrd and most felt Golota was unlucky not to get the nod vs Byrd who is one of Wladimir's best opponents.

Most of this has no relevance at all and it's a cherrypick statistic which is quite meaningless in all honesty. All it means is that some of Lewis's notable opponents fought some of Wladimir's opponents in a different decade when they were past their best.

 

No, Wlad is just making top 10 while Lewis is top 5.

 

To be fair, Wlad was in his physical prime, but the best Wlad was after he hooked up with Steward.

 

If they do, they shouldn't and for [at least] three very good reasons: Puritty, Sanders and Brewster - All unranked conquerors of Wlad in his prime, each beating him by way of stoppage, with only one of these beatings avenged by Wlad.

Losses suffered at this low a level really hurt any heavyweight legacy that seeks justification for a place in the Top-10 of all-time heavies, let alone a placement above Lewis, whom Wlad did not surpass in any meaningful way.

No other heavyweight in my Top-10 has any such distinction. Indeed, I'm doubtful any heavyweight listed in my 11 to 15 slots could be said to share the same kind of bad defeats. Yes, Lewis was stopped twice, but by universally ranked opponents and both losses were avenged.

Added to this, and despite his 'longevity', Wlad has not a single marquee win on his record, never became undisputed and, even in terms of the numbers of Ring-rated opposition faced and defeated, does not get past Lewis's ledger. He also featured in arguably the worst heavyweight championship display ever captured on film (Povetkin).

It doesn't take too deep a look to see the daylight between Lewis and Wlad. Lewis is some way ahead and quite obviously so.