Where does Lennox Lewis rank among the best heavyweights of all time

Good list, however Holyfield ranks ahead of Lennox in my view.

 

2nd in legacy terms
H2H - 1

Don't think a case can realistically be made for his exclusion from a top 5, personally.

 

6-7 for me

 

prime4prime lewis rahman was a better win than the s****py vitali win, I think that's clear, even by your own admission the vits lewis fight had 2 sides.. .. though old lewis did rip vit prime vits face clean off within half time.

I am not.
Are you really making a 2nd attempt to put words in my mouth after already being told your error?

 

Me too. He was clearly the best of the era - fought all the top fighters of his era when it still mattered, and was never taken out early by second rate fighters. Holyfield is "the Man" of the post-Holmes, pre-Klitschko era.

 

None of these excuses changes the FACT that Lewis fought a faded Holyfield, a washed up Tyson, and didn't fight Bowe at all in the pros.

 

this is whats wrong with the world today, people believing what they hear and see in the moment without reflection, or historical perspective.

 

Between 4-6 probably , today anyway

 

In my humble opinion, he is head to head #1.

In terms of accomplishment, probably about 3-6 behind Ali, Holyfield, and Maybe Louis, Marciano and Johnson.

I would say overall, 2-3.

 

So if someone blatantly ducks someone else, in your mind it's the fault of the guy who was ducked. That's great.

BTW, Tyson also ducked Lewis, when he paid him $4M to step aside with the provision he would fight lewis next. It never happened.

But when the older than Tyson, Lewis did fight him he gave him the beating of his life. Those are FACTS also. Another FACT is that Lewis beat both Holyfield when they actually fought. There's another FACT to ponder.

 

Those posters who pick Lewis as #1 All time and #1 H2H must really **** you off. lol

But not is all lost, on a p4p basis I do rank Holyfield quite a bit higher than Lewis, and I think Holyfield's comp was 2nd only to Ali's.

 

That's true. Holyfield at 30 was 28-0 (22 KOs), undisputed CW and HW champion of the world, 10-0 (7 KOs) in title fights.

In 28 fights he beat champions and beltholders Qawi (twice), De Leon, Parkey, Ocasio - cruiserweight.

Thomas, Dokes, Douglas, Foreman, Holmes at HW.

After 30 he started to decline, but still beat many HW champions - Bowe, Moorer, Mercer, Tyson twice, Ruiz and Rahman.

One of the best resumes ever.

 

Lewis beat old versions of Tyson and Holyfield, I don't dispute that. And you know as well as I that chronological age is not the same as boxing age. Some fighters are ringworn in their mid-30s, others like Hopkins are world class well into their 40s.

As far as "ducking" is concerned, this is all subjective banter. Fights don't happen for a variety of reasons, most of them financial. The bottom line is that Lewis didn't face these guys when they were at their best, and he didn't fight Bowe at all. This HAS to be factored in when considering where he should be ranked, and many boxing fans don't seem to do this.

 

Where would he rank if he fought and beat Holyfield/Tyson in '96, Bowe, Byrd, and Ruiz?