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While many people consider Muhammad Ali as 'The Greatest', I think the time has come to bestow this title upon Lennox Lewis. There can be no doubt that Ali was a supreme fighter, one of the best, but with all the sentiment and nostalgia which surrounds this great man, was he truely the best there ever was? Or does this sentiment and nostalgia cloud our judgement? For example, if Ali didnt have the gift of the gab, the looks, and the style outside of the ring, would he be considered as good inside? Maybe not. I have met people who call Ali 'The Greatest', even though they have never seen any of his fights! Even the great George Foreman who succumbed to Ali in their classic 'Rumble in the Jungle', has gone on record as saying, Lewis is the greatest fighter ever.
On his day Lennox Lewis was a fighter you could not fight against. His two defeats to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman respectively, were taken lightly, both of which were avenged with two blistering KO's in the rematches.
Some may say 'what about Tyson?' When Lewis fought Tyson he punished the American severely for the entire fight before knocking him flat out for the second time in round 8. Admittedly Tyson was past his best when the two met (although Lewis is the older man), but even a puncher like Tyson in his prime wading in with bombs against a boxer as intelligent as Lewis, would have been a HUGE mistake.
Others may say 'well, what about Rocky Marciano'. True that Rocky was the only world heavyweight champ to retire undefeated with 49 wins and 0 losses, but can you imagine a boxer of Lennox Lewis' superior movement, power and intellect, taking on the relitively small Marciano? I doubt the fight would last 2 rounds. It would be like Ivan Drago vs Apollo Creed all over again, and we all know what happened to Apollo in that fight, God rest his soul.
Evander Holyfield? Taught a boxing lesson twice by Lewis, (though one was inexplicably called a draw).
It is always difficult to judge great champions from different eras, and it would be very interesting to hear other peoples views. I have put forward my arguement for Lennox Lewis, and for me, he is 'The Greatest'.
Funny coincidence. I just watched a recorded HBO special on him last night. Indeed he was tops. Very smart guy with skills: Rare for a heavyweight boxer.
I'd still call Ali "The" greatest, but I'd give Lewis 2nd.
Actually I prefer Joe Louis. Ali was very good, no doubt, he knew how to work the audience and sell himself. Lennox Lewis ranks above Ali, I agree with you.
Lewis will most likely go down as one of the most intelligent, calculated champions ever. Lennox was able to capitalize on Tyson’s jail term to reign as champion, then got out before the Klitchko brothers could undo the legacy he has manufactured for himself. He stayed an extra 4 years as an amateur to win a gold metal against younger opponents (Rid Bowe for the medal bout). He then became champion only because Bowe gave up the title. He backed out of Tyson’s way (accepting a huge multi-million dollar payoff from Don King as payment for Tyson taking his ranking) as he was climbing back up to regain the championship that was handed to him. I believe that history will judge him for the fake that he truly is. If we are talking pound for pound here there is no doubt in my mind Sugar Ray Robinson would be the greatest.
With a record of 179 wins, 19 losses, 6 draws, 2 no contests, 109 KO and the majority of those losses came at the end of his career, he can only be known as the greatsest!
Lewis will most likely go down as one of the most intelligent, calculated champions ever. Lennox was able to capitalize on Tyson’s jail term to reign as champion, then got out before the Klitchko brothers could undo the legacy he has manufactured for himself. He stayed an extra 4 years as an amateur to win a gold metal against younger opponents (Rid Bowe for the medal bout). He then became champion only because Bowe gave up the title. He backed out of Tyson’s way (accepting a huge multi-million dollar payoff from Don King as payment for Tyson taking his ranking) as he was climbing back up to regain the championship that was handed to him. I believe that history will judge him for the fake that he truly is. If we are talking pound for pound here there is no doubt in my mind Sugar Ray Robinson would be the greatest.
With a record of 179 wins, 19 losses, 6 draws, 2 no contests, 109 KO and the majority of those losses came at the end of his career, he can only be known as the greatsest!
Don King paid Lennox Lewis so that Tyson could have Lewis' number 1 contender spot and hurry up a shot at the world title. Lewis accepted this offer seeing it as good business sense, knowing full well it wouldnt be long before he'd be ranked number 1 again. There was never any question of Lewis 'backing out' of a fight with Tyson. In reality, in 1996, it was Tyson who backed out of a fight with Lewis, despite the Lewis camp offering him a $45million purse.
The reason Rid Bowe was made to give up his world title was because he had refused to fight Lewis on several occasions, choosing instead to face easier hand-picked opponents than to take on Lewis, who was ranked number 1 contender at the time. Numerous efforts from the Lewis camp to set this match up fell on deaf ears. Perhaps Bowe did'nt want a repeat of the 88 olympic final.
In 2003, in what was to be his last fight, Lennox Lewis took on and beat Vitali Klitschko, who at 31, was 7 years younger than Lewis. The question of Lewis getting out before the Klitschko brothers could undo his legacy is absurb, he retired at the top, aged 38, with his dignity. Something Evander Holyfield would have been wise to do. To brand a true champion like Lennox Lewis a 'fake', is both misinformed and disrespectful, as it would be to any great fighter.
Well considering Klitschko was brought in as a replacement fighter for Kirk Johnson,at the last minute and with very little time to train for a fight with the current champion,he fought valiantly. And the fight was stopped by the fight doctor. Not because Lewis won. He retired after that and i think,aswell as a lot of others do,that if he had of had a rematch with klitschko, he would have been defeated.
And your biased towards Lewis is understandable, he is your favourite fighter. But you failed to comment on the greatest champion of all time Sugar Ray Robinson. Lewis's record is laughable compared to Sugar Ray's!
Yes, Lewis is my favourite boxer but no, I am not bias towards him. I was merely stating that factually, the majority of your first post was incorrect and that even if you don't rate him as highly as I do, calling him names is undeserved.
Klitschko did put in a valiant performance against Lewis, he is a quality fighter, but we will never know who would have won the rematch. In the fight that mattered (the one that actually took place), Lewis was awarded the win by TKO in round 6 due to severe cuts on Klitschko's face. These cuts were caused by Lewis' fists, not a clash of heads or illegal blows, which is why he was given the win. The fight is officially recorded as a win for Lewis and a loss for Klitschko.
In answer to Sugar Ray Robinson, (I did originally mean who was the greatest heavyweight, maybe I could have been a little more clearer on this), I agree that his record is better than that of Lennox Lewis, and pound for pound, Sugar Ray was almost certainly the better fighter.
Yes i suppose your right there was no need for childish name calling i just strongly dispute Lewis was the greatest heavy weight. If you venture futher back on the time scale, Joe "the brown bomber" Louis and Archie Moore would be top two greatest of all time. Joe Louis held the titile for 12years. I suppose if you meant in recent times maybe you could sway me to think Lennox was the best but then it just brings you right back round to Ali again. And Rocky Marciano the only retired undefeated champion with 49-0 and 43 knockouts. Not to mention he bet Joe Louis and Archie Moore.
But to say the greatest of all times i would stick with Jack Dempsey. Yes he was back in the twenty's but he revolutionised boxing and had the most devestating punch in boxing history. But all that said yes Lennox was great. But i dont think he was the greatest!
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