Lennox Lewis's achievements are overrated

By getting his face cut up?
Even if Lennox didn't rematch with Vitali because he knew he couldn't win, and I admit that's probably the case, he should be commended rather than condemned for this. Lots of boxers continue to fight on even though they've got nothing left and their body is telling them 'no' and they end up not only damaging their reputations but seriously damaging themselves. Look at Ali. Or look at Lewis' friend and contemporary Evander Holyfield. Continued to fight until his 50s. Got the tar pounded out of him three consecutive times. Went out with a worse record than Mike Tyson despite his triumphant victory against Tyson. For what? His last title fight made him $750,000. He got $35 million just to fight Tyson again. He couldn't even get a match with the Klitschkos, they had too much respect for him to beat him up.

Lewis went out on top with his head held high having beaten everybody he ever fought. I can think of maybe three other boxers who could say the same.

 

Anyone prior to Liston would have been too small and Lewis would have beat them. After that he would have been a larger skilled man with anybody. An early Ali was too small and a late one was too slow. He would have KO'd Wlad and if he fought Vitali and trained for him he would have beat him more. Lennox was lacking in interview charisma. That was his problem, not fighting skill.

 

Theres that word prime, often used on here for an agenda. What we do know is a that end of Calzaghe with damaged hands beat fully fledged LHW Jones

Once again you have looked for an agenda and taken the majority of predictions that suit your argument, but I recall people saying about Lewis KOd by Rahman and having a different opinion also.
I would always favoured Lewis to beat Tyson due to size and styles but wouldnt discount either being able to beat the other

Consider On the link below more favoured for Tyson
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/tyson-v-lewis-who-will-win-6332595.html

including -
Maloney
Holyfield
Bowe
Holmes

This next article at the time

The pundits predict a knockout for Iron Mike
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2002/jun/08/boxing.johnrawling



In short you need to look at the whole story as it unfolded at the time

 

Are you seriously suggesting that the man who was being outboxed by Frank Bruno, who was stopped by Oliver McCall and was knocked out by Hasim Rahman would have beaten the Ali who fought Cleveland Williams?

 

Wh

what are you quoting that wasn’t me saying those comments I’m confused

 

Whoops

 

The three first rounds show Mike came to compete and win, but the jab and uppercut of Lewis have worn Tyson and by the fourth rounds he started to fade quickly. Tyson took enormous punishment. A shot fighter is a fighter who lost his pop and punch resistance. Not at all the case here.

 

Tyson only won one round and that's because he came out charging. After the first round he had nothing

Well, in my opinion, a shot fighter is a fighter who has nothing to throw at an opponent. Tyson against Lewis (and against McBride) fits the bill

 

Ok we disagree here. I don't see much difference between the 2002 version of Tyson and the 1990 version who fought Douglas. If Douglas would have had the power of Lewis he would have knock Tyson out in first rounds. Power punches did connect very early. Tyson remained the same for most of his career, and failed against everyone capable to resist.

 

There's considerable difference. The Tyson that fought Douglas had been out of the ring for six months, was still fairly close to his prime, was still young and never took drugs before a fight until he fought Bruno. The Tyson that fought Lennox had been out of the ring for a total of five years at least in the last ten, had faded considerably, was old and spent most of the time he was supposed to be training doing drugs on the Hawaiian beaches instead.

If the version of Tyson that fought Douglas had a better a corner or he had better tactics, he could have lasted the distance and gotten a decision or in the very least a draw. The version of Tyson that fought Lewis could have had Kevin Rooney or Cus D'Amato in his corner and it wouldn't have made a damn bit of difference. He wasn't winning by knock out or decision.

 

He definitely doesn't have those career defining, outstanding wins us fans like. The closest he has is stopping Vitali in a fight many thought he was losing - but still, I have to give him credit for grinding out the W. I think his H2H rating with the eyeball test rates him much higher due to his size and skill than his accomplishments have - not to stay they're unfounded. I can't criticize him too much for fighting the guys he fought when he did. Boxing is frustrating like that, fights don't always materialize when fans want just because of timing or politics. But, It leaves a lot of unanswered questions so I have to kind of agree with you.

 

Anything post prison is past prime Tyson anything post the suspension against Holyfield for the bite is shot Tyson. It was evident in Botha bout. Tyson had 0 discipline outside the ring at that point and was in it strictly for the payday. No stamina, defense or game plan at that point.

 

No, you.

 

Nah, shot Tyson is post-Golota

 

Maybe not ''robbed'' but Mercer should of been given that fight.