BoxRec

Ron Lyle

Joe Frazier

Jimmy Young

Larry Holmes

Earnie Shavers

Ken Norton

George Foreman

Muhammad Ali

Jerry Quarry

Oscar Bonavena

ThatOne wrote:Ron Lyle

Joe Frazier

Jimmy Young

Larry Holmes

Earnie Shavers

Ken Norton

George Foreman

Muhammad Ali

Jerry Quarry

Oscar Bonavena

Lyle = tbh, I haven't seen enough of Lyle to formulate an opinion.


Frazier = tough one, I can see Lewis holding, leaning, muscling and basically nullifying everything Frazier does. I can also see Frazier getting under the jab a few times, landing a few left hooks and putting Lewis on the floor. Can't pick one scenario over the other.

Young = I can't see a way for young to win this. Contender for dullest fight of the century, Lewis paints with the jab, can't time the right hand, Young can't get into range.

Holmes = Holmes wins, better jab, better (not harder) right hand, better footwork. Lewis' size is the only thing that could in any way make it competitive.

Shavers = I don't think Shavers would be landing much in this. Safty first, second and third Lewis wins on points although either of them could flatten the other at any given point.

Norton = Lewis batters him. Nuff said.

Foreman = Foreman batters him. Nuff said.

Ali = Tough one to imagine this, Lewis never fought anyone remotely like Ali, Ali never fought anyone as big as Lewis (correct me if I'm wrong). I think both have their moments, basically a nip and tuck fight, lots of feignting and measuring, ultimately Lewis tires and Ali wins a comfortable points victory.

Quarry = Well, good big man vs good small man. Lewis wins, probably points.

Bonavena = Lewis points win. possibly a late tko but I doubt it.

Ron Lyle.............................. Lewis Wins

Joe Frazier........................... Frazier Wins

Jimmy Young....................... Lewis Wins

Larry Holmes....................... Lewis Wins

Earnie Shavers.................... Lewis Wins

Ken Norton......................... Norton Wins

George Foreman................. Foreman Wins

Muhammad Ali................... Ali Wins

Jerry Quarry...................... Lewis Wins

Oscar Bonavena................. Lewis Wins

I like Lewis over Quarry,Young & Bonavena.

He is 50/50 with Norton, Lyle & Shavers. Slight lean to Norton for me.

Frazier, Holmes, Foreman & Ali beat him.

mrbassie wrote:

ThatOne wrote:Ron Lyle

Joe Frazier

Jimmy Young

Larry Holmes

Earnie Shavers

Ken Norton

George Foreman

Muhammad Ali

Jerry Quarry

Oscar Bonavena

Lyle = tbh, I haven't seen enough of Lyle to formulate an opinion.


Frazier = tough one, I can see Lewis holding, leaning, muscling and basically nullifying everything Frazier does. I can also see Frazier getting under the jab a few times, landing a few left hooks and putting Lewis on the floor. Can't pick one scenario over the other.

Young = I can't see a way for young to win this. Contender for dullest fight of the century, Lewis paints with the jab, can't time the right hand, Young can't get into range.

Holmes = Holmes wins, better jab, better (not harder) right hand, better footwork. Lewis' size is the only thing that could in any way make it competitive.

Shavers = I don't think Shavers would be landing much in this. Safty first, second and third Lewis wins on points although either of them could flatten the other at any given point.

Norton = Lewis batters him. Nuff said.

Foreman = Foreman batters him. Nuff said.

Ali = Tough one to imagine this, Lewis never fought anyone remotely like Ali, Ali never fought anyone as big as Lewis (correct me if I'm wrong). I think both have their moments, basically a nip and tuck fight, lots of feignting and measuring, ultimately Lewis tires and Ali wins a comfortable points victory.

Quarry = Well, good big man vs good small man. Lewis wins, probably points.

Bonavena = Lewis points win. possibly a late tko but I doubt it.

Id have to agree with the vast majority of this (especially the Frazier indecision).

The only changes Id make to the above...

