Who had the tougher title defenses Lewis or Tyson

Lewis.

 

Not to take away from Tyson who's reign i think sometimes gets underrated and overlooked here, but some of Tyson's opponents like Thomas seemed to age overnight due to his drug problems. Tubbs had potential but turned up looking like a beached whale. Tyson did beat alot of talented Heavyweights overall but some of them wern't at their best anymore not his fault of course but it is what it is.

I guess you could say some of Lewis's best opponents like Tyson, Holyfield x2, were also past their best aswell. But Holyfield was still the champion and ranked very highly, and well it's Holyfield who's a household name. I also think a win over Holyfield is better than a win over someone like Holmes at that time.

But wins over the likes of Holyfield x2, Vitali, give Lewis the edge. Aswell as some of his other filler wins.

 

In my opinion way better. Rahman was inconsistent. But when he was on form he was a scary MF

 

If I were to compare these two reigns; both lasted 9 consecutive times, the title was defended.
Tyson's reign: Lewis Reign:
- James Smith - Henry Akinwande
- Pinklon Thomas - Andrew Golota
- Tony Tucker - Shannon Briggs
- Tyrell Biggs - Zeljko Mavrovic
- Larry Holmes - Evander Holyfield
- Tony Tubbs - Evander Holyfield 2
- Michael Spinks - Michael Grant
- Frank Bruno - Frans Botha
- Carl Williams - David Tua
I'd say it would be harder to go undefeated through Lewis' opponents. And if you count the total defenses of the title, where Bruce Sheldon comes to Tyson, and Mike Tyson and Vitali come to Lewis, then Lewis's opponents are certainly more difficult.

 

Not much to choose between them but Rahman had a better jab and a much more powerful right hand, what is often overlooked is that Rahman had a high KO percentage 41 KO's in 50 wins is nothing to sneeze at.

 

Vitali alone stands as the best win by far of either of them, especially when considering that Lewis was getting old at the time. Vitali is a H2H monster and he was thumping Lewis for much of their fight. The sheer guts Lewis demonstrated to hang in there, suck up the punishment and dogfight a dude like Vits does much in my mind to cement his legacy. Even if he'd lost he'd have erased a lot of the criticism for the Rahman and McCall fights about his heart and chin. But he won.

 

Tyson did get battered by Douglas who still had to get off the floor to win while Lewis did not get a "battering" , it took exactly two right hands by fringe contenders in two fights to finish him off aka "One shot deal ".....twice.

Now to the Holyfield defense, well, this according to you, stellar defense , is very flawed because in his very next fight Holyfield went life and death with Johnny Luise aka Huggybear and ultimately went 1-1-1 with him..............so clearly Holyfield was shot to bits vs Lewis already in that 12 round snooze fest.

 

And Holyfield was 2-2 coming into fight with Tyson and had looked bad vs Czyz, Moorer, Bowe 3.

Holyfield had better form and was ranked number 1 Heavyweight coming into Lewis fight.

 

Tyson.

 

This is not a proper win, as Vitali got cut by Lewis's glove laces.

 

Its a win on paper, but you would not include the fight to show case Lennox Lewis.

 

Lineal is no contest - Bruno, Williams and Douglas vs Mavrovic, Holyfield x 2, Grant, Botha, Tua, Rahman, shot Tyson and Vitali. Lewis had the tougher defences by a substantial distance, both in quantity (3 vs 9) and quality.

For alphabet straps, then to the above you add Smith, Thomas, Tucker, Biggs, shot Holmes, Tubbs, Spinks, Seldon and Holyfield vs Tucker, Bruno, Jackson, McCall, Akinwande, Golota and Briggs. Its much closer in quantity (12 for Tyson vs 16 Lewis) and quality, but Lewis still takes it, imo.