Mike Tyson (88) vs Lennox Lewis (00)

Was watching their fight there and it always strikes me, and surprises me watching it how readily Mike could find Lewis in that first round, especially with lefts. Lewis was reduced to holding and trying for hail mary uppercuts as Mike closed the distance - he couldn't establish any authority at range whatsoever. Lastly, it also always strikes me that Mike was practically gassed out after 2:30. He was SHOT to pieces.

So Im gonna say it - I think prime for prime Mike knocks Lennox the heck OUT. I think he wins the first few rounds clear, marred by constant clinching before Lennox is compelled to become more aggressive to try and change the pattern of the fight and an exciting two way brawl in the 5th and 6th ends with Lennox on his back.

Or am I just writing myself a wee erotic short story here?:: It is making me tingly.

 

Tyson within 5.

 

In order to believe Mike Tyson at any stage beats Lennox Lewis then you have to believe Mike Tyson was shot when he fought Buster Douglas at the advanced age of 24.

I don't personally buy it. If Douglas had the jab and fortitude to beat a prime Tyson then Lennox Lewis certainly did.

Lewis would alway be too big, too strong, and way too difficult for Mike.

 

Can't somebody just be in horrendous mental and physical condition without being shot? I mean we can turn that around and say 'In order to believe Lennox at any stage beats Tyson then you have to believe Lennox was shot when he fought Oliver McCall at the advanced age of 28. I don't personally buy it. If McCall had the timing and right hand to beat a prime Lewis then Mike Tyson certainly did.'. Tyson was NOT in good nick come Tokyo and I think your line of reasonings a bit superficial.

 

What I found surprising is how badly Lewis hurt Tyson with just 1 uppercut. Tyson in his prime would get hurt by Lewis too and would back away and try to box instead of bullrushing. Tyson was always timid of Lewis. He never really wanted to face the guy.

 

Tyson looked like sh*t to me in the Tucker and Bonecrusher fights. Lewis is far superior to those guys.

 

I think the 'success' Tyson had against Lewis (he won the round because of pressure but didn't really land anything) had more to do with Lennox being clearly nervous. He knew that Tyson would attack him hard early and he also know that it would eventually turn into his favor. Manny said "just settle down" about five times to Lewis after the first round. Lewis did, and the rest is a beautiful chapter of history,

Prime Tyson would have probably won about three first rounds but a fact is that at any stage Lewis could clinch him and up close Tyson would eat some uppercuts. After three rounds Tyson's output always dropped quickly, and that's when Lennox would take over and beat Tyson down brutally. 9 out of ten Lewis wins. Lewis was the greater fighter

 

We've been through this before...

tyson was PRIME, yes...but he wasn't at his best for that fight. He was undertrained, under focussed and overconfident.

Simply saying that he was "prime" doesn't tell the entire story.

 

You can argue the same for Lewis vs. Rahman 1

 

You can, should and almost everybody DOES.

 

Exactly

 

I like what Tyson said about his training for the Douglas fight...he said all he did was sit in his room watching Bruce Lee movies and porn.

:cheer:

 

Well, let's see what we can see...

Tyson had some trouble, even at the top of his game, with tall, smart fighters with strong jabs & the know-how of how & when to clinch effectively. Lewis had all of these attributes, but he was a plainly superior fighter to the likes of Smith, Tillis & co. He truly was, & in many respects of this fight, Tyson is up against it.

With that said, I don't believe those elements of this bout are critical. What does strike me as critical is the speed of Tyson's assault relative to Lewis' speed & general reflexes. Some of Tyson's earlier opponents (1985-90) were inferior to Lewis, but certainly more durable, & probably a little quicker, on account of their size. I really have a difficult time imagining Lewis doing so well he is barely touched by Tyson. The peak version was excellent at shutting opponents down, but the young Tyson's footwork has always been superb, whether it be for closing ring real estate, or being in punching position.

I have to think Tyson's accuracy & punch-pace help him find the target at some point. Lewis doesn't have the reflexes to be that perfect in neutralising Tyson's onslaught, & is he durable enough to withstand the force? Not even close, in that regard.

Tyson in three or four.

 

The difference is that Lewis was drilled with single shots that stopped him.

Tyson was systematically dismantled by Buster Douglas.

Lewis got caught while Tyson ran into a guy with the tools to beat him.

If you can't see the huge gap in how the loses are different then I can't help you.

 

Your reasoning is absurd and superficial.

Tyson was prime, technically, but far from his best that night, against a fighter who put in a career best performance. Shocking result, but no more shocking than McCall AND Rahman flattening Lewis.

Lewis looked like shit and was being beaten by Rahman by the way, it was a "lucky" 1 punch KO.

