Buster Douglas did not want the rematch on many different occasions against Tyson. Holyfield is a ATG and is no Hasim Rahman, by the time Lewis faced Holyfield he had further diminished and even then he didn't really dominate him as he should have given his size, reach advantage and the fact he was facing a fighter who had been in numerous wars
If you watch the Sky sports telecast, they show a video footage of Lewis going back to his stool after round 6 utterly exhausted and spent and even the analysts commented he had given it his everything and had nothing left and was lucky that the fight was stopped at this point
He dominated in the first fight but was robbed. The second fight was a lot closer, also the Lewis/Holyfield fight was less than a couple years after Holyfield mentally and physically destroyed Mike Tyson. After Holyfield spanked Mike Tyson he also dominated Michael Moorer in the run up to the Lewis fight, the same Moorer he lost to in his prime so he was past it but not that past it. And neither was Tyson when Holyfield beat him sensless
So because the commentators said it, it must be true. Lewis was exhausted but so was Vitali. You can see that in the 6th. Vitali's work rate went down and he clinched every single time he was getting roughed up on the inside by Lewis. He was stumbling as well when Lewis was pickinf him apart. Lewis sat in his corner heavily just like Vitali did after the 6th, oh wait you didn't notice that now did you
Lol Michael Moorer was another chinny bum. He only beat Holyfield in 1994 because Holyfield had heart issues which rendered him useless in that fight. Everyone could tell by 1999 Holyfields best years and work rate were behind him. I back the Tyson who faced Holyfield in 1996-97 to actually have a solid punchers chance against Lewis of any version for the first few rounds
That doesn't change anything. That means Holyfield wasn't that past it when he fought Lewis if he was able to do that. People in 1996 claimed Holyfield was past it as well, he lost to Moorer and got stopped by Bowe, he also looked like trash against Czyz. But then he beat Mike Tyson, destroyed him even. Lmao
Sorry my friend, but this is untrue. Lewis DID sign to fight Bowe after the third holyield fight, in what was supposed to be Riddick Bowe's only chance to fight Mike Tyson, as he had to beat Lewis, Who was Tyson's wbc mandatory challenger at the time. Both agreed to have a "warm up" fight before the Super showdown, Lewis choosed Ray Mercer and Bowe choosed Golota. Lewis beat Mercer, maybe not convincingly, but Bowe got dominated by Golota. Thanks to the Andrew-Riddick fiasco, the superfight between bowe and Lewis, as Riddick decided to sign to fight Golota for the second time in december. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/17/sports/boxing-deal-with-lewis-frees-tyson-to-seek-title.html https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/13/sports/boxing-bowe-gets-a-crown-but-he-longs-to-rule.html
I've agreed with many of your assertions but I'm not quite there on this. The Mike of that era was obviously championship-level, but Steward-Lewis was just too good for him even then imo. Yeah, he got ko'd by Rahman, but there were other factors there, including a way-beyond-Holmes disdain and underestimation for the challenger. Plus, I believe Lewis was coming off an acting job in a blockbuster motion picture. No, LL should never have let himself get caught like that, but a focused Lewis takes the 96 Tyson out in about 9 or ten rounds. Prime Tyson knocks the living yee-haw out of any Lewis. He was just plain too good, though Lennox ended up being a greater ATG.
This is both really interesting and educating, thank you! But it also shows that Bowe was NOT afraid to fight Lennox. Anyone who saw the post fight of Holy/Bowe I could see there was no fear in Bowe's eyes when he confronted LL.
He really wasn't....Not only did he signed to fight Lewis in 1996, but he also did the same thing in 1994!! Indeed, Bowe wanted to take on Lewis in what was supposed to be a fight for Lennox's WBC title in march 1995. Obviously Lewis happy agreed to make the fight happen. BUT, Lennox signed to fight McCall, who was named the WBC mandatory challenger by don king. And poor Lenny was knocked out, so the long awaited battle was cancelled. It's genuinely upset that it never happened to be frank, but like you said,.Riddick was everyhing, but afraid of Lewis he was not! https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/18/sports/bowe-and-lewis-fight-is-on.html?ref=lennoxlewis
Show me the fights earlier in his career that went past six rounds where he displayed this head movement throughout, threw combos bell to bell without falling into clinches, etc. I want to see this mythical creature. Because it damned sure wasn’t the James Tillis fight. Or the Mitch Green fight. Or the Tony Tucker fight. Or the Bonecrusher fight. If such a Tyson existed for a serious discussion, there should be a stretch of fights where he shows all of these abilities fight after fight, even the ones that get extended.
Imagine if Marciano had milked his win over a shot Louis or Holmes against Zombie Ali the way Lewis has against shot Tyson?
There is a difference, this was an active Holyfield who had been in many wars and rounds from 1992 to 1996 and was facing a fighter who was out of the Sport for 4 years and has 4 low quality tune up's. The first fight went eleven rounds and the second ended after the fourth but it wasn't a destruction
It will be a much better fight than the one we saw in 2002. Don't forget Lewis in 96 went life and death with Ray Mercer and some feel even lost that fight. Tyson's best chance in 96-97 is the first three rounds after that Lewis is the favourite
