Lennox Lewis inducted into hall of fame.

No, it's hardly "****ed" and it's exactly that attitude that demonstrates just HOW overrated Lewis is by many fans, and how underrated Holyfield is. Holyfield faced the two of the other top guys in his era - Bowe and Tyson - when it mattered, not when they were way on the downside, as when Lewis faced Hoyfield and Tyson. And, he faced Bowe, which Lewis never did. Those are the facts, the rest is speculation. And Holyfield was never taken out early by second raters. In fact, in the heart of his career, he was only stopped by Bowe.

And of course, there are always tons of EXCUSES as to why Lewis got taken out, but none of that bullcrap erases the fact that he is the ONLY top level HW champ that was stopped by ordinary fighters like this twice when he held the title. The only one.

He belongs in the Hall, no doubt. But he is also grossly overrated by many fans, as your comments, and the nonsense about him being in the top 5, demonstrate.

 

Yeah, you guys were pretty good with the propaganda, Lewis-ite. But it doesn't make it reality. Bottom line is, he didn't face Bowe. And yes, Bowe in his prime was a great fighter. That might have something to do with the fact that Lewis didn't face him!!! Just like with Holyfield and Tyson, he was probably waiting til Bowe was washed up.

 

Excellent post Haggis. :happy:thumbsup I agree totally.

 

Actually, a more accurate interpretation of events is that the Bowe who defeated Holyfield twice, was scared to fight Lewis, who he was contractually obligated to fight. Rather than honor the signed contract, he dumped the belt. The pecking order of who is best, simply falls out of this simple, yet accurate, summation.

 

It's hardly a shocker though that lennox is getting in.

 

lewis got starched twice if my memory serves me correct marciano was undefeated.nice try though:rofl

 

atsch

 

Congrats to the last great HW Champ

 

atschatsch

 

He definitely deserved it. Congrats, Lennox.

 

Lennox was a great champion. The epitome of what a heavyweight champion should be. A tremendous fighter and a good guy.

 

Do you know how to read?

Beat every guy he ever faced, dosent mean that he was undefeated.

Nice try though

 

Why is Bowe a "top guy" of his era?

Oh, that's right. Because he beat Holy two out of three.

Aside from his wins over Evander, who has Bowe beaten? I'll tell you. NOBODY. His ONLY notable fights aside from Holyfield were when he got the living **** beaten out of him, TWICE, by Golota. The same Golota who Lennox starched in 90 seconds.

Take away the Holy fights, and what does Bowe have? Nothing, is what.

Lennox owns a stoppage victory over Bowe. True, it's in the amateurs, but in the Olympic final, so not a run-of-the-mill amateur contest. Bowe should have RELISHED the chance to avenge himself.

Instead, Bowe threw the heavyweight title in the trash can rather than fulfill his contractual obligation to fight Lewis. He preferred to fight the mighty 19-9 Jesse Ferguson. He wanted NO PART of Lennox. There's a reason for that. How much clearer could this be? And how can you blame Lennox for the fight not happening?

No, he didn't get stopped early, but he DID get beaten up and stopped by Bowe, he DID get outpointed over 12 by Bowe, and he DID get outpointed over 12 by Moorer.

That is worse. This is the heavyweights, Zak. They are all huge men. McCall and Rahman can both say that they landed huge punches that KOed Lewis. But nobody can say that, over 12 rounds, they got the better of him. And they cannot say that they came out ahead of Lewis overall. Not so for Holyfield. Bowe got the best of him over three fights. Nobody ever even deserved a third fight with Lewis, there was never any need.

What excuses? This is the heavyweights. They are huge men, and one punch landed can end a fight at any time. But there is not one fighter who can claim he got the better of Lennox Lewis. Not one. And Lewis fought plenty of good fighters who were rated as significant threats to him.

Do me a favour. Name me five heavyweights who:

* Were involved in as many significant fights as Lewis

* Had as much longevity at the top of the sport as Lewis

* Beat more ranked contenders than Lewis

* Suffered fewer losses than Lewis

* Had no "bogey opponent" who they should have easily gotten the best of, but didn't (eg Norton for Ali)

* Had as much skill and ability to fight in different styles as Lewis (compare the Lewis who fought Tua to the one who fought Golota, Grant or Klit, for example)

AND,

* Who you would predict to win more than five out of ten fights against a prime Lennox. (Of course, Lennox' prime is difficult to determine, as he was beating the **** out of top-flight opponents for about a decade, as opposed to the three or four year period of dominance that many ATGs like Tyson or Foreman had)

Names please, if you will, Zak. And I will compare their career records and head-to-head chances.

Because I will tell you. Over Lewis' entire career, he showed that there is ONE way to beat him. Hope to land a monster punch early. That's it, that's the only way ever demonstrated. If you fail to do that, you lose.

:hat

 

The problem with your summation is that it is predicated on an assumption you have NO way of knowing - that Bowe was "scared" to fight Lewis. More accurately, there was more money to be made elsewhere, at less potential risk. And, in any event, Bowe and Lewis never met, and developing a pecking order based on fantasy matchups is pretty flimsy.

Bottom line, Lewis didn't face Bowe. That's an omission on his record, as is the fact that he faced declined versions of Holyfield and Tyson. Isn't it interesting that LEWIS was the one always not facing, or facing old versions, of the best fighters of his era?

 

Congrats to Lewis & Merchant too. I grew up watching these guys fight & comment & it wouldn't have been the same without Lennox's legacy & Merchant's commentary.

Well done.