Tyson v Lewis

[Shaggy]

Lewis did beat Tyson.

I think the point is "both in their pomp", as opposed to the washed up Tyson that Lewis beat.

[kurtangle01]

I think the point is "both in their pomp", as opposed to the washed up Tyson that Lewis beat.

I thought that's what he meant but wasn't sure.

I still think Lewis would have dismantled him in the way he did in their fight.

[Mattshark]

I think i could batter both at once with my arms and legs tied together using only a land mine under each of them.

[Rowan]

Not quite sure i agree Lewis edged Tyson at his peak. But it certainly wasn't a nailed on Tyson rout that some suggest. I just think that Tyson was a tad over-rated, while Lewis was the polar opposite. If it went past 6 then i'd favour Lewis to keep edge him out by keeping him at jabbing distance till Tyson wore himself out late on.

Didn't everyone think Spinks would beat Tyson? When he came on the scene he was unstoppable, at least without bribing a ref he was. Lewis however is slightly stigmatised by event like Oliver McCall and Raqman that for some take away the undoubtable quality he had. I think Holyfield V Tyson at the end of the eighties/ start of the 90's would have been the fight though.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I thought that's what he meant but wasn't sure.

I still think Lewis would have dismantled him in the way he did in their fight.

Yep, I meant both in their prime.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Didn't everyone think Spinks would beat Tyson? When he came on the scene he was unstoppable, at least without bribing a ref he was. Lewis however is slightly stigmatised by event like Oliver McCall and Raqman that for some take away the undoubtable quality he had. I think Holyfield V Tyson at the end of the eighties/ start of the 90's would have been the fight though.

Spinks was not too highly rated a champ at the time. Tyson was favoured to win that fight by pundits and bookies alike, just not as quick as he turned out to win.

[nbryan1764]

Correct, he did so on two occassions. The first time was just after Lewis beat Donovan Ruddock and the second was after Lewis beat Tommy Morrison.

Lewis at his peak was a very under rated fighter and boxer, who had a thunderous punch. Motivation was always Lewis' best ally and worst enemy.

I think if we had access to a time machine and both were put in the ring, Lewis would beat Tyson, Tyson would have of course a great chance of landing a bomb in the early rounds, but Lewis is no slouch in that department either.

I think it would have been similar to the Lewis-Tua fight or even the Lewis-Morrison fight. (Tua being a huge power puncher with both hands, although Tua could only dream of the head movement and quick fists that a prime Tyson had.)

mixed up with bowe the first time, it was bowe that did not want to fight lewis. Tyson was in prison at that time

[Doc_Piptorious]

mixed up with bowe the first time, it was bowe that did not want to fight lewis. Tyson was in prison at that time

Nope, Don King paid Lewis a "step aside" fee twice, at the times I mentioned. Frank Moloney was pushing hard for Tyson and Lewis to meet as There was a lot of serious talk of Tyson's sentence being overturned at that time, he was imprisoned in Febuary 1992, so King paid out to Lewis' camp. Tyson lost his appeal in December 1992 and stayed in Chokey until 1995. There was a bit of crowing in the boxing press at the time over the fact that King paid out the money and his fighter never got out, making the payment a waste of time, Claude Abrams was one writer that made quite a big deal out of it all at the time.

The second time that King paid Lewis to step aside was before Tyson met Bruce Seldon in 1996.

Bowe dumped his Title belt in a bin as he avoided meeting Lewis, who was the number one contender for that belt at the time.

[Red Chilli]

What is interesting is that Lewis accepted the step-aside fee. I have to admit, in his shoes, faced with the prospect of fighting tyson or taking a huge wad of cash for doing nothing, I'd have gone for the cash

[Doc_Piptorious]

What is interesting is that Lewis accepted the step-aside fee. I have to admit, in his shoes, faced with the prospect of fighting tyson or taking a huge wad of cash for doing nothing, I'd have gone for the cash

That is another take on it, an interesting one too. But I think that Lewis, or rather his advisors, knew that it was their best option for two reasons.

One is that they would gain face, or rather Tyson would lose face for opting to pay Lewis rather than fight him.

Secondly, and more likely imho, they knew that King would have found a way to tie things up in such a manner that Lewis would have been fighting fighter after fighter, in fights to determine who the number one contender was, until either he lost or became a big enough marquee name to make enough dollar signs flash before Kings eyes. (Or to make him sign for King, ensuring a win-win for the spikey haired one)

[Red_Al_77]

Tyson in his prime fighting Smokin Joe Frazier in his prime would be the ultimate fantasy boxing matchup in history.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Tyson in his prime fighting Smokin Joe Frazier in his prime would be the ultimate fantasy boxing matchup in history.

I would pick Tyson in that one, early stoppage too.

[NeonPeon]

Following on from Trevor Berbick’s horrible death, I’m now bickering with a few mates about Mike Tyson. Specifically “who was the best – Tyson or Lennox Lewis?”…

I was a huge Tyson fan and I find it almost laughable that my clown of a friend (an Evertonian, by the way) thinks Lewis even has a case. What do the boxing fans on here reckon? Lewis obviously battered a washed-up (but younger) Tyson, but for me that carries little or no weight. It also may well be a futile, petty and meaningless discussion…but I enjoy the debate regardless.

What d’you reckon fellas?

While the heavyweight division was not strong for either fighter, Lewis fought better competition more consistently, and has comprehensively dismantled anyone he could be arsed to train to perfection to fight against. The ONLY reason Tyson is even considered in the same way as Lewis, is that Tyson was a bloodfury style fighter, a fantastic aggressive knock out puncher. Lewis on the other hand was a boxers boxer, and more fun for boxing fanatics, than the casual fan. Tyson was a huge draw, but he lost it quite early, and we'll never know when his inability to regain his heart and aggression after comprehensive defeat against a stronger punching, far more technically proficient boxer would have come. Tyson relied on an athleticism and aggression that leaves EVERY boxer early. Would he have adapted over time if he wasn't in prison, we'll never know. What we do know is that Lewis, with demons of his own (not bothering to train properly for certain fights) is in no way as big a draw, but a FAR better boxer. There have been quite a few boxers better than both, but Tyson couldn't cope in a more competitive division, wheraes Lewis' technique and frame would give him the ability to rise to the challenge. Lewis' jab is a thing of beauty when he properly trains.

[fah-q]

Surely Muhammed Ali versus Joe Louis would be the top fight.

[Shaggy]

While the heavyweight division was not strong for either fighter, Lewis fought better competition more consistently, and has comprehensively dismantled anyone he could be arsed to train to perfection to fight against. The ONLY reason Tyson is even considered in the same way as Lewis, is that Tyson was a bloodfury style fighter, a fantastic aggressive knock out puncher. Lewis on the other hand was a boxers boxer, and more fun for boxing fanatics, than the casual fan. Tyson was a huge draw, but he lost it quite early, and we'll never know when his inability to regain his heart and aggression after comprehensive defeat against a stronger punching, far more technically proficient boxer would have come. Tyson relied on an athleticism and aggression that leaves EVERY boxer early. Would he have adapted over time if he wasn't in prison, we'll never know. What we do know is that Lewis, with demons of his own (not bothering to train properly for certain fights) is in no way as big a draw, but a FAR better boxer. There have been quite a few boxers better than both, but Tyson couldn't cope in a more competitive division, wheraes Lewis' technique and frame would give him the ability to rise to the challenge. Lewis' jab is a thing of beauty when he properly trains.

Great first post, even though fundamentally I disagree.

Welcome to the site.