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Monday, 19 November, 2001, 11:24 GMT
Can Lewis beat Tyson?
Lennox Lewis wants a big-money bout with Mike Tyson after dethroning Hasim Rahman.
But how do the heavyweights of boxing measure up?
Britain's Lennox Lewis regained the heavyweight championship of the world when his fourth-round right-hook sent American Rahman crashing to the canvas. There are plenty of potential contenders who'd be happy to line up a big money bout with the champion - but Lewis has his sights set on Iron Mike. Such is Tyson's explosive reputation and chequered history, a showdown with Lewis would be irresistible to fans, and give the boxers the biggest pay day in the history of boxing. Former world heavyweight champion Frank Bruno is backing Tyson to stop Lewis if the much-awaited showdown goes ahead. But does Lewis have what it takes to beat Tyson and seal his status as boxing legend?
Lennox Lewis is a good boxer, no doubt about that. But when it comes to fighting Tyson, I feel he has no chance against the 'animal'. Lewis is bigger and better coordinated, but Tyson so fast that he will definitely deliver at least one big punch, most probably on the LL's glass-like jaws, which will be enough to destroy the future ex-champ.
Come on everybody get a grip. Tyson could barely lay a glove on Botha, he had difficulty dealing with Nielsen, and he won't get near Lewis to land a good shot. Lewis will pepper him with the jab for the night and stop him within seven rounds. Tyson isn't tough as far as taking punishment goes, he loses heart very quickly and gets flustered. Tyson in his heyday would have had difficulty with a prime Lewis, never mind now.
If Lewis even fights Tyson I'll be surprised. He can't run around the ring from Tyson like he does everyone else. Tyson will chase him down and destroy him. The only two fighters to reach the jaw of Lewis have knocked him out...
It is real interesting reading how so many British folks are still so enamoured with Tyson. We WAS a great heavyweight, but that was over 11 years ago. He has been mediocre ever since the Douglas fight. And he had trouble before Douglas and with big fighers with jabs, like James Tillis, Bonecrusher Smith, Tony Tucker, Razor Rudduck, and company. Since then, truly weak and slow fighters such as France Botha and Neilson have actually been beating him until he landed a big shot.
That said, Tyson still hits hard, and can knock out anyone if he catches them early.
So he does have a chance against Lewis early, but that window disappears within three to four rounds. Lewis has a very mediocre chin, but if Lewis fights smart and tall, he should batter Tyson and then take him out by seven or eight. Tyson has little left. Most Tyson fans have been fooled, and don't want to see the truth. But then Lewis can be so unpredictable that Tyson does have a chance. Could I be more clear?
Despite Lewis being the more skilful boxer, and Tyson being miles off his best, it is still quite a tough one to call. I think that Lewis using his jab well will either win on points or possibly pick Tyson off late. If Tyson gets into shape and does still have it, he might give Lewis a few problems. I don't think this is the case though.
The fight will be a close call and everything will depend on the kind of fight Lennox chooses to fight. If he stays away from Tyson and uses his jab effectively I see him knocking out Tyson just like he did to the lottery man Rahman. There is no doubt im my mind who the better boxer is.
Lewis has the skill and stamina to out perform Tyson. Lewis is the most skilful fighter in the world. Tyson is a has-been, his comeback hasn't proved anything. Tyson will fail when he comes across a decent opponent and will resort to dirty fighting, as long as Lewis remains focused he will over come and defeat Tyson.
Lewis has improved his jab and continues to dominate with his right hand, Lewis will use these to distance himself from Tyson, who is looking larger and slower and will find it difficult to get inside Lewis' reach. Tyson's recent fights have been circus acts with no pressure, in short Tyson doesn't have what it takes to box against a high standard opponent, such as Lewis. Lewis is one of the greatest.
A heavier Lewis would have power in his jabs to really daunt Tyson. A leaner Lewis would have more speed, less power. Tyson, leaner or heavier, would get in at least two heavy punches, and if they fail to get Lewis down, they'll succeed in extinguishing his confidence. Either way the fight is over.
I expect Iron Mike to dethrone Lewis in their scheduled bout because the former is in a deadly form right now.
I cannot believe those comments from people who still have this undying faith in Tyson's ability! Mabye ten years ago he would have stood a chance - but these days he is no match for a fit and focused Lewis. Tyson is just being used as a pawn in a game to make a ton of money.
Tyson is a shadow of his former self and people can't accept the fact that with all the training in the world he will never be the "Iron" Mike we all want him to be. Lewis has just regained the title of a second rate fighter he should have beaten first time round.
