Lennox Lewis -v- George Foreman

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Who would have won?

It's a tough one for me.

IMO, Foreman ranks higher than Lewis in my all-time list, but I'm not 100% confident that he would have necessarily beaten Lewis!

Logic states that if average fighters like McCall & Rahman can KO Lewis, then Foreman would have put him in orbit, but Lewis would have been very cautious against George & I think he would have won on points.

He was 2 stones heavier than Foreman, more mobile & arguably stronger, so George's massive strength would not have been a problem.

[dnahar32]

I like Foreman by knockout.

I'm guessing you mean the 1970's Foreman and not the older, slower, punch absorbing Foreman.

Foreman unleashed massive punishment on fighters. Even though Ali won, he had to withstand a tremendous amount of pain from those winging body shots he took. Those body shots land on Lewis and he crumbles. Think Lewis-Mercer if Mercer had way more power and consider that Foreman has the highest KO% in the history of the heavyweight division. Lewis was able to outbox Tua because Tua never threw any punches.

If Ali couldn't escape the punishment, no way Lewis does and he gets chopped down.

[Hesketh Vampire]

Hmm, prime v prime Foreman wins by KO. In the 1990's Lewis takes a cautious but wide decision.

[dan1030]

I'd take Foreman--but with Lewis as a very live underdog. I think there's a chance that a focused Lewis--and he'd definitely be focused for this fight--could jab, move, hold, and land the occasional right hard enough to win on points. The question is whether or not he'd have the stamina to keep moving and not get caught. On the otherhand, if Lewis tried to load-up on the right he'd be outta there pretty fast.

[cultus]

Lewis had better jab and way better punch than Ali ... so Forman could not just walk in slow and unload.. he would have to think somethin else for a change, though he never was good at thinking. Pluss he had always been wide open for the overhand right. If he would remain with he's past gameplan he would lose - only a punchers chance.

[dempseyfire]

Foreman would outjab the jabber as Bruno and Mercer did, and eventually take Lewis out with a left hook (like the one which send iron-jawed Chuvalo pasting around the ring).

Foreman KO3.

And don't take Lewis's weight to be a factor in his strength. Foreman at 220 was def. the stronger man.

[cultus]

Foreman would outjab the jabber as Bruno and Mercer did, and eventually take Lewis out with a left hook (like the one which send iron-jawed Chuvalo pasting around the ring).

Foreman KO3.

And don't take Lewis's weight to be a factor in his strength. Foreman at 220 was def. the stronger man.

Against Bruno or Mercer Lewis wasn't at his prime.. id say the second Rahman fight was the Lewis I thought he could be. I don't think that Foreman could outjab him beacose he was slow and his jab was slow and everything he did was slow.

[Hesketh Vampire]

Unfortunately for Lewis, and this is no criticism of the man, but he never got to fight a Hall-of-Fame fighter in anything like their prime years. Of the two future IBHOF inductees that he did fight, Holyfield was several years past his best and Tyson was a long way past his best. Had he gotten Bowe, or just Holyfield and Tyson earlier then it would be a lot easier to assess his potential against a guy like Foreman, who was lucky enough to fight several legendary heavies in a great era for the division.

[Rory McCloskey]

i think lennox lewis is an overrated boxer who never faced a prime hall of famer or great fighter, beat holyfield and an absolutley washed up tyson.. i dunno i dont think hes that good id put him in my top 25 maybe maybe top20 i dunno... probly not. anyway. prime-prime. i take foreman by KO in the 5th lewis doesnt know where he is or who he is after a foreman upercut that sends him to the canvas.

[dempseyfire]

Actually if you look at Foreman fights other then the Zaire fiasco you can see Foreman had decent handspeed . . his jab was almost as fast and MUCH harder then lewis. In boxing, the harder jab beats the arm-punch, quick jab everytime. That's how Bruno gave Lewis a boxing lesson . . .he wasn't as fast as Lennox, but he committed to the jab, while Lewis always snapped out a stinging but not very hard left. Foreman snapped out a telephone poll that broke noses.
Lewis was def. at his peak vs Mercer . . he already started slipping by the first Rahman fight. He dominated Hasim in the rematch but shzzz look at the calibre of opposition. The fact that he lost the title to such a palooka in the first place speaks volumes.

[BoxBuzz]

I"d Pick Foreman, What is amazing that this fight could have actually happened in real time. If that isnt enough to make you want to pick Foreman I don't know what is.

Don't be confused....the real time fight would of course go to Lewis. But Just that Foreman was a force and held a champions belt during the Lewis era is flat out remarkable.

[BoxBuzz]

Afterthougt.....the title Foreman held during Lewis' prime was actually the linear title too. Course that is because Bowe and Lewis wouldnt tangle for whatever reason.

