Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis and Bowe

If they fought each other "A" Game vs "A" Game
Lewis 3-0
Tyson 2-1
Bowe 1-2
Holyfield 0-3
Tyson and Bowe could upset Lewis
Bowe could upset Tyson.

 

1. Lewis
2. Tyson
3. Holyfield
4. Bowe

That would be my pecking order, though I don't think any of these guys would emerge unbeaten in such a tournament.

 

Lewis WU15 Tyson

Bowe WU15 Holyfield

Lewis WU15 Holyfield

Bowe WU15 Tyson

Holyfield WU15 Tyson

Lewis KO4 Bowe

 

I still feel that the very best Holyfield can beat the very best Bowe. Bowe was in questionable shape for the '93 fight but I still think that is the gameplan for Holyfield to beat even a 235lb Bowe.

 

Just for the record I also picked Holyfield.

 

I don't think any of these fighters would remain undefeated.
Here is how i see the matchups:

50/50:

Lennox Lewis vs Mike Tyson. Prime for prime, i think it could go either way. Tyson overwhelms and lands enough on him early to take him out, or Lewis takes Tyson out late.

Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield I would choose exactly the version of Holyfield that beat Tyson in 1996 because i think the earlier versions of him lack the ring intelligence and calmness when tagged. He beat a '96 Tyson relatively comfortably which was a very good Tyson, but the '88 one was quite a bit better so i'd make this one 50/50 as well.

Mike Tyson & Lennox Lewis vs Riddick Bowe
Bowe's lack of defense and willingness to mix it up would cost him against both of these men who are in a different world when it comes to punching power. And punching ability, for that matter. Bowe would fight gallantly but would be outlanded and while he could take 3 of Holyfields punches to land 1 of his own early and still come out fresher, that would definitly not work against Tyson & Lewis.

Tyson TKO5 Bowe
Lewis TKO7 Bowe


Evander Holyfield vs Riddick Bowe
We've already seen this one in 1992:
Bowe UD Holyfield


Evander Holyfield vs Lennox Lewis
Lewis dominated an aging but still champion Holyfield by a 9-3 decision (on fair scorecards) in their first bout and by an 8-4 decision when he fought Holyfields fight in the rematch. Whenever he used the jab to good effort, Holyfield could do very little about it. I think a prime Holyfield would lose a 7-5 or 8-4 decision unless Lewis fights Holyfields fight, but there is no reason to assume he does, considering he didn't in their first fight. In the second fight he did it to avoid getting robbed again.

Lewis UD Holyfield


So adding it up and depending on how the 50/50 fights turn out:

1. Lewis: 3-0 or 2-1
2. Tyson: 3-0, 2-1 or 1-2
3. Bowe: 1-2
4. Holyfield: 1-2 or 0-3


Therefore, Lewis got my vote. Before i did this analysis i thought Bowe would end 4th and Holyfield 3rd, by the way. There is little between Tyson and Lewis, both could well be #1, but Tyson having one extra 50/50 fight made the difference. A small difference however, i think there's a bigger difference between the 1&2's and the 3&4's.

 

On their best nights:

Bowe (~3-0)
Holyfield (2-1)
Lewis (1-2)
Tyson (~1-2)

... the only one who beat a prime other is Bowe, who beat a prime Holyfield. I believe that just as Tyson finds his foil in Holyfield, Holyfield finds his foil in Bowe. I think that Bowe is slightly favored over Lewis and had a style that was about as skill-injected as Douglas in Tokyo, so I'd favor him slightly over Tyson.

 

Why would one include Bowe in the debate?

 

While each of these men is good enough on their best night to pose problems for anyone, in a tournament where they all post their top 3 career performance I think Tyson is the most likely to go 3-0 (although this is not inevitable by any means) and Lewis is most likely to go 0-3 (although again this is not inevitable).

I would vote for Bowe and Holyfield to represent the middle ground; they would go 1-2 or 2-1 IMO.

 

i think going on absolute prime vs prime....and assuming holyfield doesnt let his game plan go out the window this time...he is the only one who could come out without a loss.....prime evander would most likely stop prime lewis late on, stop prime tyson late on, or win a clear u/d and outpoint bowe over the full distance.......i know this wont go down well, but i truly believe the bowe who beat holyfield knocks out prime lewis and tyson.......tyson then, at his peak, loses to prime bowe and prime holyfield but kos lewis.....i dont see prime lewis beating any of these guys in their pomp......lewis was a tremendous champion, but he never fought any of his rivals in their primes....not his fault, boxing politics and out of the ring shennanigans stopped these fights, or, just the fact that, for instance, 'vanders prime came several years before lewis came to the ascendancy....prime lewis vs prime tyson is the only one i have doubts about, cos lewis was a big man, a hard puncher, and was accurate..and, importantly, could follow a game plan...but lewis seemed more adapt at following game plans to the letter when he was past his physical prime in the ring...in his physical prime, i really think he gets drawn into the trenches by tyson, vander and bowe...with alarming consequences..... the tyson who destroyed tyrell biggs for instance would mullah lewis....

 

Either Lewis or Holyfield because both have sshown more than ocnce they can rise to the occasion

 

Lewis is the most well rounded fighter of the lot of em. If they fought each other three times he comes away victorious.

Intangiables is bound to ruin Tyson and Bowe in two out of three meetings. They'd mentally break down, come in out of shape, not even take the rematch, quit etc

Holy just didn't have what it takes to beat Lewis. He'd give him a close and very competative fight on his night but lose a valiant 7-5.

 

i presumed we were talking about prime vs prime...rightly, as you say, if we throw in any intangibles like mental frailty, dedication etc....then bowe and tyson could blow up.....but one of lewis biggest failings was a tendency to underestimate his opponents and fight to the perceived threat level...look at his ko losses to rahman and mcall, struggles with mercer and bruno and his punch perfect performances against tua and tyson...taking intaqngibles into consideration, i lean more heavily towards holyfield..even when he had bad days at the office, he still aquited himself well...and an ageinjg holy performed well against 'prime' lewis twice.......holy beats em all..

 

What a ****ing surprise.

Lewis and Tyson are the most likely, Mikes the most talented of the bunch and has the best chance against Lewis but I feel he'd self destruct at some point. Lewis is the most consistant but in reality I think they'd all take a loss at some point.

Actually this is a really interesting thread, all three are so close head 2 head.

 

Lennox for sure.

Lennox KO11 Tyson
Lennox UD Bowe
Lennox UD Holyfield

I think Bowe will beat both Holyfield and Tyson. Tyson beats Holyfield. I don't think Holyfield beats any of them.