Both Tyson and Lewis have the skills, power and experience to beat each other and the result of the fight is impossible to call. Personally I think Lewis will win. NOT because he is a better fighter, but the time is right for Lewis. A 20yr old Tyson would have ripped his head off within a round.
I don't know what that Ghosty bloke is on about. He obviously doesn't know boxing very well. Tyson will pound Lewis into submission inside three rounds.
Lewis v Tyson is a bit of a complicated one to predict. On the one hand, an in form Tyson is the most formidable fighter since Ali (albeit with a completely different approach), and definitely in the same class as all the great fighters. Problem is, whether he can achieve that level of form again. Lewis, on the other hand, can be a great fighter when the motivation takes him, but I can't help feeling that he lacks a little in "killer instinct", as illustrated in the both the Holyfield fights.
On the other hand, someone like Ali, whom you might be persuaded to compare Lewis to, had an abundance of "killer instinct". Just picture his face when knocking out Foreman. I would have to say that Lewis is no match for a mentally and physically fit Tyson, but it remains to be seen whether Tyson can achieve his former greatness.
Lewis would end up frustrating Tyson with his long distance jabbing. Tyson will get frustrated and could end up doing something crazy as in the Holyfield fight.
Tyson will win...he'll frighten Lennox because he has the mentality of a street mauler, not the classical poise of a boxer like Lewis. Tyson has hussled those with powerful jabs before and, although not the boxer he once was, I think he'll do it again...It's a shame that this boxing era is so poor when compared to the great fighters in the past. Tyson to knock him out in the 5th Round.
Firstly, anyone using the word 'legend' in respect of either fighter is either partaking in recreational pharmaceuticals, or not overly blessed with pugilism knowledge. Both of these men would have struggled to maintain top ten positions in the rankings during the heavyweight heydays of the 70's.
It's the battle of the weak-of-mind against the weak-of-chin.
Even with his immensely weak mental state, the former Tyson's speed (previously he was capable of hitting a bag four times in under a second) and power would have over-awed Lewis, who consistently looks uncomfortable under pressure.
It depends on Tyson; if the animal is there, it's going to be really bad for LL. But LL has to do that fight otherwise he won't be able to sleep at nights. If the animal is in the ring it's gonna be painful.
This is possibly the hardest fight to call in my lifetime. If Tyson prepares well and comes in at his normal fighting weight then he could potentially catch Lewis. However, I fully expect Lewis to frustrate Tyson and keep him at bay with his jab. Tyson used to finish opponents like Lewis early and blast them out of there within the first couple of rounds.
They'd attempt to keep their distance and outbox Tyson but he'd somehow get in close and the devastating uppercuts would simply break his opponent apart. Post-prison though, Tyson has been a shadow of his former self. A menacing shadow but nevertheless a shadow. Lewis is a controlled pugilist who has great size and power and it will all depend on the preparation of each man. Let's not forget that Tyson has got to beat Mercer first. There is no guarantee that he will...
Lennox Lewis will not go the distance with Mike Tyson. 'Iron' Mike will prove too much for Lewis who has showed he cannot take a punch... especially one as powerful as Tyson can deliver. It's the fight everyone wants to see, but the decision will only go one way...Tyson to win by KO.
It's great to see two "old" athletes still competing at the highest level, rather than the standard these days for professional sportsmen and women to retire by their early 30's.
The fight? If Lennox trains as hard as he did for the Rahman fight, and I'm sure he will, then he'll win. The good boxer will always beat the good fighter.
Tyson is a has-been. He shouldn't be fighting anymore. He's finished. Lewis would take him to the cleaners but I predict Lewis wont even get to fight him because Ray Mercer (Tyson's next fight) will knock Tyson out within five.
In his last fight Tyson showed flashes of the body/head punching combinations and body movement that made him one of the best heavyweights ever! Should he continue this resurgence it will lead to a 'long' night for Lennox. There's never been anyone better than Tyson at slipping the jab and countering with the left hook!
It's an indictment for boxing, that Lewis and Tyson should only be meeting at the tail end of their careers. Lewis, if focused, should win comfortably, but wouldn't it have been so much better if the two could have fought before and developed a long standing rivalry such as that with Ali, Frazier and Foreman?
I think Lennox's days as a champ are numbered because when Tyson gets in the ring with him he'll be going for a straight knock-out within four rounds.
In order for Lewis to win over Tyson he has got to do what he does best. He has got stay calm in what will surely be a dramatic build up to the fight, then strategically outbox Tyson from behind a focused jab. He has to avoid any heroics and use his reach as in the Tua fight, and lose that tendency to throw a weak and lazy jab. If Lewis goes into the fight on the top of his game I see him stopping Tyson in the mid rounds.
