This is the greatest heavyweight of all time

Clearly, the "TWICE" means a lot to you.

Well - on one occasion, Lewis was taken out by a Third-rate Referee. On another occasion, he was taken out by his own complacency; probably when he was already past his physical prime.

Both the relevant rematches squared those aberrations away, in my book.

Louis, Ali, Holmes, Frazier, Foreman, Dempsey, Johnson, Liston, Holyfield, Tyson, Jeffries, Wills - all lost at least one of their fights, by way of being stopped.

Only Marciano seems to have escaped a stoppage loss, or even a decision loss for that matter; the latter condition also being met by Tyson, Jeffries - and Lewis, no less. Apart from these four, all the other top Heavyweights mentioned above lost at least one decision.

And, to the best of my knowledge, of those Heavyweights mentioned above, only Marciano and Lewis can claim to have beaten every man they ever faced. (Tunney can claim this too, but where he sits amongst the Heavyweights, due to his low numbers in that division and the matter of whether he could have sustained a longer/fuller campaign there, without taking a loss or three, leaves enough of a question mark about his overall rating here, for mine).

I can agree that Lewis is not the Number-1 ATG Heavyweight but, with the above in mind, referring to a boxer as "grossly overrated" and "borderline top10" within two adjacent sentences, seems a contradiction in terms, to me. Moreover, given the fine lines between the majority of, say, the Top-15 ATG Heavyweights (other than Ali and Louis), Lewis has as strong a case as any of those already named, for being in the Top-10.

 

While your tone is harsh I agree, Lewis is beginning to be overrated by many people on these boards. Their seems to be a strong desire to lock him in with Ali and Louis.
He’s top 10 but, he peaked very late when his contemporaries were over the hill or already retired (Bowe). Tyson and Holyfield were over the hill and perhaps his best win Vitali - screamed rematch as Lewis was losing on the cards at the time of stoppage due to the cut.
It’s sounds like nitpicking but some of his wins, had odd circumstances around them, McCall 2, Golota looked like a deadman walking to the ring and frozen in it, Morrison was finally caught having hiv in his very next bout.
Lewis had some great wins Ruddock, Tua, hanging tough with Vitali and getting the stoppage, but he also had some losses by one punch KO, to McCall and Rahman. The Mercer bout many ppl felt he lost too (I didn’t I scored it a draw but had buddies in attendance that night and they felt Mercer clearly won).
Overall I just think his reign as the best heavyweight was a little short to be considered the best ever or in top 3 but honestly many heavies can lay claim to being 3rd best ever and everyone can make a claim for or against them.
Louis made 25 title defenses the record for any division and during a time when the belt wasn’t fractured. He was the best heavyweight for over 11 years.
Ali - bested Liston and Foreman and fought in a loaded era - even better than the 90s and fought everyone in their prime.
I don’t think Lewis can ever be placed above either one of them.

 

Just curious, anyone not from EU rate Lewis at #3 or better?

 

The use of unfavorable titles given to boxers you don’t like has always amused me.

Like when Klitschko got knocked out by a drug dealer. And when Lewis got knocked out by a rehab patient. And when Fury had a draw with an amateur street fighter.

Yawn

 

I'm from the UK ,he isn't in my top 5.

 

Yes me.

 

Smith was a big puncher ,but I would like a primary source that he knocked Dempsey down please?