Prime Tyson vs Prime Lewis

Tyson starts well, as soon as he tastes Lewis's power he shits his pants ( a bit like he did at the end of the 1st round anyway). I can't really envision any other scenario than this:

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That's because you are one smart cookie.

 

Still 50/50, I think (though I'm probably the only one who thinks that way)

You can never rule out a puncher of Tysons calibur (especially when that power is allied to speed and accuracy so well). iI he happens to be the one who lands first, heavily and early on he's got a very good chance. However, I think that if Lewis lasts beyond the mid-rounds (which he has a fair chance of doing) his physical attributes and 'boxing' ability would slowly takes a grip on procedings and he'd win the fight. I don't think Lewis would be wise to go in for the kill as there's a fair chance he'd get caught in doing so.

Lewis would need to pump the jab heavily, consistently and with conviction from the get-go right the way through to derail Tyson rythmn. If he abandons that Tyson would have more joy. The Lewis uppercut could also be a factor and should be used at every opportunity when Mike moves in.


JT1/MDWC/anybody else: How do you envisage each fighter approaching this one, peak-for-peak. Would Tyson or Lewis come out smoking, or employ a more measured approach in order to suss out the other guy?

 

Lewis would fight exactly as he did in their actual match. Shoot the jab often, tie Tyson up when he pours in and shoot the potentially fight ending uppercut at opportune times. The tying up will frustrate him, draw him into careless mistakes. The uppercut and Lewis' big power will then take a lot of the fire out of Tyson and have him dejected and submitting by the middle rounds.

 

I don't envisage '88 version Tyson mentally quitting early on, he'd be much more effective, ferocious and dangerous for a prolonged period than the faded shell who actually faced Lewis, he could carry his power through to the mid-rounds and beyond as well. Lewis' fantastic jab would be a mean tool, however Tysons ability to consistently slip that punch and fire in swift counter (normally a left hook to the head, right cross to body) shouldnt be dismissed. If Lewis is hurt/decked/caught clean early on how does he react?

I've no doubt at all that Lewis is capable of pulling the win off, however he'd need to stick to a bulletproof gameplan, apply a consistent workrate, iniciate the exchanges and don't switch off- even for a split second. It would take one helluva performance pull it off.*




*I'm not a Tyson huthugging-fanboy (far from it, I'm just adding a bit of balance to the debate) but I just think it's a tad unreasonable that any fighter should be considered an overwhelming fave against a peak Tyson. I'd only give a small clutch of fighters at very their best a slight edge over him (Liston, Ali, Holmes)

 

If Lewis chooses to box and move, he'll lose.
That long, lazy jab would be like waving a red flag at a bull. Tyson would come under it, and counter Lewis to death. Jabs didn't faze a prime Tyson that much, and as good as Lewis could be with his jab, he also tended to get sloppy and lazy with it.

He needs to tie Tyson up, smother him, frustrate him, and stand his ground. Once you gave up space to Tyson, he'd catch up to you and knock you out.
That's not to say Lewis must be a statue in there, but he must know when to move and when to clinch. That big Lewis uppercut inside would be a key punch in this fight.

As for Tyson, well he just needs to be himself. People always knew what he was going to do, but they just couldn't do anything about it. Plenty of boxers claimed that they knew how to deal with Tyson, but all these brainwaves failed when they had to step in there.

I think this is a close call. Barring a sudden fight-ending bomb from either man, we'd see a very good (possibly even great) fight. I tend to favour Tyson, but Lewis' steely resolve when things got tough and that monster uppercut inside would have me very worried.

 

Prime Tyson by ko IMO though Lewis has a chance

 

Me either, but i don't doubt it possible after say round 6 given that Lewis has the offensive success i picture and lands some very heavy artillery.

For sure, but i'm not about to forget what Lewis brings either. I vividly remember Tyson getting stunned and pausing vs Frank Bruno. I'm not one to dwell on small moments and overexaggerated tidbits (If Cooper could hurt Ali etc etc) but i can see Lewis very definitely stopping Tyson in his tracks at some point early. IMO he hits even harder than Bruno and has much more class overall. Tyson is going to wear something big early, and i really do see a couple of such moments turning the tide for him. Lewis is at his greatest when up against the most dangerous of opponents and none come more scary. Tyson of course would be dangerous every second early, but the firepower coming back, as well as the fact that Lewis did not fear him one bit would hold him in good stead IMO.

It's going to take a fantastic effort, no doubts there.

I'm certainly not making Lewis an overwhelming fave over Tyson :huh

I agree with your small clutch, and will quickly add Holyfield and Lewis. I see Lewis and Holy faring better than Liston in many ways.

 

I think so too. Steward knew exactly how to fight Tyson which isn't running, but impressing him early on with big shots just like indeed, he did in their actual fight.


I actually don't really understand why so many people see Lewis as a boxer or even a runner who keeps distance at all time. If you watch some of his big fights, Ruddock, Mercer, Golota, Holyfield, Tyson, Klitschko, Tua, Grant, you will see that in every single one of those he threw huge shots early on to thrash his opponent or make them think twice about coming in.

 

Oh for sure, when you hit so unbelievably hard why hold back and fight defensively early against punchers such as those you stated and let them get off first with low risk. Lewis often used his power as a great deterrent against dangerous fighters, as you mention.

 

Are you forgetting that Tyson's power would act as a pretty damn big deterrent to Lewis. I doubt he would open up that much after he knew what Tyson was capable of. If you think Lewis can do that to Tyson, then why not vica versa?

 

Lewis on form and firing on all cylinders is a very hard man to beat. Very adaptable as you said.

Lewis was never a boring fighter, he was anything but boring. Ruddock, Golota, Briggs, Grant, Rahman II.

 

Lewis has the style and physical advantages to control Tyson with such tactics rather than the other way around. Tyson needs to close the distance, to mid range at least to be effective, and he's going to be taking some leather while doing so.

 

An 84 inch reach vs a 71 can do wonders if used correctly.