As hut hut said, you can just as easily say "If McCall had the timing and right hand to beat a prime Lewis then Mike Tyson certainly did".

And saying it was just 1 punch, not a systematic beating makes no fucking sense either. The fact that it was one both, BOTH times, proves that's all Tyson would need to do.

Duran was prime when DeJesus beat him (and he was beaten pretty clearly IMO) - the second and third fights were completely different stories when Roberto was at his devastating best.

Prime Tyson would dispatch any version of Lewis within 5 rounds.

 

It amazes me how many excuses are made for Tyson in Tokyo --- there are literally thousands of boxers in their peak who had financial, relaltionship, & money problems going into fights --- all of which are overlooked.

 

Tyson early. LL would be way too cautious to begin with and I don't believe Lennox could avoid being tagged with something big in the first three rounds.

Now saying that, it is very possible that Lewis could weather the early going and take control late. Mike has always appeared confsed and one dimensional when he wasn't able to bomb out his opposition early.

Head says Tyson early. Heart says Lewis late. I'll go with Tyson.

 

Lewis was better than the likes of Tillis & Smith, but lacked their durability & recuperative powers. At 245lbs, he's too sluggish to react in time to all of Tyson's bombs as well.

 

I dont think you have to think "Shot" vs Douglas..

but he thought he was king of the world and his "training" in japan was just partys and all night at bars..

 

And this is based on?

Tillis? Durable? This is a dude that was stopped by Thomas, Page AND Witherspoon in the span of a little more than a year.

He didn't go the distance with Tyson because he was durable. He went the distance with Tyson because he held on for dear life and Tyson didn't have the skills to handle it.

Saying Tillis is more Durable that Lennox Lewis is honestly one of the more ridiculous things I've ever heard. Seriously.

 

Really? If all Tyson did was sit around watching Bruce Lee movies and porn, he sure must have a great ability to come in at a shredded 217lbs without doing any f*cking training.:laughing: Must be the roids!

 

I didn't say he was durable per se. I said he was more durable than Lewis.

 

And I say you underrate Lewis' durability a great deal. The approach that one landed shot from Tyson would knock Lewis out was created by the advertisers who tried to make Lewis-Tyson mismatch somewhat interesting. In reality Tyson did not knock everybody out with single shots and Lewis was not dazed by every big punch he had to take. These get greatly exaggerated

 

Tyson wasn't throwing one shot at this point in his career. He was throwing, five, six & seven. Every one of which was heavier than anything McCall or Rahman carried --- & neither of those fellows could put punches together with either Tyson's speed or accuracy. Ditto for Briggs, who also had Lewis in desperate trouble.

 

Which good fighters did Tyson knock out with single shots or single combinations even? Sure Tyson looks like a demon in the highlight reels when he blasts out scrubs, but most of his good opponents took several barrages from him before succumbing.

And Tyson did NOT throw seven shots in combo which all were harder than the best right hand Rahman ever threw:: That is exactly the highlight-reel Tyson, not the real one. Especially he couldn't do that against an opponent who towers above him.

Briggs had Lewis in trouble with combination of rabbit punches. Tyson wouldn't reach his neck.

Tyson has a chance of winning for sure, but you talk about him as he was the superhero media tried to make out of him

 

Yeah and I ask again, based on what? How is James Tillis who was stopped 3 times in the span of 17 months during the prime of his career more durable than Lennox Lewis?

If Lewis had the same durability as James Tillis, he would never have been champion in my opinion and certainly never been as dominant.

 

True but also remember, guys like Briggs and Rahman were around 6'2-6'4 with reaches in the 82" range. Tyson was a 5'9 midget with a 71" reach. He'd have a hell of a lot more trouble trying to close distance on Lewis. He'd have to jump in and risk his own chin against a guy with as much power as himself.

 

People also forget, Tyson in his prime never fought anybody 6'5, 250lbs with an 84" reach and 1 punch KO power. He never dealt with somebody the size and skills of a Lewis. Which is why this fight is intriguing. Opinion will vary amongst the board.
I give chances to both. It would be silly to dismiss Lewis' chances considering he was the most legitimate champion we've had in years.
Lewis KO5 prime Tyson.

 

Wow, I take back almost everything I've said about you. That's well-said. It's good to see someone else recognize the imposing opponent Lewis would be for Tyson simply because of the shear size difference.

As you said Tyson would always, in or out of his prime, have to take chances in trying to land against Lewis. Eventually Lewis would take advantage in my opinion.

 

Thanks Trplsec. I've included your praise in my signature too. I'll never forget this day. Nor will I let you forget it either the next time you throw disrespect at me.::
:bears: