Wlad Klitchko V (Pre Manny Steward) Lennox Lewis

Mongoose i ain't getting into the Louis argument, just checking this quote you've gave us. For the record Louis would be too much for Wlad imo.

I don't remember Lewis saying those words. I remember him saying 'he thought Holyfield was trying to trick him".

Either way i agree Lewis should have had Holy out of there in the fifth and it is one of my only dissapointments with Lewis' career as a fan. But those two quotes tell different stories about the man. If you can prove he said those words then fair enough, but i don't remember that.

At the end of the day Lewis' methods got him the W nearly all of the time, even if it meant he sometimes upset people. He was cold, callous, calculating and clinical when he chose to be.

another quote from Lewis in the build up to Holyfield 1 "In a room filled with men, i'll be the last one standing" this sums him up better.

So while your busy putting a negative spin on Lewis and comparing him to Louis, let's not forget the point of the thread...Lewis v Wlad.

Wlad who is far more timid than Lewis.

 

Lewis certainly said it. And I'm not putting a negative spin on it either. I just tknow where Don Boxer is trying to take this, and cutting him off. Lewis was a great fighter but he was not a better finisher than Joe Louis.

If Lewis would have mixed it up with Evander he might have knocked him out or he might have ended up getting himself into big trouble.

 

Like i say i don't remember that quote.

Yes Louis was one of the very best finishers if not thee best. Lewis was a tremendous finisher when commited too and should of put Evander away. I don't think Holyfield had the power to stop Lewis though.

I see Don Boxers point in that as good a finisher as Louis was i don't think his chances of stopping Ali or Wlad are any higher than Lewis'. Simply because of the size factor and the way Lewis could approach a fight aggressively.
Especially with someone tall like Wlad.

 

Might have only aired in the states, they did a re-airing of Holyfield/Lewis on network television followed by a round panel thing on the controversy. Fairly certain Lewis said it than when pushed about not stopping Holyfield when he was hurt. Either that or one of the post fight interviews. He had many similar things including what you posted about "Holyfield playing possum" End result is the same, he didn't want to take the risk.

I do.... because Louis was a better finisher than Lewis and any other HW who laced up their gloves. I've never seen pre-retirement prime Louis not finish a fighter who wasn't hurt, doesn't matter how tough, dangerous, or skilled they were. He was a machine.

 

If anyone disagrees that's fine. But you'll have to agree there are surely worse picks than Joe Louis to finish Wlad or Ali.

Now I won't stand for Louis' competition being knocked because frankly I can't think of another Champion who faced so many live, seasoned, and varied contenders outside of Ali.

 

Louis is your man and that's fair enough, and yes he was devastating. Infact he's my no2.

But i can see both sides of the argument and ain't forgetting it is Wlad we are comparing with Lewis.

 

Anytime, anywhere, no matter what era, Lewis wins by big ko..He is classes above WLad.

 

I've already gave my opinion on Steward Wlad vs. Pre Steward Lewis.

Me and Luf trailed off on who we think has the best chance of beating Wlad in a particular manner. When Don called Louis' finishing abilities into question.

 

Since there are talks about Lewis-Holyfield...

Well, in the first fight we saw the best version of Lennox Lewis. He was as sharp, agressive and confident as ever, he threw and landed his best punches and series of punches. He just couldn't stop Holyfield not because Lewis was too cautious (because he wasn't) but because Holy has an ATG chin.

The second fight is a different story because Lennox knew that Holy would prepare much better this time, and Holyfield is great counterpuncher, so Lewis was cautious this time and didn't take the risks like he did in their 1st fight.

 

It always amazes me when people question Louis's finishing ability.

I don't think anyone has been as successful against a wide array of styles?

Ali has defnitely fought the greater names but if there's one mane I'd favour to stop anyone, it's the brown bomber.

 

I would like to know who is a more proven finisher at HW? As great as Foreman, Tyson, Lewis, and even Marciano was I can think of examples off the top of my head where they couldn't put a hurt guy away. I can't think of the same for Louis. Louis' follow up combinations were just unescapable.

 

Foreman has probably the best top level destruction in hw history, but he proved in his career that he couldn't fight down the stretch and he was ineffective against a defensive wizard (based on the footage of young beating him, I ca quite easily imagine a prime byrd defeating him for instance).

Rocky finishe all of his opponents but eveyr one of them could have been fought in the cruiserweight division so he's wholly untested in terms of the super heavyweight discussion.

Lewis is the opposite in that he destroyed most of his larger opponents and when he was in seek and destroy mode, he was something else. however he could just easily sit back and win behind the jab.

Tyson is one of the greatest finishers in hw history, but I don't think he ever came from behind to knock an opponent out, which would be fine had he never fallen behind, but the times he did fall behind, he got knocked out himself so the criticism is legit imo.

Louis destroyed, wore down, stalked, outlasted and came from behind. he's probably the greatest finisher in boxing history, not just the heavyweights. When he had you on the hook, it was game over. big small, quick, slow, powerful, defensive, they all fell to Louis.

 

No problem. I just came back in that point.

 

Sorry bro but i disagree with this.

Evander disregarded Lewis' boxing skills in the build up to the first fight. I don't think Lewis was bothered what anyone else thought of him in that fight, other than Evander and the fact he could outbox him.
Which he proved.

Not for one moment in that first fight imo, did Lewis put full meaning into his punches. Yes there were snappy and fast and some nice combo's. But ultimately he was showing Holyfield he could box him. I never seen him let go with all his power trying to KO Holy, not once. Infact Manny Steward was telling him to do just this.
Which he should've done especially in the fifth.

As for the second fight Lewis did put some sting on them punches and did take more risks, if you remember they were trading in the 7th and 9th, something which didn't happen in the first fight.
But Holyfield was a different animal in the rematch because he realised the size of the task infront of him.

 

Their 2nd fight was much more competitive, but the 1st was much more exciting.

And Lennox would've easily KO'd with that punches the likes of Grant, Ruddock, Golota and the others (like he did).

As for Wlad vs 92-94 Lewis, it depends on who lands first, because I don't see them taking well each other's clean punches