Why don't Tyson and Holyfield take Lewis Seriously

lewis is superior. they dont want to talk about that too much.

 

Because it's easier for Tyson to accept a loss to a fighter who had a 6 inch height advantage and 15lb weight advantage than it is to a pumped up Cruiswerweight...

 

Lewis was a bit of a legend killer in the same way as Steve Collins was when he beat Eubank and Benn, they were at the tail end of their careers, well past their best, thus the wins are taken less serious. The whole Holyfield v Lewis saga felt a bit tepid at the time anyway, Holy was playing his stupid mind games and literally seemed to train for 3 rounds in their first fight. Holyfield made a point of not taking Lewis seriously when they actually fought, let alone after, maybe it was his way of making the problem seem smaller. I mentioned it a while ago but I felt Holyfield acted strange when he took on Lewis.

I guess there is a begrudging respect there but they have bags of excuses as to why they lost to Lewis, Tyson was in the coffin and buried for five years in boxing terms, and the Holy fight seemed like Lewis arrived to the party too late to take any real credit for beating him, when he did win it wasn't really emphatic either.

You could say Lewis was avoided for so long that the wins became near redundant, not really his fault but in historic terms those wins don’t mean much. Tyson v Holyfield 1 had a lot more significance, Tyson knows this and you know it burns him that he couldn't overcome Holy. It’s a shame we didn't really see them all fight at their best, those fights would have been a hundred times better.

Epic lost encounters that never happened. I think the one I would like to have seen the most is Holyfield v Tyson in 91, Tyson was looking dangerous again in the Ruddock rematch.

 

Because Lewis is an aloof type of guy, who doesn't care whether he mixes in the company of other fighters or not. He would much rather spend time with his wife and kids.

 

Because they were both well past their primes when they lost to Lewis.

 

delete

 

I'd say you are half right there. I'd say its more of a personality thing, as you say, Lewis is pretty aloof. He seems to hang out with fighters at events though, he just doesn't seem to have the connection Tyson and Holyfield do. They regarded each other in their careers more.

 

This.

Also, Tyson and Holyfield are direct contemporaries.
Both won US National Golden Gloves championships in 1984.
Both were in 1984 US Olympic trials (Holyfield made it to the LA games, Tyson did not).
Holyfield turned professional a few months before Tyson did. Both won their first world titles in 1986, and were considered future rivals from then on, both unified their respective divisions in 1987-'88, Tyson was RING "Fighter of the Year" in 1986, Holyfield won the award in 1987.
Holyfield was Tyson's #1 challenger in 1989, scheduled to meet in 1990.

Lennox Lewis didn't even turn professional until 1989, and Holyfield was already in decline by the time Lewis established himself.
As for Tyson, he had lost and gone to jail before Lewis was a proven force in the division.

Lewis came along after, and mopped up what was left of them.

 

Yeah, but if he had as many kids as those two he'd probably want to leave the house more.

 

Haha, I make you right. Mind you for a late starter didn't he have four very quickly?

Sorry my bad his wife had them, he just had the fun part.

 

Yep. I'll go with that. Lewis does meet other fighters at events and mix with them, but he really is a family man at heart.

 

yeah, four's more than enough.
maybe he's gonna do what he did with his boxing career, start late then overtake Holyfield and Tyson as they slow down.
I think Holy's on about 15 though !

 

And, so I'm led to believe by numerous women out of wedlock. Makes all that hymn singing and crossing himself on the way to the ring, not to mention that " god will make sure I win " sh it a bit hypocritical doesn't it?