Peak Lennox Lewis vs prime Mike Tyson

Dust off this 50 page barnburner that's been frozen since 2020...

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/lennox-lewis-vs-mike-tyson-prime-for-prime-who-wins.112813/

 

Tyson by KO.

 

Bump.

Not saying this necessarily means Tyson beats Lewis, but I find it interesting that three of their mutual opponents pick the former as the better fighter:

“I boxed Tyson twice and I boxed Lennox Lewis, and I would rather box Lennox Lewis five days a week than to fight a Mike Tyson. He’s awkward, short, dangerous, and when he’s fit, he’s very dangerous.”
- Frank Bruno

"BEST OVERALL
Tyson: I’d have to go with Tyson. Tyson was in a different mindset in the 80s."
"He was on top form. I think that night he would have beat Holyfield, knocked out Lewis, he would have beat anybody that night. I think he’d have been a handful for anybody in history on that night.”
- Tyrell Biggs

"BEST OVERALL
Tyson: I’d have to go with Tyson. He’s very good at his job. There’s different levels to boxing and Mike Tyson fluctuated in levels."
- Razor Ruddock

​

 

Interesting that even though Lewis took him out much faster, & there was a lot of animosity between Ruddock & Tyson, he chose Mike.

Tyson being very close in the polls to Lewis is impressive, just because of the size difference.
Tyson was at least near 7" shorter, with a wingspan disadvantage of 13".
And A.I. tells me the average weight of Lewis between 1997-2002 was 248 lbs., so that is around 30 lbs., & if we take Rahman 2 to be his peak & compare it to Tyson vs. Spinks, a bit more.
Before Stewart Lewis tended to fight in the 220's, but he put on mostly muscle-what Tyson seemed to possess more naturally.

The only reason I cannot confidently pick Tyson is the massive disparity in size.