Where do you rate Lennox Lewis on your ATG HW-list

Good post.

Recently I have been edged towards 1.Lewis 2.Holyfield 3.Tyson, but it's very close between the three.
They ALL have "inexcusable" blemishes. Lewis's losses are the most foolish but with Holyfield we can say he lost the decider with Bowe and there's the first Moorer fight (which was a close but still embarrassing defeat), and with Tyson the Buster Douglas affair.
Prime for prime I believe a busier 1990 Holyfield outpoints Lewis.
Prime for prime Tyson might KO Lewis.
But it's speculation.

On your ALL TIME list I more or less agree with your top 6, in no particular order, but I would probably throw Foreman in there too.
Foreman's hard to gauge in imaginary head-to-head encounters, I can see a few good boxers schooling him, but his presence and success in TWO ERAS looms large.

Whether Lewis, Holyfield and Tyson fit right behind those 6 or 7 or whether we can squeeze in the likes of Johnson, Jeffries, Langford, Tunney, from ye olde days, and Sonny Liston from the new, is another question.
All these guys had reputations of GREATNESS.

 

I'm still struggling to place this guy in my top ten, which, head-to-head, is:

1. The Greatest
2. The Galveston Giant
3. Kid Dynamite
4. The Manassa Mauler
5. The Brown Bomber
6. Big George
7. Smokin’ Joe
8. The Easton Assassin
9. The Boilermaker
10. The Bear

Contrary to most of the blows seen on the "Lewis had an iron chin" Youtube video, which were in good measure rolled with, the McCall and Rahman blows that kayoed Lennox were right on the button and Lennox was out of it. Period. For Pete's sake, Rahman and McCall were not all-time huge punchers.

Lennox picked his spots well. Better than the Briggs and Golotas. A bit better than an old Holyfield. The most successful heavyweight for some years (not including a couple of blips). He was great, but gloved boxing and greater fighters have been around since 1892.

 

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Agreed,

Although I am American, I have great respect for Lennox Lewis and can't help but think that a lot of critics including ones on this forum are biased against him, soley because he's English. I often think that some posters try and find ways to rate him lower than a lot of American greats for just this reason. Lewis has arguably more wins against rated opposition than most fighters, yet people focus mainly on his losses to McCall and Rahman. Some people here have fighters like Jersey Joe Walcott rated higher on an all time list, regardless of the fact that Lewis has many more quality wins, more consistancy, and far less defeats. Somehow American posters or critics always seem to find a way to make Lewis's defeats outweigh his accomplishments or outweigh the defeats of other fighters for that matter. Unfortunately, I suspect that his legacy will be plagued with this western bias for many years to come. On a positive note however, those who truly recognize his accomplishments will examine his career with an impartial perspective and see him for the all time great that he really was.

 

Lewis does NOT speak with any sort of "British accent".

To most Brits he sounds a bit American, if anything.

I dont know where he gets the accent, but people seem to forget he lived in CANADA from age of 12 to 24, and his parents and family are JAMAICAN.
The first 12 years of his life he was based in London, then from about '89 or '90 until '95 I think he was based mostly in UK.
He's lived mostly in the sunny USA and Jamaica since then, as far has I know.

He's British, but he's also Canadian, Jamaican, North American.
I guess that's why he speaks like that.

 

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Larry Merchant once commented on how Lennox Lewis's perceived weakness (basically his chin) gives his detractors fools gold. He said something to the effect "Lennox Lewis may have some chinks in his armour, but boy look at all that armour..."

And that resonates had Lennox been a more popular fighter or more beloved figure he may have very well regarded higher. Irregardless I don't believe he's top 5 but I do believe he's top 10.

My criteria for ranking fighters is simple;

I judge fighters on:

1. Thier Tenure as Champ
2. Quality of Opposition
3. Ability as a fighter

I personally have my top 10 list as follows:

1. Joe Louis - His reign was impressive, he was champ for about a decade with 25 title defenses. Hard to fault him for not having the marquee opponents, He did everything he was supposed to do given the circumstances. This is and my #2 is the only spots that for the time being will always remain the same.

2. Muhammad Ali - His secondary wins are impressive, his signature wins are unprecedented. Spectacular Champ. He had a few bumps in the road but he corrected All of those bumps when he was still relavant.

3. Rocky Marciano - His reign could have been longer, his opponents could have been better but he fought the best available and he didnt lose. Can't ask for anything more. He did what he was supposed to do as champion.

4. Jack Johnson - As the colored HW Champ he did his best work. As the HW Champion his reign was dismal but he did beat marquee fighters if you look at his overall body of work.

5. Larry Holmes - Champ for 7 years and 20 title defenses. Impressive feat by all accounts. His shortcomings include not giving rematches, Title shots or unifying the titles. In spite of that Larry was a proven Champion. His reign alone is what merits his standing his savvyness and ability to continue fighting effectively an an older age is impressive.

6. Jim Jeffires - What hurts him most is the fact that he didnt fight the best avaliable fighters out there. Politics aside its the same reason why people won't give RJJ the accolades. There were fights that should have been made but werent. Retired Unfeated. Returned only to lose the #4 man on this list.

7. George Foreman - His first career alone wouldnt get him in the top 10, his second career alone wouldnt get him in the top 20. But if you combine the 2 and you have a fighter who won the title 20 years apart. Unprecedented. Foreman's signature wins are also impressive (Frazier 2x, Norton, Moorer).

8. Mike Tyson - This is fighter who embodied the perfect specimen for a HW champion. Had the disadvantage of coming into an era of multiple belts. He cleaned out the division by beating the titlists (or champions as they like to be called) and their predecessors in dominant fashion. His reign though seemingly short consisted of 10 title fights in which is record was 9-1. After losing the title to unheralded fighter he picked up a few good wins. Went to Prision comes out and picks up a piece of the title again.

9. Lennox Lewis - Beat everyman he's faced. Was relevant for a long period of time but actually reigned from 1999-2003. His resume has the best names of his era and holds the distinction of retiring after beating his heir apparent.

10. Joe Frazier - Of the list he probably has one of the greatest single wins. Though not recognized as the official champion he did have a string of wins and cleared out his division before beating the undefeated Muhammad Ali.

Honorable Mention
11. Evander Holyfiield
12. Jack Dempsey
13. Sonny Liston
14. Joe Walcott
15. Ezzard Charles.

 

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Sure lack of film, and failed to face Jackson, but think Sullivan should be in the top 15 perhaps.

 

The lack of film is bothersome and requries me to go on other people's opinions, Of which I personally feel is biased and unreliable.

 

#7. Yes, the two losses hurt his standing, but, he still defeated a hell of a lot of good fighters, and when he was focused, was very difficult to defeat.