The HW division today is as weak as it was in the Lennox Lewis era?

Solis was considered the best amateur boxer of our generation and Vitali fought him, despite the risk. Solis flopped but the risk factor was huge, for an aging veteran of 39 to take on the best young talent in the division.

Did Lennox deserve to retire? Absolutely. Should he have given the rematch that he promised? I think so, but I respect other people believing otherwise. However, I firmly believe that 37 is not a critical age for a well preserved heavyweight that hasn't gone through many wars.

 

I disagree about the age thing. Wasn't Lewis the second or third oldest heavyweight champ in history after beating Vitaly?

Lewis had been fighting pretty constantly his whole life. Vitaly had what, 4 years off? (but had also had a kickboxing career too of course).

Solis was a risk, but a fat one. Again totally out of Vitalys control, but watching Solis prior to vitaly gave you a clue that he'd be fat coming in.

If 37/38 isn't a critical age (and I think that's about the tipping point personally) then it should be. It's a combination of guys having less fights, and having better training methods in the past that's helped guys extend their careers these days, but I honestly believe the lack of credible younger challengers also does the same.

Lewis was 28 when he won his first title - which isn't super young. Who's the best 28 year old fighter out there these days?

If you look at boxrec's ranking (I know they're ****, but they're all I can be arsed looking up) for HW's, these are the guys under 30 in the top 25 fighters.

#3 Helenius - 27
#6 Chambers - 29
#9 Dimitrenko - 20
#10 Tyson Fury - 23
#22 Boystov - 25
#24 Chisora - 27


There are eight guys aged 35+

IMO, that's terrible.

 

Lewis was 2 months shy of 38 when he fought Vitali! Just to point out.

"38 is not a critical age"! 38 is a critical age for almost all sportsmen! That's if they're still around.

Any fighter who still boxes at the top level into their late 30's, is an exception to the rule. It's not the norm like you suggest.

Lewis was a 38 year old who had been boxing for 25 years as man and boy. Who had achieved everything he wanted and became a rich man in the process. Add to that the fact he had retirement on his mind for 2 years prior to retiring. This was a 38 year old ready for retirement.

Vitali is amazing at 40 no doubt, but let's not pretend it's the norm. The man is a testament to himself but at the same time, there is a lack of depth, plus a string of less than willing challengers in the division. Which to a lot of people means he is having it easier than he should be.
Not his fault, it's just the way it is.

Do you think if Vitali had achieved everything he wanted, would he still be around?
Doubtful

If he had'nt been injured for 4 years would he still be fighting?
Doubtful

Had he made has much money as Lewis would he still be fighting?
Maybe

Lewis was satisfied with his lot. Vitali obviously isn't.

Every boxers career pans out differently and retiring from the top level of the sport at 38, is not a normal thing and shouldn't be sniffed at.

Vitali is superb at 40 though and all the power to him!

@sandman
Lewis was 27 when he became champ. Still not young but you know

 

Nay Sayer thinks Briggs was, but than again he only argues that to deny Wlad his claim.

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Like i said he was 2 months shy of 38 when he fought Vitali and 38 when he retired.

Lewis also looked sensational at 35. So what!

Competing at the top level into your late 30's just might become the norm one day, but it isn't now and it wasn't 10 years ago!


Why you even responding to my post other than to pick at it.
You use revisionist information to point out Lewis wasn't ready to retire. Yes he was still champion and saying things a champ would say to keep people interested, but retirement was on his mind from as early as '99.

The point of the thread is this era weaker than Lewis'? Yes it is without a shadow of a doubt.

 

And Foreman won the title when he was 46. That only proves that the division was **** back in those days.

 

Exactly. Lewis did not announce his retirement until WBC put a deadline for him to make the fight with Vitali or to be stripped.

 

You know what Mongoose, I'll meet you halfway. You've changed my mind a little bit.

Cruisers moving up doesn't mean the division is ****, and Adamek and Haye vs Hide, Byrd and Moorer could probably result in some very good, even fights. I'll agree with you on that.

And yes, both guys have managed their move to hw very well in terms of opponents. So I'll admit, cruisers moving up and doing well isn't necessarily a sign of the division being bad at the moment.

I think it's more to do with the fact that the division is ****, that makes the division ****. The absolute lack of skills, dedication and fitness is clear in most of the guys you see fight.

I don't buy that the K Bros are just so good that the other guys look bad, because when the other guys actually fight each other (which is rare, and probably most of the problem), they still look bad.

 

Not really.

Foreman managed his career brilliantly. He was matched very, very well in his career.

The fact that he was George Foreman, and making jokes about burgers and being fat etc really moved the focus away from when he lost fights. He's an old guy, what do you expect?

He lost v Evander. (No shame in that)

Got by on a MD against Alex Stewart.

He lost the fight before his title shot, by a VERY wide decision to Tommy Morrison. Nobody else would have got a title shot after that, he got it because of the name, the story, and the novelty.

Was being outboxed, but landed a beauty on a guy with a renowned shaky chin. Great win, superb achievement no doubt.

Then in his next fight got a scandalous decision against Schulz.

then beat Crawford Grimsley in a UD, SD over Savarese, and lost to Briggs (tho I reckon he got jobbed there).


A lot of close, scraped wins over B level fighters, and 1 good shot in there.


I'm not trying to put down his achievement, but he was hardly steamrolling the opposition back then.

 

Nonsense comment.



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You are quite funny, keep it going