First rounds are closer and the fight is about even after seven rounds as Holyfield's quickness and sharp combinations would earn him more points. However, Lewis' heavy shots would take their toll more than they did against the bulkier Holy. Also earlier in his career Holyfield had the habit of tiring late in fights, so I see Lennox taking clearly over late. Thus, Lennox again by a commanding decision in a bit different fight
Disagree. 1991 Holyfield was very fast and threw more punches. Lennox punched hard but was never a volume puncher with high intensity and as such I see Evander getting a close decision. 1992 Lennox however would have beaten any version of Holyfield. Contrary to popular opinion Lennox was a better fighter pre-mcCall than he was post-McCall. But only people that followed Lennox' career since the Olympics would know that.
Disagree that Lewis was better in the early-90's than post-Steward (even Lewis opined he was a better fighter with age), but I think this is an extremely tight bout - several clashes would be split. For one night? Id narrowly favour something like a MD for Holyfield. Quicker, busier, and with the more eye-catching style, I think he might just nick it.
There was a point when Ali said he was better in the early 70s than he had been in the 60s...and we all know hat's some bullshit. Lewis is giving Steward his props and trying to justify the loss to mcall....but just look at how sharp and fast Lewis was against Mason, Biggs, Ruddock to name just three...compared with the more lumbering guy of the late 90s. In fact Americans like to say his because they underrated him (on account of him being British) until he fought and beat Holyfield. Lewis was always better than Bowe, Morrison, Mercer, Seldon...but of that new crop of Heavies in the early 90s...lewis was ranked 5th until he had beaten Ruddock...but then still underrated after looking bad in the bruno fight and losing to McCall on a quick stoppage.
Lewis struck me as one of those guys whos boxing peak doesn't quite align with their physical one. More composed/patient, controlled range better, better balance, more physically imposing with the extra weight, by 99.....but you're right he certainly was faster and more explosive in the early 90s. I don't think 99 Lewis would have blasted Ruddock out so quickly
Ali may have regressed, but whether Lewis said what he did for genuine reasons or not, hes clearly correct to my eyes. Significantly cockier, clumsier and more vulnerable defensively in the early-90's, Id still agree he was better than the guys you listed, with Bowe being the exception. Lewis in the early-90's wouldve been overwhelmed against the 91 Holyfield at some point. Not so, the 99 version.
Lewis of the Ruddock and Biggs fights! Which other version of Lennox, post McCall, looked better than that?
Watch the Biggs fight again and see if you still disagree. Lewis was raw as hell compared to the latter version.
Pre-steroid Holyfield would've been stopped by Lewis, no question. Heck, he had trouble taking old man Doke's punches and was indeed stopped by Bowe.
Holyfield wasnt stopped by Bowe until he was already on the gear and sick as a dog. Lewis wouldnt stop Holyfield in a hundred bouts, in part because he'd never try.
that's my point. a pre-McCall Lewis sure's hell would've tried to stop him. And I think he could've too.
He did take more chances, but that isnt the Lewis being discussed. Its about the 99 Lewis. Even so, "no doubt," Lewis stops Holyfield is a huge exaggeration. Holyfield vs ANY Lewis is all but a lock for the complete opposite, IMO.
American's always say this though. This justifies the ridiculous unfounded disdain they had for him early in his career...based only on him not being American. He proved himself to them in the late 90s to a point where they couldn't deny him any longer...and so to save face they say that he improved under American trainer Manny Stewart. Lewis was always the best Heavyweight in the world since 1991 (1st McCall fight was an Aberration just like the 1st Rahman fight).
Green as grass...yet knocked out the formidable Razor Ruddock less than a year later? :giggle: Lewis wasn't "green" he was "underrated".
rewatched the Ruddock fight - maybe you're right. He looked allot rawer against Biggs though, maybe he just wasn't as focused
Lewis did look good in his fights against Mason and Ruddock, he moved effortlessly, his punches were sharp and he carried power. However, he did still have trouble with his balance and defense. After the Ruddock fight Lewis' game fell apart. He fell in love with his power and tried to end his fights with looping rights, forgetting his jab and movement. This lead to poor performances against Tucker, Bruno and McCall After those fights Steward began to construct Lennox all over again, trying to find his old form and add something more to it. Lewis became physically stronger and became more of a counter puncher, as earlier in his career he tried to create openings instead of waiting for them. In the fights against Butler and Morrison you can see that Lewis still doesn't bend his knees, his upper body does not move, but he has found his jab back and his punches start to loosen again. A bit later Lewis found his best style. He was bigger and stronger than ever, but more loose and relaxed in the ring, knew how to react when hurt, knew how to use distance in his favor and sacrified looking good for being effective. So I hear Sly, the early Lewis was better than given credit for and the Lewis that beat Ruddock would probably have beaten Bowe (the Lewis from Bruno fight wouldn't), but I'd still say Lewis peaked around '99
I dunno..I watched teh Biggs fight live and thought Lennox looked unstoppable. Granted it was against Biggs...but Lewis showed speed, power, timing, agression....the whole kaboodle!
Thankyou. Holy fought with more guile in the Lewis period (including more headbutts). Gimme Lewis against the smaller, more open version. BTW older lewis was a better fighter than younger Lewis. Better balance & more refined. Younger Lewis may have got certain opponents out earlier, but overall was not as good.
