In what way should Tyson have fought the Lennox Lewis fight?

The only way he could have been remotely competitive was to be 15 lbs lighter with good cardio.

also Tyson could have feinted more to the head and dug more to the body. The first round was competitive. Without his foot speed, Tyson was unlikely to win this. But if he showed up in good shape, he could go the distance.

Lewis was far too cautious to ko an in shape Tyson, even one as old and slow as this version. The only reason why Lewis opened up was because Mike stopped throwing hard shots for large portion of each rounds. If Tyson was in shape, he could sustain throwing hard punches round after round. Even if those punches wouldn’t land, the threat of them landing would keep the naturally cautious Lewis from unloading power shots of him own.


Mike could have lost a respectable decision with a 20 percent or so chance of catching him with something big if he actually bothered showing up in shape.

So yes, more feinting to head to work the body more, more combos and constant aggression.

 

I also think Lewis should have been deducted a point in round 1 for holding. No need to give multiple warnings. Just detect a point if he does it twice.

 

He took his best shot early before getting pounded back and that was about all he had.

 

I remember watching a JRE episode a few years back with Lennox Lewis. When Lewis brought up Tyson it appeared that Lewis was either being humble, making an excuse for Tyson or actually making a good point.

Lewis pretty much said he had the edge on Tyson because he lost time in prison.

JRE makes a good point in saying that Tyson was at the end of his stage when he and lewis fought and he just wasn't the same guy and Lewis agreed.

For the thread Ill agree with dmt and say all the long nights of party Tyson was out of shape. Ill add he should have trained to get past Lewis jab and work the pocket.

 

I found the clip if anyone wants to watch it.

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By this stage, Tyson had 1 tiny, remote punchers chance, to catch Lewis early.

The strategy he deployed correctly reflects that.

 

Maybe with a time machine.

He also could have been lighter. He got down to 225 for Etienne a few months later, but was 234 against Lennox. I think both camps thought the scale was off, as Lewis was 249, but that was still only 3 pounds more than Lewis weighed in for the Rahman rematch when he was in excellent form.

If the scale was off, I don’t think it was by much. I also assume the other fighters on the card used the same scale and I don’t recall any complaints about them with the scale and making weight.

 

Time machine back to 1988.

 

It always boggles my mind how hard he worked just to get this fight only to not come in shape and then for a later fight against a no one he was in decent shape. I think Lewis deserved to be a heavy favorite but I feel in Tyson at least and in shape like he was during the “Eat his children” speech he would have been a live opponent for more then a round.

 

The problem was it wasn't the 1986 era Tyson. He had lived too many lifetimes by the time he fought Lewis. He was only fighting on his name recognition at that point. Prison, parties, women, drugs, and just plain old time had caught up to him by the time he fought Lewis, there was no way he was going to be able to rewind the clock at that point.

 

It’s not much of an answer of course but it is what it is. Tyson couldn’t have won that fight any which way sans a puncher’s chance.

Eddie Cotton did his level best to rescue Tyson all night long though. Abysmal performance from him.

 

To this day I find that fight ultimately disturbing. It should have been stopped around the 5th round imo. From just before that to the end it was a pathetic sight...it's funny, back then I had a huge problem with Mike's criminal conviction but couldn't help but feel sorry as hell for him.

 

He fought him ttr only way he could really. That first round was his best shot, after that he was never gonna stand much of a chance.
Whatever Tyson brought to the ring that day, Lennox was always gonna counter.
Lewis knew he HAD to be perfect for Tyson, what ever Tyson did.