Who would have won: Lennox Lewis vs Mike Tyson 1996

jezzamundo · Post by **jezzamundo** » 10 Feb 2006, 04:12

Some people say "Tyson would have destroyed Lewis if they fought in the late 80s". For the sake of Tyson's legacy you would want to hope so! Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and Lennox Lewis was still an amateur (probably the best amateur in the world, but amatuer none the less), not used to fighting with 10 ounce gloves and no headgear. Lewis may have been older but Tyson was vastly more experienced. To be honest it is really beside the point who would have won because it never would have happened.

Far more relevant is who would have won had the fight happened, as it almost did, in 1996. I will wait for replies before stating my own opinion.

Arsenal · Post by **Arsenal** » 10 Feb 2006, 05:00

This question is gonna kill me! I've had this debate numerous times on this website and it must be one of the most talked about topics.

I'm not going to go into the whys, ifs and buts because I've done it 101 times on this website. For my in depth opinions see the thread 'Tyson could have been the greatest'.

IMO Lewis would win this fight no matter when, where etc etc. Lewis was just too good. I would have loved to have seen it when Lewis was a bit raw circa Razor Ruddock, before Manny took over and before Lewis became a more complete, tactically astute boxer. Why? Because he was less cautious and I think Lewis would have taken him out inside 3 rounds like he did with the dangerous Ruddock who Tyson had trouble with twice.
I think this is a good comparison as arguebly Ruddock was in his prime or even better when he fought Lewis and look at how Tyson and Lewis coped. Tyson won on points/controversial stoppage and Lewis destroyed him! So for me Lewis would win anyway he pleased. Early KO or by late KO after giving him a boxing lesson.

cultus · Post by **cultus** » 10 Feb 2006, 15:46

Tyson summons plasma punch from the long gone past of the 87' and puts Lewis down trough the floor.

Tyson Basement KO over Lewis five seconds into round ONE.

dempseyfire · Post by **dempseyfire** » 10 Feb 2006, 16:27

I see Lewis pre-Steward getting stopped by Tyson in 1992. Blow him out like Ruddock?? Lewis's defense was just wide open back then and Tyson would've come in with the hooks to the body and then knocked Lennox out with a good shot to the jaw.

1996-I used to think Tyson but now I lean towards Lennox. I think Lewis's peak wasn't the post Holyfield champ vs Tua, Grant, and Rahman but the guy who destroyed Morrison and went the distance with Mercer. He had the technical brush-up of Steward plus the speed of his youth. Tyson would've gotten very frustrated b/c of the jabs and distance Lewis would create, become discouraged just like he did vs Holyfield, and get knocked out.

Would've been a good fight though. Much better then their 2002 joke.

dempseyfire · Post by **dempseyfire** » 10 Feb 2006, 16:28

Arsenal wrote:This question is gonna kill me! I've had this debate numerous times on this website and it must be one of the most talked about topics.

I'm not going to go into the whys, ifs and buts because I've done it 101 times on this website. For my in depth opinions see the thread 'Tyson could have been the greatest'.

IMO Lewis would win this fight no matter when, where etc etc. Lewis was just too good. I would have loved to have seen it when Lewis was a bit raw circa Razor Ruddock, before Manny took over and before Lewis became a more complete, tactically astute boxer. Why? Because he was less cautious and I think Lewis would have taken him out inside 3 rounds like he did with the dangerous Ruddock who Tyson had trouble with twice.
I think this is a good comparison as arguebly Ruddock was in his prime or even better when he fought Lewis and look at how Tyson and Lewis coped. Tyson won on points/controversial stoppage and Lewis destroyed him! So for me Lewis would win anyway he pleased. Early KO or by late KO after giving him a boxing lesson.

styles make fights. Look at how much trouble Bruno gave Lewis and then Tyson blew Bruno away.

witherspoon · Post by **witherspoon** » 10 Feb 2006, 16:58

Lewis proved that he was vulnerable to a single hard punch to the jaw, at either end of his prime. Who better to deliver a single hard punch to the jaw (more likely part of a body-head combo, but still, same result) than a prime Mike Tyson, even the '96 Tyson?
BTW, have to throw this out, coz i kept it to myself long enough. When Lewis Ko 8 Tyson, I seem to emember Tyson raising a glove over his face while lying on the canvas, ala Johnson v Willard. Watch Tysons interview with H.Carpenter and you will see that he was well aware of the speculation surrounding Johnsons gesture. I know this sounds really crazy, but i can't help thinking that Mike did that consiously, like saying yeah, i'm down but i'm way past my prime, don't mean shit. Any takers?

witherspoon · Post by **witherspoon** » 10 Feb 2006, 17:39

Decagon wrote:
witherspoon wrote:Lewis proved that he was vulnerable to a single hard punch to the jaw, at either end of his prime. Who better to deliver a single hard punch to the jaw (more likely part of a body-head combo, but still, same result) than a prime Mike Tyson, even the '96 Tyson?
David Tua.

David Tua = Prime Mike Tyson????????

barry · Post by **barry** » 10 Feb 2006, 19:27

>>>David Tua = Prime Mike Tyson<<<

Tyson could actually throw a combination of punches...all Tua could do was wind up and sling that gigantic left hook time and again!

barry · Post by **barry** » 10 Feb 2006, 19:44

>>>By 1996, he almost never did. That's the whole point, in case you weren't paying attention.<<<

Since you wasn't paying attention...I wasn't responding to you...hence the:

>>>David Tua = Prime Mike Tyson<<<

But you are correct....Tyson was pretty much a one punch fighter at that point.

barry · Post by **barry** » 10 Feb 2006, 21:01

No I think you missed the point...I was not paying any attention to your post!

barry · Post by **barry** » 10 Feb 2006, 21:26

>>>and by doing so, you made an idiot out of yourself by misunderstanding the context of someone replying to one of my posts.<<<

No, by thinking that things revolve around you, you have made an idiot out of yourself by assuming that I actually give a shit about what you think!

BrocktonBlockbuster49 · Post by **BrocktonBlockbuster49** » 10 Feb 2006, 22:33

96 tyson? ill take lewis, tyson was long gone and lewis was at his peak

prime tyson however knocks out lewis. tyson in his prime was too skillful, fast, and powerful for the vunerable lewis

HomicideHenry · Post by **HomicideHenry** » 10 Feb 2006, 23:22

Well, for starters...

#1) Tyson had trouble with skillful boxers
#2) Tyson had trouble with much larger men
#3) Tyson would shut down when pressured

The only fights that connect Tyson and Lewis together are the Holyfield and Ruddock fights---Tyson went the distance with Holyfield and Ruddock one time each---Lewis KO'd Ruddock easy and went the distance twice with Holyfield.

When I saw the TYSON LEWIS bout...for that first round I could see the Iron Mike of old, as he won that round easy---and for my money if he had fought like he did in the first round he would have bombed Lewis out or least made the big man hit the deck a few times.

Thing is Tyson didn't even train for that fight---and from round 2-8 he took some of the hardest shots I have ever seen in all of boxing before Lewis "shoved" Tyson over and Tyson stayed down.

So....this shows me if Tyson was in his prime physically...BUT had the experience he did when he finally did meet Lewis---Lewis would have been doomed from the start.

But we ain't talking WHAT IF's....we're talking 1996. The Tyson of 1996 was awful and Lewis was nearing his peak. Course Tyson was always forever dangerous...these are a few things that lewis had against him:

#1) A Questionable Chin
#2) Had Too Much Ego

If Lewis truly believed Tyson was so far beneath him, he wouldnt train, and the ending could have been much like when he faced McCall or Rahman getting KO'd.

Tyson still had some head movement and skills in 1996---but by and large he was a head-hunter and was facing softies like McNeeley and Mathis and Botha---he wasnt interested in titles just money---while Lewis was looking for RESPECT.

So I say its pretty much 50-50 there is just way too many things involved to really say anything---all I know is Lewis in 1996 was far better than he was when he actually faced Tyson---the difference was Lewis had NOBODY left to face cus the division was dried up when he met Tyson in the ring---but in 96 there was plenty of talent and Lewis by and large faced them all but Bowe and Tyson.

meade95 · Post by **meade95** » 11 Feb 2006, 00:29

Lennox Lewis was made to order for a prime Tyson - Lennox fights backing away...jabbing and trying NOT to mix it up...... Tyson thrived off those types.

A prime Tyson breaks an intimidated Lennox down inside of 7 rounds...

tigerpomfret · Post by **tigerpomfret** » 11 Feb 2006, 06:27

I`ve never really understood why some so called boxing critics try to class those 2 as "GREAT" it just isn`t true,both so overated,i suppose they were very lucky to be around in a poor era.

barry · Post by **barry** » 11 Feb 2006, 07:21

>>>Then why did you respond to a post that was in response to one of my posts?<<<

Because you started responding to me you dumbass!

You really are a complete moron! I thought at first that it may just be an act, but it isn't...you really are stupid!

And you again show that since you do not have the intelligence to get one on me about boxing, you know, what this message board is about, you do like some old woman and go after grammatical errors on a message board...sad...really, really sad!

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 11 Feb 2006, 07:44

tigerpomfret wrote:I`ve never really understood why some so called boxing critics try to class those 2 as "GREAT" it just isn`t true,both so overated,i suppose they were very lucky to be around in a poor era.

Well put Brian!...

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 11 Feb 2006, 07:46

barry wrote:>>>Then why did you respond to a post that was in response to one of my posts?<<<

Because you started responding to me you dumbass!

You really are a complete moron! I thought at first that it may just be an act, but it isn't...you really are stupid!

And you again show that since you do not have the intelligence to get one on me about boxing, you know, what this message board is about, you do like some old woman and go after grammatical errors on a message board...sad...really, really sad!

Were you two seperated at birth or something???

... jeez!!.... 8)

kovit · Post by **kovit** » 11 Feb 2006, 08:23

Silkov, I found the picture of Jose Napoles knocking out Ralph Charles and Charles' legs are longer than Napoles. Charles' trunks are shorter than Napoles. Do you think Charles stood about 5 foot 11 inches or 6 feet tall?

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 11 Feb 2006, 12:43

kovit wrote:Silkov, I found the picture of Jose Napoles knocking out Ralph Charles and Charles' legs are longer than Napoles. Charles' trunks are shorter than Napoles. Do you think Charles stood about 5 foot 11 inches or 6 feet tall?

5 feet 10 I'd say at the most....

Syntax Error · Post by **Syntax Error** » 11 Feb 2006, 12:47

1996; Lewis wins quite comfortably.

Lewis would have been a bit fearful of Tyson & when Lewis was scared, he was great.

Tyson was too one dimensional in 1996.

He would not have had enough to defeat a prime Lennox Lewis at that stage.

dr_devious · Post by **dr_devious** » 11 Feb 2006, 13:09

Syntax Error wrote:1996; Lewis wins quite comfortably.

Lewis would have been a bit fearful of Tyson & when Lewis was scared, he was great.

Tyson was too one dimensional in 1996.

He would not have had enough to defeat a prime Lennox Lewis at that stage.

Completely agree Syntax, both men were quicker than in their 2002 fight and i see a similar outcome, Lewis keeping away for Tyson for a few rounds until he gets tired, then beating him up. Tyson would have been more competitive but I see him getting stopped late