What Made Lennox Lewis A Great Heavyweight?

Lennox had a good head on his shoulders and he was able to take instructions well especially when he was with Manny….he was able to utilize his size and athleticism to great success. He had great power especially the right hand and his uppercuts and had good in ring IQ. While he could be defensive minded at times he could also be lethal when he went on the offensive. To me so far he is still the best of all the so called Super Heavyweights.

 

His mindset was an important factor I believe. He was very confident of his ability sometimes that backfired like in the Rahman fight but it also allowed him to deal with adversity well and his confidence made him want to always face the best.

He learned from his mistakes too, both times he lost he didn't implode he went back to the drawing board and corrected his mistakes and he was able to make changes quickly and was able to pick up new skills or change his strategy or approach.

Steward was a big factor too. Think about it the last 3 era's we've seen a kronk style trained heavyweight on top. Lewis in his era, Wlad in his and now Fury is seen by many as the best.

 

Lennox developed a mean killer instinct as his career progressed. If his guy was hurt he went for the jugular immediately.

 

Problem with lennox is his arrogance, he was laughing while fighting rahman then he got popped. Same thing with holyfield in their fights.

 

He had a combo of size, power, agility, and his ring IQ was off the charts.
He was really great at adapting and making adjustments, switching his punch angles to find the holes, making the holes when they were not there. He could box you from the outside, and if that didn't work, he could maul you in a brawl.

 

No doubt that was a flaw he was so confident in his own ability he could be complacent and it bit him in the ass more than once.

 

* Won the Olympic Gold Medal against a future Hall of Fame world heavyweight champ.
* Beat every man he ever fought as a pro.
* Made a lot of successful title defenses.
* Practically all of his fights were entertaining. (You could watch Lennox Lewis fights all day and not get bored.)
* Retired at the top as champion with his brains and money in tact.
* Made his last successful defense against another Hall of Fame Heavyweight champ who would succeed him as the Ring champion.

If anyone said to any fighter would you like to win the Olympic Gold, beat everyone you fought as a pro, retire as the world heavyweight champion with your health and millions in the bank ... I think 100 percent of them would say yes.

In many ways, he had about as close to a perfect a career as you could ask for.

Basically nobody beats a future Hall of Fame world champ for the Olympic Gold. Beats another future Hall of Fame world champ in his final bout to retire on top. And beat everyone he fought as a pro in between.

Marciano didn't win Olympic Gold. Marciano didn't beat the man in his last title defense who would succeed him as champ.

Lewis even avenged practically all his amateur losses. He lost to Ruddock as an amateur and wasted him as a pro. Lost to Biggs as an amateur, destroyed him as a pro. Lost to Jorge Luis Gonzales as an amateur and also beat him later in an amateur bout. It was nearly impossible to beat him twice. If he got the rematch, he won it.

 

Being Tyson Fury’s water boy

 

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZfB9jjRr970/maxresdefault.jpg

 

https://www.thesportsman.com/media/images/admin/boxing/PA-1420123.jpg

https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f072...at&fit=max&s=9448798b687e08e19efdfbef883d3033

 

"Here hold this for me Lennox" - Tyson Fury

 

https://www.boxing247.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/rahman.jpg sleeping nice and good on the crown

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WG4Gmf8k1gI/maxresdefault.jpg

 

His frikkin jab, his laid back style always trying to set up the one punch, cold calculated combos, his deadly right hand, ability to relax in the ring, flat on his feet saving energy, a high cup protector, a little bit dirty with all the leaning and punching and holding, the eye of the tiger, his power speed and skill blend. Also the confidence to crush whomever. And something that was tested too : his resolve in Rahman, McCall, v Klitschko. Not to mention he hypothetically can beat every opponent that he would face. A great heavyweight under the tutelage of late great Manny steward.with ring smarts

 

Lennox Lewis may have been the best heavyweight ever, despite the two mishaps.
He eventually beat both. No one could claim to be better than Lennox Lewis.
He beat everyone including his successor.
And Riddick Bowe was a coward. That fight should have happened.
It should be lesson to the current guys.
His main flaw was not being gracious enough after a fight. Come on: Hasbeen Rahman