A focused Lewis will always beat a focused Tyson. Pretty much the same as the Tyson - Holyfield fight. Tyson's biggest weapon is intimidation and putting fear into his opponents. Lewis however does not seem to have a very good chin therefore if caught, will definitely go down. If Lewis can keep Tyson at the end of his jab, he can wear him down and eventually take him out. The key however is Lewis overcoming any fear of Tyson.
Lewis just needs to watch out for that wicked right elbow... uh I mean fist... of Tyson. Tyson is a good fighter, but he is pretty dirty. Get the right camera angle on the fight and you will see Tyson clipping the opponent on the cheek with the right fist and then following through to clatter them with the right elbow. That will drop any opponent.
It is a fact in boxing that fighters come into their prime in their mid thirties... and as one can see Lewis has come of age and has the power and experience to overcome most contenders around. People tend to forget that at Tyson's peak a fighter called Tony Tucker took Tyson all the way to round 12 and he did it because he had a very good jab. I believe that Lennox will do the same with his jab and out box Tyson.
Lennox Lewis would be a firm favourite to win a fight with Tyson, although I am not convinced that boxing politics will enable it to happen. Lewis is a far better boxer than Tyson with a brilliant jab that could keep the fight at long range until Tyson is a spent force.
Tyson of course is a big puncher, however he no longer has the focus or stamina to sustain barrages of punches that led to most of his quick KO wins in the 1980s.
When Lewis is fully prepared and focussed like he was against Rahman on Saturday he is the best heavyweight of his generation, including Tyson. The benchmark is Evander Holyfield who fought Tyson twice and beat him, whereas Lewis in all but the judges eyes defeated Holyfield twice. I just hope Lewis gets the chance to prove it in the ring.
LL has no chance against Tyson. LL is a good champion in a very bad era for heavyweight boxing and to say he can beat Tyson because of a win over a mediocre boxer and a mediocre list of opponents is laughable. The only thing in LL's favour is that he is a good example with his clean living and that's commendable but to say he is one of the greatest? That's asking too much.
Although Lewis has been a good champion, I don't think the heavyweight division is as strong as it has been in the past. You only have to look at the man Lewis had to beat to regain his title on Saturday night. I think Tyson is too much of an animal for Lewis, and his ability to take a punch, especially when fully fit, has never been in question.
Lennox Lewis would wipe the floor with Tyson. With Lewis' strength, power, calmness and measured aggression, not to mention his size, experience etc, I can only ever see one winner.
Tyson is still an excellent fighter. Lewis is better and tactically more aware but Tyson won't allow Lewis to keep him at arms reach.
I think Lewis will beat Tyson but he will have to scrap for much of the fight to earn the right to box.
What a load of rubbish! Can't anyone see that boxing has gone the way of professional wrestling? The whole thing's a joke. Lewis v Tyson - who cares! Both are well past their best. Let's not even mention Holyfield.
In what other "sport" would we even consider it a serious contest for two men in their late thirties to be competing - an age when most professional athletes are retiring? Give us a break! I can't think of a better reason to ban boxing!
Lewis is a bit too big a target for Tyson to miss. Tyson will destroy Lewis, only GOOD fighters that have the right build like Holyfield can beat Tyson. With his height and weight, Lewis is a done deal for ferociously quick Mike!
Lennox will beat Iron Mike because he is a better fighter technically and if he stays out of trouble will be too good for Mike at this stage in Mike's career
Lewis a legend? I think not. How can he be considered equal to the likes of Ali, who would pick the round?
After the spectacular victory against Rahman, Lewis will without a doubt be on top form both mentally and physically, and no doubt the victory will spur him on to train harder and push that little bit further.
Lennox is a talented fighter but he lacks a certain hard edge and he falls a long way short of the greats. The two defeats were against no name fighters with any real ability. The fact that Lennox came emerged in the aftermath of Tyson going to prison shows a number of things, such as lack of good opposition. Some of Lewis's victims were fighters that Tyson beat badly when he was on top.
Tyson is not as good as he once was and has not fought regularly but he could beat Lennox, he still has the power and in his last fight put his punches together for the first time in a long time.
The Tyson myth has persisted for far too long, and I think Lewis could blow the veil clean off it. Whenever Tyson is pitted against a top-level fighter, I think he senses that he's going down. He explodes in a fit of rage, and does something illegal in order to stop the fight - he just can't take being beaten.
If Tyson has the bottle to fight Lewis, I predict that he'll be on the canvas in six rounds.
We've already seen, many years ago when Tyson was in his prime, how a good, big fighter, who is unafraid of him and has a dominating left lead and a punishing right hand, can beat him. The name: Buster Douglas. I can't wait for the excuses to fly. Tyson wasn't 'there', he had problems outside the ring, etc., etc.
