Why did Lennox Lewis have so much trouble with Ray Mercer?

...again, no one is disputing that Larry Holmes did better against Mercer than Lewis did. Holmes did better than Holyfield managed against Mercer, as well.

Mercer improved between Holmes and Lewis. This is a reasonable position to take. You accept that he did become a better boxer; just not "by an awful lot". On that, we will just have to accept our own interpretations of what an "awful lot" means.

So we can agree to disagree; as is usual between us, whenever Lewis is part of the discussion.

 

To rabid Holmes fans like myself Larry is a three-time champ, because Mercer gave away his belt to fight him (and Spinks solidly lost that 2nd fight imo).

To me, the Mercer fight was a bit like Larry's revenge for being scared and underprepared against Mike T. Same with Holy, where Larry was actually clowning and seemed light-hearted (at least early on) against the best, undefeated champion at the time.

 

To me Lewis' struggling against both Holy and Mercer, along with his being kod by two losers, tends to drag his legacy below Ali, Louis, Holmes, and Holy. But I have him right after them and just before George for ATGs.

 

As a big Holmes fan, his ring generalship and jab were enough to beat an off and on Mercer that night, Strangely enough Holmes could have beaten MCCall if he risked more, but opted to play it safe. Yes--the 2nd Spinks fight was a robbery.

Holmes was out of shape and the ring for too long at age 38 for Tyson. I remember thinking, this one could be interesting if Holmes legs could hold up and get him into the later rounds. As it was, this was maybe Tyson's best performance.

 

This might sound weird, but I just can't count that as Tyson's greatest. Larry was rushed, hadn't fought in nearly a year and a half, and was coming off two disputed losses.

As much as I don't care for Spinks as a heavyweight (huge fan of him at light heavy), it really was Mike's most important performance imo.

 

Larry who beat Mercer would have given Mike a much better fight (possibly a decision for Mike this time).

 

Fair enough. Just going by what the man himself believed. Maybe he was wrong.

 

Not sure what that has got to do with anything.

 

It's just a shame Lewis's fans feel the need to tear down 1991 Mercer and Holmes's 1992 victory over him simply to make Lewis's win and performance look better than it was. -Unforgiven

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Just to throw it out there, I think Lewis would have beaten Holmes by a clear and destructive margin had they fought in the 1990's. And I'm a Holmes fan who sometimes points out Lewis's business decisions and talking ego outside the ring.

 

I think the answer to that ones pretty clear.

 

Mercer wasn't trying to say Holmes didn't beat the best of him. He has nothing but nice things to say about Holmes while fantasizing that he beat both Holyfield and Lewis easily. Fair post tho. I am very selective with quotes myself.

 

Lewis "fans" didn't start the convo by any stretch. It was brought up multiple times by others before anyone addressed the Lewis side of it.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter. Holmes for sure did better but Lewis would have done better against certain Holmes opponents too. Styles etc