[Ezzard]

[quote="dempseyfire"] That's how Bruno gave Lewis a boxing lesson . . .he wasn't as fast as Lennox, but he committed to the jab, while Lewis always snapped out a stinging but not very hard left. Foreman snapped out a telephone poll that broke noses.
quote]

Nice analysis Dempsey... I was always amazed at just how well Bruno did in that fight. he really gave Lewis all kinds of problems. I always considered Frank to have upped his performance for what was a turf war for us in the UK. I appreciate your insight

[Cojimar 1945]

I thought Foreman displayed fairly impressive handspeed in parts of the fight against Ali. What was less impressive was how he seemed to tire quickly and the fact that Ali was able to hold Foreman and thus stop his attacks.

I also don't see how Lewis is 2 stone heavier than Foreman. When Lewis was 27 to 28 years old he entered the ring as light as 227 pounds for important fights.

[walshb]

Foreman was an alltime great, Lewis was not a great champion. He was KO'd twice by mediocre fighters. Foreman would KO him early in a ding dong battle. Foreman's chin being the deciding factor

[Wolfman91]

Lewis would KO Foreman probably in the late rounds say 10-12, he'd make him miss throughout the fight and pick him off with his jab before ending it with a big right hand. Lewis was unlucky as his big fights came too late for him, but I've no doubt Bowe ran from him and refused to fight because he knew he'd lose, the Holyfield and Tyson fights should have been made earlier but I think Lewis would have beaten both of them in their primes.

The only time Lewis got defeated was when he underestimated his opponents and besides he revenged all his defeats. I also think that although Vitali was winning on points when the stoppage came if the fight would have carried on any longer Lewis would have knocked him out also, Vitali started well but that counts for nothing in boxing.

[jezzamundo]

Prime for prime this one is very difficult for me to call. I think Lewis had the tools to win this, but if he was even a little off his game, Foreman's power would have stopped him.

Foreman has said that he does not believe he could have ever beaten Lewis, but he has been known for being particularly generous with Lewis, who he rates as one of the 3 greatest heavies of all time with Ali and Louis. I rate Foreman higher on my all-time list.

If they fought in the 90s I think Lewis would have won by a wide decision, but if you look at 1997-2002 Lewis vs 70s Foreman it becomes more difficult.

JAB - Slight edge to Lewis. When he remembered to use it, Lewis had an excellent jab. Foremans jab was heavier than Lewis, but not as long or as fast.

STRAIGHT/OVERHAND RIGHT - Draw. Both had devastating right hands, Foreman with a slight edge in power, Lewis with greater speed. I can see Lewis landing his right more often and hurting Foreman with it.

HOOKS - Slight edge to Foreman, whose left hook would pose a real threat to Lewis. The reverse can certainly not be said, although Lewis did throw his hooks with more speed than Foreman and with good power.

UPPERCUTS - Lewis, who threw them much quicker and with almost as much power as Foreman.

BODY PUNCHES - Foreman, who threw them more often and with more power.

DEFENSE - Lewis, better at ducking, slipping and blocking than Foreman.

CHIN - Foreman, who would only be KO'd if he was comprehensively outboxed by Lewis and stopped late. One big shot from Foreman could end the fight at any time.

STRENGTH - Draw. Lewis was massively strong, and a taller, heavier man than Foreman who was freakinshly strong for his weight. I can't see either fighter outmuscling the other.

POWER - Foreman, probably the most powerful heavyweight of all time, although both men certainly had 1 punch KO power.

STAMINA - Slight edge to Lewis. This is a weak-point for both fighters, but Lewis was far more accustomed to long fights than Foreman, so although he would be tired too, I think Lewis wins if he gets through the first 5 rounds.

My honest opinion is that Lewis would win by points or late stoppage if he was in the form he was against Rahman II and Tyson. Any less and Foreman wins by early to mid rounds KO.

[Sweet Scientist]

Foreman himself once said Lewis was the greatest of all time, because of his overhand right...he said it doing color commentary on an HBO card...of course we know that Goerge wasn't a top 10 all time color commentator...he was, however, an all time top 10 heavyweight...Lennox Lewis was not quite that good, maybe top 20...maybe...

1973-74 Foreman would march through and walk over Lennox Lewis...tougher, meaner...and a very underrated jab that he didn't use often enough, probably because he didn't have too...he'd need it in this fight early...both have the KO punch, but Foreman was definitely stronger, no doubt about it...Foreman was also absolutely fearless...something I'm not so sure about Lewis...who seemed to be tentative and possibly fearful against certain opponents...and we know Lewis, as good as he was, was indeed vulnerable to an early KO...George could certainly supply the firepower to get Lewis out of there quick...

Foreman would go after Lewis like he went after Ali and everybody else, all out and relentless....could Lewis hold him off and extend him into the late rounds?...Not impossible, but I say the odds are slim...Foreman wins early...KO-4 or 5...in a great fan pleasing manner...

I'm also somewhat surprised to see many people think Lewis had a good jab...he never struck me as someone who utilized the jab...more of a pawing/measuring thing to set up the famous overhand right...Foreman had a power snap jab, when he brought it out of the moth balls and used it...