Which loss was more of a upset?

Yeah, can't remember anybody with a pulse whom Rahman has KO'ed with one punch during his career (aside of Lennox of course). He needed millons of punches to stop Sanders and Meehan and couldn't even stop old and shot versions of Berbick, Ferguson and Cole or fighters like Barrett, Sullivan and Sykes, who weren't known for having a good punch resistance. Hell, Oleg Maskaev took everything Rahamn has thrown at him, and Maskaev's chin was made of pure glass.

 

Both fights were, both fights were televised live, both fights were favored to be a cake walk for Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis. These two fights fit up there with Tyson vs Douglas and Ali vs Liston, both fights.

 

Steward was in his corner when Rahman one-shotted him.

 

I mean if he never connected with him at all

 

Dunno maybe he would have hooked up with Futch after Futch parted with Bowe?

 

Despite the odds being greater for Lewis against Rahman, there was definitely a feeling of upset in the air. Lewis was unfocused and had spent training time filming Oceans 11. We knew quite a bit about Rahman, having seen him previously on HBO and USA. Of course Lewis was coming off a pretty good 2000.

I wasn’t watching boxing yet when Norton-Ali happened. But it was ALI. He’d only ever lost to Frazier, and at that point he seemed to come out of the FOTC in better shape. He got right back on the horse and stayed very active against top-ten opposition. Norton was ranked but unproven, having been kayoed by Garcia and, as far as I know, had only appeared on television once, against Clark. It was a true shocker and started Norton on the road to the HOF.

In a way, it’s a fruitless exercise to compare the two fights. The times and context were different. But it’s also a fun topic to discuss. I’m going with Norton vs. Ali as being the more surprising upset, but I don’t fault anyone who makes a well-reasoned argument for Rahman-Lewis.

 

Norton is only in the hall of fame cause he beat Ali though.

 

Lewis'. Specially because of the nature of the loss. However, Lewis avenged his loss far more convincingly.

 

Well i agree. I think he could be deemed a very good fighter with his wins over Jimmy young, jerry quarry, him winning the WBC title ex...
But the thing that got him in the hall of fame, the thing that gave him the right to be called " a great fighter "is IMO his performances against Ali.

 

Lewis-Rahman. Norton just broke Ali's jaw and hurt his ego. Lewis just about got coldcocked.

 

At the time, or in retrospect?

Rahman was a better fighter than Norton, IMO. Albeit less consistent. Then again, Lewis lost far more crushingly. Ali's narrow loss came after his prime was over. It didn't have the same implications for the loser's abilities that Lewis/Rahman carried.

Overall, Lennox Rahman was probably worse, regardless of Rahman's position compared to Norton.

 

He certainly wouldn't have been as successful IMO

 

Ali Norton 1 was the bigger upset but the upset of Lewis was the more embarrassing