Is Lennox Lewis Overrated?

To be fair, Ali was a bit stingy with giving rematches at the end of his career as well. And I can't really fault Lewis, at almost 38, for choosing to retire instead of giving a rematch.

As for Lewis not being seen as the best before 1999 - it's hard to be when the other top fighters won't face you. That both Tyson and Bowe was reluctant to face him should tell us something, though.

 

It'a matter of perception then. I felt he should have given a rematch. Yes, he was sliding a bit, but he was still very good. Hardly shot. Just two years earlier his was handing Tyson his backside.
You feel otherwise, due to his advancing years...nothing more to be said really.

This "Lewis was ducked" issue is getting a bit silly. Bowe ducked him, and that's all we know of. Lewis may have been avoided, but that's politics and matchmaking, not neccessarily fear or anything else.
As I said, he faced Holyfield and to me Lewis didn't prove himself superior in the 2nd fight.

To be ranked as high as 3rd or 4th, I think complete domination of your era is pretty much a prerequisite.

 

Lennox Lewis is a big man that can move and box. I always been more a supporter of Razor Ruddock, but throughout Lewis' career, Lennox has impressed me with his ability to come back and beat fighters that got the betterof him. He does has his skeptics, the same people including myself who thinks he has too many lazy streaks. There are no excuxes for the loss to McCall or the Rahman loss and the fact that it took him more than 6 rounds to destroy a Mike Tyson that had virtually nothing left but his power. Definitely Lennox belongs in the top 10 heavyweights of all time and quite possibly belongs in the top 20 of the best fighters in the last 20 years.

 

I deliberately wrote "reluctant to face" instead of "ducked", because "ducked" is bandied about a bit liberally in my opinion. And since Bowe dropped his belt rather than take on Lewis and Tyson paid him to step aside (something even Wealthy Elite seem to see as a fact), I feel it's justify to say they were reluctant to face him.

Personally I have Lewis somewhere 3-6 together with Marciano, Johnson and Holmes. I think those are hard to separate.

 

Tyson dropped his title belt to avoid Lewis in '96 to fight Seldon. Tyson was probably King's puppet at this time, but that doens't change the facts.

 

What is that argument? Lewis had longevity, an excellent ring record, wins over HOF opponents, avenged all losses, and retired as champion.

 

Bowe dropped the belt in the trash, Tyson paid him millions, and Foreman went on record and said no thanks. There is no heavy in history post Louis that was ducked as much as Lennox was....

 

Very few fighters fight and beat a top 10 ATG in their primes.

 

which close to prime heavyweights did marciano face.

 

Charles was good but he is nowhere near a top ten heavyweight and already been beaten by numerous guys before marciano. Walcott had already lost to other fighters such as louis, fought alot at lhw and was almost 40 when he faced rocky.

 

being beat my a fair few guys at the time not just greats like louis and also nearing 40 don't make a guy close to prime, i will give you charles but certainly don't agree with walcott. If thats the case holyfield should be classed as a prime fighter for lewis.