Prime Lewis vs. Prime Tyson

Lewis.
When he is prepared, Mike Tyson wouldn't be able to beat him...Too much size and skill...AT HIS BEST. If he isn't at his very best, much lesser opponents than Tyson have beaten him...Overall, I'd take Lewis.

 

Interesting clash of styles. Lewis of the McCall rematch against the Tyson that knocked out Spinks. I think it's a good 50/50.

 

I would edge towards Tyson. Tyson would be favourite, IMO. But Lewis at his best was a bad man, and he had that uppercut down, and he would catch Tyson with it. They'd be some hard shots traded here, anything can happen.

 

Lewis.

His natural advantage are the same if they fought today as they would be if they 10, 20 years ago.

Lewis UD possibly.

 

This thread has indeed been done before, but its ok because it always attracks both the best and the worst of ESB.

My pick is Tyson of 1987-1990 over the Lewis of 1996-2000. I presume these are the time frames when both were at their best. When Lewis fought Tyson, both men were past prime, but the difference is that Tyson was maybe 12-13 years past his best, while Lewis was about 2-3 years beyond his. Tyson began that fight strong by rocking Lewis significantly in the first round, perhaps giving us a glimpse of what a different Tyson over a decade earlier might have done. Mike had greater stamina and durability in his younger years, plus more handspeed, power, aggression, and accuracy. Once he got a fighter in trouble it was usually bad news for that man.

 

I'll go Tyson by KO because he was relentless and had the better chin. Somewhere Mike will land a big and fast hard punch and hurt Lennox, and when Mike hurt him, he'd finish him.

 

Tyson via early execution.

Lewis' jaw = no thanks.

 

This is a fight that should of and could of happened before Tyson went to jail. I don't know who was ducking who but it was bad for boxing that this fight didn't happen.

Prime Tyson at 214 lbs - 217 lbs would KO prime Lewis late in the fight.
Lewis has enough skill to survive the early rounds and could probably frustrate Tyson early if he stays outside and sets up combinations with his jab.

 

Lewis was too green at the time and the fight didn't make sense. Tyson was convicted in February 1992. Back in 1991, he had two fights with Razor Ruddock, and the Holyfield fight for the title was scheduled for November 1991. Tyson cancelled, claiming a rib injury.

Lewis was still on the come-up and his biggest wins back then were Gary Mason and Mike Weaver, hardly adequate tests to fight a Mike Tyson. It wasn't until beating Razor Ruddock on Halloween night in 1992 that Lewis really became seen as a true, serious, HW threat. Ruddock was expected to beat Lewis.

In 1996, it was Tyson's camp that paid step aside money and reliquinished the WBC belt to not fight Lewis, choosing instead to fight either Bruce Seldon or Evander Holyfield (someone help me out here please).

As much as I hate to admit it, being a big Tyson fan and not so much a fan of Lennox, I'd probably have Tyson being the slight underdog in a matchup of the two in their primes.

 

There are certain guys that would always present problems for others...and lewis would be an unsolvable problem for Tyson. After 8-9 rds of being peppered Tyson would find him self in the same spot as he did when he really fought lewis. Lewis in 9!

 

Tyson starts out fast in the first two rounds, then Lewis starts to come on in the next three rounds. But Tyson takes control again in rounds 6, and 7 and finishes him off in the eighth.

Mike Tyson KO 8 Lennox Lewis:good

 

I prime Tyson was elusive enough to avoid most of Lennox Lewis' punches. He wouldn't be the poor shell of himself that we saw fight Lennox in 2002. I like Tyson, mid round stoppage.

 

It's funny, because many point to the first round between them as an indication of what a prime tyson would have done against Lewis, I see it in a different light. Yes, Tyson may have won the round, but it was Tyson who claimed those uppercuts had him hurt, and it set the pattern as to how Lewis would fight Tyson in the remainder of the fight, and indeed it was probably a similar game plan he would have used had they fought in their primes. Having said that, it's a close call. Certainly Tyson has durability on his side, as I couldn't imagine Lewis taking the same amount of punishment Lewis dished out to him on that night, or indeed in the Douglas fight. Having said that, how would Tyson act if Lewis rocked him a few times and severally punished him for trying to get inside? Overall, I'd pick Lewis, but a Tyson win certainly wouldn't be an upset. I just think Lewis fought the perfect fight stylistically against Tyson and if he did so in his prime he would likely win. So I'd pick Lewis by a slim margin.

 

I believe Lewis was a year older than Tyson when they fought..so if Tyson's 194 year old, Lewis was 195.