If Lennox was to have fought Holmes opponents at the age that Larry did.. ie Lewis turns pro at 24, fights C0oney aged 32, Spinks aged 35 and 36, so called prime Tyson aged 36, Holyfield aged 41, were replacing Holmes like for like with the same aged Lewis. How far does the 0 go, who if anyone beats the same aged Lennox.
He beats Tyson, but maybe he has an upset loss or two (which he avenges) by KO along the way. Lewis’s complacency and chin meant that sometimes he’d be under par and ripe for an upset. Against Tyson he’d always be dialed in:
You'd fancy him to go unbeaten until at least Tyson but he could obviously be caught on a bad night. Still I'm not sure Holmes fought huge punchers outside of Shavers and Cooney and surely Lennox respects both Shavers and Cooney's power. Witherspoon is a hard fight in your 30s but Lennox should have plenty to see him off. Spinks is too small and vulnerable to hang with Lennox for my money The main Q is Prime Tyson v 36yo Lennox. So the Lennox that actually beat Tyson against a better version of Tyson. It's a pickem fight for my money with Tyson himself saying Lennox would always be too big for him.
I think Tim Witherspoon would have had the best chance of beating Lennox. Of course, Lennox could get caught on by big punchers like Shavers or Cooney, but I don't think he would underestimate them. In Witherspoon's case it's likely that Lennox would underestimate him and if Tim catches Lennox with that right hand - it's a 'night-night'. Tim was clearly a harder puncher than McCall and Rahman in my opinion This content is protected As for the second part of career... I'd favor prime Tyson to beat 38 y.o. Lennox, and Holyfield/Mercer/McCall would definitely beat 40+ years-old Lewis with easy
Larry Holmes was 38 against Tyson and 42 years old against Holy. The 21 years old Tyson was far better than the Klitschko version 37 years old fat and slow punchin' bag Lennox and not to mention the young Tyson was harder and better puncher than Klitschko or the aging Lewis.
I agree. No fighter in his 30's is going to have an easy time with a prime Witherspoon. He was very tricky with good fundamentals, good footwork, and a smashing over hand right. Lennox might need a rematch to set the record straight. Carl Williams is also a tricky task for an aging Lennox who could be complacent. He would need to be in shape and jump on him early or he'll be in for a long and gruelling bout. Even if he makes it past all those guys, he definitely loses to prime Holyfield. Considering how much he struggled with mercer in his prime, an old lewis would lose a wide decision to Mercer.
Lewis, no guy test he lays them all to rest. Lewis beats them all. Holmes would lose to Vitali. This content is protected
Mike Weaver. If Lewis fought Weaver in the timeline of the thread he would be 29 the age he was ko by McCall. Weaver was a better calibre HW than McCall.
This might be extremely unpopular, but if Lewis won the title before Steward I think Mike Weaver would have landed that lucky punch. I think Mike would have ko'd him in 3. I do believe Lewis would have come back to smash his skull in during the rematch, but yeah I see Mike landing and the first fight being over. Though Kenny probably would have gotten smashed out by Lewis in the early days...I actually think he wouldn't have done terribly against the more cautious, Steward-led Lewis. I see a 12 round split decision for Lewis, one he'd have to earn (again this might be an unpopular pick). Shavers always has a chance at landing the right, but I don't think his chin would hold up against LL. Cooney would have been poleaxed in 8. Williams about the same. Witherspoon would have been interesting, and by that I mean ONLY the Holmes Witherspoon (to me there really wasn't much beyond that). Witherspoon had the type of overhand right that could club Lewis out, and he was an underrated boxer. I can see Tim beating the pre-Steward Lewis on points, and losing to the Steward by same. Prime Holyfield stops Lewis in 10. Prime Tyson takes pre-Steward era Lewis out in 3, but Steward-era Lewis knocks even prime Mike out in 8.
