Mike Tyson Vs Lennox Lewis --- 1996?

Lewis by 96 had corrected a lot of his mistakes and boxed more carefully from the outside. He would have approached the fight somewhat similarly as he did when they fought later on. Tyson was making very bad technical mistakes and was even easier to hit than he was against Ruddock.
The fight would have been closer, Tyson would have fought with more determination and was in far better condition, but not sure he could beat Lewis who was really dialed in at that time. I would just say Tyson had a better chances of a come from behind win but he would probably lose a decision.

 

Lewis, probably a late-ish stoppage but a clear decision wouldn't surprise me.

 

My thoughts as well.

Lewis didn't only win his fight against Tyson because he wasn't as shot, he also used a very good strategy and as one poster said the first round was a demonstration. In that round, Tyson attacked, and Lewis used his size and strength to manhandle him, fired upper cuts and if necessary push him out of mid-range so that Lewis could land his overhand right.

Tyson may have won that round, but it was also Tyson who went back to the corner and said he was hurt. That type of strategy, which I'm sure had been in Lewis' head since they were teenagers would also have caused Tyson problems, unless Tyson was able to connect with something devastating rather early in the fight. Lewis simply used his size to negate many of Tyson's advantages in a way that I've never seen another fighter do.

 

Didnt they spar together as a 18yr olds or w/e, nd Tyson was getting the best till a week or so later Lewis figured him out then dominated him since?

 

Have to go with Lewis. He was improving then whilst Tyson was in steady decline although i think it would have been a decent fight to watch

 

Lennox started slowing after '94 himself, even if he got technically better. Prime is misunderstood, it refers to the physical prime, a fighter may improve technically after their physical prime and overall be perhaps better. Lennoxs style certainly had much more longevity and he was nearer to being in his prime shape during to training much harder for years

As for 'taking Lennoxs best for 8 rounds', I'd disagree with that as Lennox was being cautious

Either way as for a match up in 96, Tyson is still past his best, discarded the jab and head movement and is only a 5 round fighter. Hence I think Lennox wins out a UD

Prime for prime, Tyson by KO

 

No he supposedly held his own in later sessions, didnt dominate

 

Lewis didnt really have the gas tank to pull out late stoppages imo

 

This ^^^^^^^^

would have been a much better fight than 2002