Rewatching the Ruddock fight, I was very impressed with Lewis there. He was lean, quick, solid reflexes but still had vicious KO power. His major problem was that he was sloppy with technique and a bit too raw which led to a bad performance against Bruno and ultimately the loss to McCall. Does anyone think this version of Lewis could have been better than the bulked up super-heavyweight of the late 90s if Steward had merely helped him to refine his skills instead of changing him as a fighter?
Yes. I've always viewed Lennox Lewis as a knockout puncher trapped in the body of a boxer. (Sort of like short, stocky Orlin Norris was a smooth boxer trapped in the body of a slugger.) I think Lewis was always better when he went for the kill. Steward tried to turn Lennox into a cautious boxer, because Lennox had the size and build to be a boxer. But I never thought Lewis looked comfortable or smooth as a boxer. He looked much more comfortable attacking. And he was so good at it. I don't know why more big fighters don't attack more. Trainers just seem to take the cautious approach with them and demand they use their size to "avoid" punches. But when you've got power like Lennox had, the size and the power could terrify people. I think the McCall loss scared Frank Maloney, so they got Steward to try to protect Lennox's chin more. In the end, it worked out for them. If he would have remained aggressive, he might have a couple more losses. But I also think Lennox might have destroyed more names and might have become more popular. But when you go back and watch the fights when Lennox came out and attacked - like he did against Ruddock and Golota and even Michael Grant - he's scary. Lewis could've been the heavyweight equivalent of Tommy Hearns at welter. But Steward always stressed for Lewis to play it safe.
As a finisher he is absolutely up there with guys like Louis and Tyson. It is unfortunate that his chin forced him to adopt a more safety first approach.
That's just it, though. I don't believe his chin was weaker than anyone else, including Louis and Tyson. I just believe, when McCall floored him, Maloney thought he saw his investment going up in smoke and decided to play it safer because his size allowed them to do so. It's difficult to argue that they were wrong to do it, because he had a wildly successful career. But it would've been something to see if they trained him to attack, attack, attack. I think he would've overwhelmed just about everyone. Someday, we'll get a giant heavyweight who just goes for the KO right out of the gate and terrifies everyone. And people will go insane for that guy.
Early 90s Lewis was very, very raw compared to what he became under Steward. That's because his trainers in early 90's never bothered about learning new things. He was extremely gifted. Great speed, reflexes, size, punching power, long arms, agression. But skillwise he was far worse than late 90's - early 2000's Lewis. Ruddock fight was an exception. But Lennox showed his flaws against Bruno, aging Tucker, McCall and even jorneymen Billups, Derek Williams and Phil Jackson. However, he was so fast, big and powerful, that it was enough till the McCall fight. The co-operation with Steward was the best thing that happened in Lennox' career.
I agree with this. And Lewis can thank the ref for the McCall stoppage. He was out on his feet and fell into the ref's chest. If allowed to continue this KO would have been much harder to overcome mentally. Lewis convinced himself it was a lucky punch and didn't have to take another count.
I think even that version of Lewis before Steward was all time great material. He had medaled in two olympics and had beaten a string of very good opponents emphatically before being upset. And for all his shortcomings, Oliver McCall was a better fighter than his record and reputation suggested. He sparred for years with Mike Tyson during his dominant days. He had beaten men like Damiani, Seldon and was possibly robbed against Norris and an aged Tucker. He went on to be recognized as one of the most durable fighters of all time and with a pretty good punch.. And I think Lennox taking him lightly ( along with the referee stopping it a bit early ) had as much to do with that defeat as Lewis needing a different trainer.
At leastr Lennox was willing to fight the DKP guys. Not a whole lot of other guys out there at the time were bothering to belly up to the bar and go into the lions den. I liked Lennox better at the lower weight. And he used a real nice lefthook early on. That punch went out the window w/ Correa and Steward. He definately put on additional pounds as well as anyone. Pretty much anyone else is/was not staying at the top sticking on another 20 pounds like Lewis did.
Lennox Lewis only ever had ONE problem. ( which wasn't ) He was NOT a fukking MURICAN, because if he WAS they would be falling over themselves to claim him as their greatest ever Heavy that ever lived, on the grounds he DEFEATED EVERY fighter he EVER faced.
If we consider the stage of each opponents career, he went on too face better fighters, arguably more dangerous fighters, so I'd say the answer is no. What we must give Lewis credit for is that he played to his strengths. Steward no doubt refined Lewis' skills and had an influence on how Lewis was able to box very effectivley on the back foot, equipped with a very large reach, strong jab and very agile feet for a man of his size, it seems like a sensible option. For me Lewis' is at his best playing these advantages. He still shows his class as a finisher when under Stewards wing against some decent games. Despite adopting a slightly more cautious approach he has Golota, Botha, Grant, Briggs, Rahman and Morrison
