Lennox Lewis, how the yanks saw him then vs now.

He was a victim of Bowe ducking him and Holyfield and Tyson both being left overs and considered peak in the previous era. Probably didn’t help that he wasn’t particularly likeable or charismatic compared to other ATG’s.

 

It's often difficult for a lot of fighters to get the acclaim they deserve whilst they are still fighting. They will still be compared to previous era and those previous era's are often viewed in nostalgia by fans.

Lewis has been retired a while now and is now a fighter from "a previous era" himself, so rightly he is now getting the recognition his career warrants.

As the old saying goes.... judge a fighter at the end of his career when it's all said and done.

 

On the topic of nostalgia... a lot of what gets said will be people backing those from there era because they'll always "back there guy" and believe there era when they were growing up was the toughest.

e.g. When Marciano was on top, he was never as good as Dempsey..... when Ali was on top, he "was no Marciano".... Larry Holmes couldn't hold a torch to Ali...... now the likes of Fury would have been whooped by Lennox / Tyson.

 

I think Lewis has become overrated since he retired. The Yank broadcasters might have underrated him back then when he was fighting but is the years since it's swung a bit too much the other way.

 

I found him hard to like, he never gave anything away, it's natural to not warm to a person that doesn't open up, ever, but as far as fighting, he's arguably imo the No1 heavy ever h2h. His chin don't come in to it for me, when he was focused and ready they just melted mentally with him, that cold stare and always bigger and stronger than most of them. Holyfield I remember saying "when we clinched, I'd never felt natural strength like it, he pulled me where ever he wanted me".. That's where Ali is also ****ed with him, clinch game and leaning ain't gonna work

 

I think the win over vitali was as big as any on his career....that will have boosted him to Lampley.....also Lampley personally will have sat through the dark years of the HW division 2004-2014 and come to realise how good a Lennox lewis had been. Lastly in retirement lewis open up a lot more ,became friendlier and less socially awkward...

 

Lewis was never huge box office ticket wise, did do big ppv in last few years of career, but Holyfield/Tyson/Bowe did bigger numbers and made a lot casinos and networks rich for many more years. They didn't want Lewis taking that away, part of why you saw the draw in 99.

 

Lewis is an ATG, as the years have passed and looking at just who he fought and how successful he was, I have more respect for him.
Only a couple above him in head to head imo.

 

Merchant critisized Lennox in the interview after the Vitali fight, VK wasn`t that highly regarded at that point and Ian Darke a British commentator on that fight was shocked at how ragged Lewis looked.

 

Merchant criticised Mayweather,Hagler ,a peak Tyson and Hopkins too..to the point of irritating them to speak out publicly.

Vitali was rated people were anticipating the fight for a couple of years and were shocked when Lewis took it at very short notice. Dont forget most of us were stunned when he did.

Youre right the victory looked a hell of a lot better even 4-5 years later...it looks herculean now

 

To be blunt, I loved the guy when you Brits loved Mason and considered Lewis Canadian.

Back in the day they did a big special in the Olympics hyping Bowe, and Lewis kicked his ass, forever gaining my loyalty.

That loyalty increased when Lewis demolished Ruddock, who had given Tyson hell.

That loyalty skyrocketed when Bowe threw a belt in the trash rather than face his daddy in a professional ring.

And when Don King engineered a screwjob to lift the belt off of him from a six-count, I was the first to say it.

I have Lennox 3-4 of all time at heavy. No one beats Ali and Louis for achievement, but Lennox is neck and neck with Marciano for me for that third spot.

For head to head, I have him #1.