Muhammad Ali vs Lennox Lewis, prime for prime?

Many truths in this post...

 

This is kind of funny, kind of cynical, and has a few grains of truth in it.

Interesting post.

 

Yes, I'm aware of that. The glasses have definitely been tinted rose from the days when I actually use to watch him.

 

Your birthdate doesn't prove you understand the boxing.
I know lots of old and stupid man around the world.
I hope you aren't demented.

 

You're right, my birthdate doesn't prove anything, except that this post:

" Lewis is vastly overrated on these boxing forums, because most posters were are simply not old enough to remember the Muhammad Ali & Mike Tyson era's. "

Doesn't apply to me ,which was the point of my mentioning it in the first place.

 

Lennox lewis takes this by KO - Sorry Ali.

Lewis - too smart, too strong

 

Ali.

Fitness. Movement. Guile.

I have huge admiration for the skills of Lewis, but for those that remember Ali live in his prime, you are talking about levels of agility and fitness that few heavyweights since could withstand.

Missed punches sap stamina and Ali would wear Lewis to the point of little coming in his direction and then it'd be stopped when Ali started the onslaught.

 

good arguments can be made for either guy to win, I think I will give ali a slight edge.

it's easy to envision a perfect ali performance more or less shutting out lewis on the scorecards, with his chin saving him from what does land. Ragamuffinman's post is a solid argument for ali too.

but;

lewis only lost to punchers, ali isn't one.

ali never had to overcome as good a jab from such a big man and doesn't have the classic head movement to get past Lewis's jab. this means he will either have to go backwards without really landing his own jab or fight a less ideal style for himself.

ali isn't going to be stronger than lewis or able to use some of his effective foul tactics, if anything it would be lewis holding and hitting him. this lessens the effectiveness of ali against the ropes.

 

The same can be said of Lewis also....

 

Certainly not to the same extent, when there's posters like to quick to provide, for lack of a better word, balance.

 

I used to favor Ali years back. Now I see it the other way around. Lewis was not a fool in the ring, quite the opposite.

A Zaire path to victory for Ali would not happen. A Frazier 2 ( Clinch and jab ) would not be likely either. Did Ali hit hard enough to KO Lewis? Floor perhaps, but I think Lewis had enough durability to weather a shot or two.

I like Lewis here as Ali had problems with good jabbers and would be giving up a lot of size and power to a man who had very good skills as an out fighter or in-fighter.

 

The lack of power from any heavyweight is somewhat negated if they hit you enough times.

You don't need a single power punch to down an opponent.

If you get hit enough times, you go.

Ali v Lewis is the type of fight that anyone would have longed for, and the bookmakers would have almost certainly had them both evens. I simply believe Ali had a lot more guile than people think. I take point about the impossibility of desecrating his legacy, and yes there is always a degree of that, but at the same time it doesn't change the fact that the legend exists because of what people saw him do.

There is far too much talk of power in the heavyweight division nowadays.

I also think people considerably underestimate what it might be like to have been hit flush by a prime Ali. If you managed to withstand it, you'd not have all your senses about you - and that is why he is the legend he deservedly is.

 

Ali wouldn't stop Lewis with one punch, but a combo he could. Can't see Lewis winning this match up.