Is Lennox Lewis the most skilled "giant" in boxing history?

MarkusFlorez99 · Jul 22, 2025

Bokaj said: ↑

AJ had better guard, so better at blocking punches. Yes, Lewis leaned back more, but that's a negative in terms of head movement. Lewis had a a good uppercut in close, but I prefer AJ's uppercut overall and I haven't seen much inside game from Lewis except for thet one.

Maybe better 1-2 from Lewis, but overall more variety to AJ.s combos, and better counters.

Lewis had much of the "big guys flaws", i e things you get away with due to being bigger. Sloppy guard, pulling the head back, stiff arming (which actually is against the rules) and often pawing with the jab (it was very good as a classic jab when he used it as such, though) and 1-2 as pretty much the combo. Wlad was even more so, but they got their style to work very well for them after some early set backs.

AJ was a big fighter with proper fundamentals, if a bit stiff. Did everything well. He never pulled himself together after his setbacks and found a groove like they did, but they on the other hand didn't have to fight Usyk twice.

But I'm kind of just repeating this, so I'll leave it at that.
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Lewis has dropped more people with his uppercut than aj and had an active guard compared to aj; used his lead to paw, frame to create space and probe, and this more variable lead hand had made him better at hiding the right hand. The lower position of Lennox's left is also part of the reason why his jab is so stiff compared to ajs. Lewis wasn't as much of a robot and didn't need to hold his hands up as often because he had better footwork and was just smarter

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Lewis had more variety with his combinations at close range and blocked plenty, moved his head before following up and knew how to roll with punches as shown against Ray Mecer. I don't see how aj has more creative offense??? Look at these sustained exchanges.

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Ajs best display of offensive was against Whyte and Lewis clearly has more creative offense against a more skilled fighter than Whyte

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Aj didn't get hit less against world level opposition. Lewis had more effective defense, was more skilled and someone like old Pulev doesn't make Lewis's top 10 opponents.

McGrain · Jul 23, 2025

FighterInTheWind said: ↑

Your series of posts on this topic up till this point (I can't read more of this thread as I have to jet for now) articulates what I felt about this issue far more eloquently - and comprehensively.

To summarize: I often hear fighter A is "more skilled" than fighter B, because A handily outboxes B. But you can out-box another because you either have ridiculous physical gifts - or one set of skills that are difficult to deal with. I think Ali and Roy Jones were the two most outstanding examples. Both had inhuman speed, and thus they could get away with doing things that are technically unsound. That doesn't mean they are more skilled than the fighters they beat.
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Thanks, it does get tiring, but it's worth going through once every couple of years just because falling into the trap of this belief is such an easy thing to do. People don't mean anything by it, it's just one of the weirdest and most persistent mis-understandings that occurs here.

If people would just make their kids watch Jose Stable-Charley Scott when they are 11 or 12, this just wouldn't be a problem.

slash · Jul 23, 2025

MarkusFlorez99 said: ↑

Lewis has dropped more people with his uppercut than aj and had an active guard compared to aj; used his lead to paw, frame to create space and probe, and this more variable lead hand had made him better at hiding the right hand. The lower position of Lennox's left is also part of the reason why his jab is so stiff compared to ajs. Lewis wasn't as much of a robot and didn't need to hold his hands up as often because he had better footwork and was just smarter

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Lewis had more variety with his combinations at close range and blocked plenty, moved his head before following up and knew how to roll with punches as shown against Ray Mecer. I don't see how aj has more creative offense??? Look at these sustained exchanges.

This content is protected

Ajs best display of offensive was against Whyte and Lewis clearly has more creative offense against a more skilled fighter than Whyte

This content is protected

Aj didn't get hit less against world level opposition. Lewis had more effective defense, was more skilled and someone like old Pulev doesn't make Lewis's top 10 opponents.
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Almost nobody ever mentions mental strength/discipline either. 50% of the game at that level.

FighterInTheWind · Jul 24, 2025

McGrain said: ↑

Thanks, it does get tiring, but it's worth going through once every couple of years just because falling into the trap of this belief is such an easy thing to do. People don't mean anything by it, it's just one of the weirdest and most persistent mis-understandings that occurs here.

If people would just make their kids watch Jose Stable-Charley Scott when they are 11 or 12, this just wouldn't be a problem.
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Again, as I said it's such a pet peeve of mine. And not just in boxing. There are countless other examples where an athlete with transcendent gifts dominate in spite of the lack of fundamentals or "skills," simply because what the man upstairs endowed him.

And thanks for the Stable-Scott reference. I did have to look that up!

Lonsdale81 · Jul 24, 2025

Yes probably followed by Fury

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Is Lennox Lewis the most skilled "giant" in boxing history?

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Is Lennox Lewis the most skilled "giant" in boxing history?

MarkusFlorez99 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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slash Boxing Addict Full Member

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