Believe me, Lennox Lewis is the fighter who will retire Tyson. No complaints, no excuses, just one big headache for Iron Mike.
The whole thing is suspicious. If Lewis had lost he was going to retire and boxing would have lost its only real superstar, Tyson being half the man he used to be. Instead Lewis has won the fight and Don King now gets the fight he wants reaping all of the rewards. It just seems that these days there are too many re-matches where a nobody can make a few million and then will almost certainly lose the next meeting. It's a fix I tell you. Oh and Lewis will beat Tyson if he loses a bit more weight and borrows Bruno's jaw.
If the right Tyson comes into the ring against Lennox Lewis, he'll destroy Lennox. Tyson will need to chase Lennox around the ring all night and ensure his own guard is tight. Lots of head movement is the key. Lewis, terrified of Tyson's ferocious punching power will be on the back foot and it will only be a matter of time before he gets caught by Tyson, who can knock his opponents out with either hand.
Neither of them are worthy of the status of legend. Lewis could have been great but he has only produced the goods when absolutely compelled to do so, and Tyson has effectively avoided the best over quite a few years now, money first then the glory but that's professional boxing for you.
The fight would be a massive challenge to both men. Tyson has struggled against top quality opponents who aren't dominated by him, while Lewis has shown he is susceptible to a knockout punch, which Tyson certainly possesses. The real battle will be between the contrasting styles of Tyson the pugnacious brawler and the pugilistic skills of Lewis.
Personally, I believe Lewis does have both the quality and the power to beat Tyson, provided he prepares with the same focus with which he approached the second Rahman fight. One thing is for sure, the prospect will certainly whet the appetite of boxing fans across the world.
Now that Lewis has beaten that no-hoper Rahman, he WILL do the same to Tyson! Then, and only then, will he be crowned 'One Of The Greats!'
Lewis is an active fighter with the confidence to go in against anyone in his weight class. He can keep Tyson on the outside bringing his uppercut to bear if Tyson gets closer or tie him up.
Tyson hardly fights anymore and needs to come in lighter to sustain an attack or he will become vulnerable to any fighter after four rounds.
Doubtful if the fight will happen anyway, unless Tyson gets a really big payday since it may be his last fight.
Lewis is such a confident guy that he believes no one can beat him now in the world. That's fine but to me, he is making a fool of himself and should it happen that he meets Mike Tyson, the show will be short-lived in favour of Tyson. One thing about Tyson is that he doesn't underrate anyone even if you are a minnow. Lewis, you are bound to spoil your face if you fight Tyson.
Of course he can! He has far superior technical skills, far superior physical strength and stamina, and a far better boxing brain. Although in the heavyweight division, you can never discount a 'lucky punch' I would say that Lewis would be 10-1 favourite in such a bout.
LL will wipe the floor with overweight and deranged Tyson. Lewis is too smart and skilful for Tyson. Remember how he (LL) toyed with Tyson's clone, David Tua. Even Larry Marchant and Harry Sugar are in agreement that our Lennox is too good for the division.
I think it depends very much on which Lennox Lewis and which Mike Tyson turn up on fight night. Both can be very inconsistent fighters. If Lewis boxes like he did on Saturday with an authoritative jab and an accurate right hand you would fancy him to defeat any heavyweight out there. The tactics used against Rahman would be similar to those required against Tyson.
Tyson probably has more power than Rahman, is more experienced and brings a greater aura to the ring which may have an effect on Lewis. The doubts remain about what Tyson has left at top level however. He has not been in the ring with a top heavyweight since he was outfought and outclassed by Holyfield. It has the makings of a great fight. The winner? Lewis by stoppage in the middle rounds.
Where are the clowns from this column who didn't have belief in Lennox? The ones who don't know boxing from a broom? Lewis' superiority over every fighter he's met has been well proven before, but there were still the doubters, reinforced by his slip against Rahman in South Africa.
I sincerely hope that those who doubted will now come out of the woodwork, recognise the destructive talents of this fine heavyweight and cheer him on in the final showdown against the truly over-rated Tyson.
Lennox's victory answered a lot of questions about him, such as, his speed, reflexes, power. However, one question remains unanswered - his chin. Every time Lewis gets hit by a punch, he is rocked, even in the Lewis-Akinwande fight, one of the very few punches that Akinwande landed hurt Lewis enough for his gloves to touch the canvas.
The people that believe Lewis will beat Tyson fail to recognise one fact - Tyson's hand speed is so impressive he will definitely catch Lewis at some point or other and that's all he'll need. Lewis has always had a glass jaw! Champions need to be able to take punches! Verdict: Tyson to annihilate Lewis inside three rounds.
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