Lyle --- Lewis stops him late, ahead, but not dominating, on the cards at the time. TKO11.

Holmes --- Lewis fights to spoil and the bout ends up reasonably competitive, though interminably dull. Holmes still wins (7-4-1).

Norton --- Winds up giving Lewis a GREAT fight which goes to the wire on points.

Eveything else saved me the time. Oh, and in the 60's, Ali did fight Ernie Terrell, who was 6'6" (an inch taller than Lewis, though a lot lighter I believe). He also fought Liston, who had an equal reach to Lewis (84") despite being nowhere near as tall. There were other big guys throughout his career. Foreman and Holmes, for instance.

I think I have to agree that Lewis is a big favorite over Lyle. While I rate Lennox in my top 10, he is just so damn vulnerable looking. His record shows that some of that is more perception than reality, but the McCall & Rahman fights are too vivid for me to rule out a Shavers who I'm quite certain Lennox couldn't handle one right hand from. Now the same is true the other way around and Lewis has a tremendous advantage in size and skill, but one punch ends it for Earnie and I think he could land it.

Lewis beats Young (barely), Bonavena, and Quarry. Lyle and Shavers to me are 50/50. Loses to Ali, Holmes, Foreman and Norton.

Really, I think I'd put money on both Earnie and Lyle vs Lennox. Lewis is a better overall boxer than both but both hit like mack trucks, had good speed, and took their power to the late rounds. When I see a fatigued Lewis throwing one punch at a time vs Mercer, Mavoric or an old Evander, I think he would be very vulnerable to getting caught by some big shots vs those guys once he started getting tired. They were much better than your Tuas, Rahmans, and Briggs's.

I dont know if it is merely the passage of time (always a factor) or just the Klitschko's (more likely, IMO), but Ive noticed Lewis' stock has gone WAY up these past few years. Under-sold in his day, I now see him right on the cusp of over-rated.

dempseyfire wrote:Lewis beats Young (barely), Bonavena, and Quarry. Lyle and Shavers to me are 50/50. Loses to Ali, Holmes, Foreman and Norton.

Really, I think I'd put money on both Earnie and Lyle vs Lennox. Lewis is a better overall boxer than both but both hit like mack trucks, had good speed, and took their power to the late rounds. When I see a fatigued Lewis throwing one punch at a time vs Mercer, Mavoric or an old Evander, I think he would be very vulnerable to getting caught by some big shots vs those guys once he started getting tired. They were much better than your Tuas, Rahmans, and Briggs's.

Shavers is always live because of his punch and Lewis' chin --- but speaking of over-rated, Shavers' reputation is criminal. Lewis was just STREETS superior. Lyle, he was a better all-round boxer by a good distance than Shavers, but Id be surprised if he pulled this off.

Lewis on his best night should have both guys pretty clearly licked, IMO.

I think we’re losing focus here.

I agree that Lyle and Shavers are more than capable of beating Lewis. But 50-50?

Lewis can win by a one shot stoppage, an attrition stoppage or a decision. Shavers and Lyle will either KO Lewis or get soundly beaten.

I would never rule out a Lyle or Shaves victory. But 50-50?

Lewis was clearly too good to be 50-50 with either, IMO. Clearly.

mrbassie wrote:

ThatOne wrote:Ron Lyle

Joe Frazier

Jimmy Young

Larry Holmes

Earnie Shavers

Ken Norton

George Foreman

Muhammad Ali

Jerry Quarry

Oscar Bonavena

Lyle = tbh, I haven't seen enough of Lyle to formulate an opinion.


Frazier = tough one, I can see Lewis holding, leaning, muscling and basically nullifying everything Frazier does. I can also see Frazier getting under the jab a few times, landing a few left hooks and putting Lewis on the floor. Can't pick one scenario over the other.

Young = I can't see a way for young to win this. Contender for dullest fight of the century, Lewis paints with the jab, can't time the right hand, Young can't get into range.

Holmes = Holmes wins, better jab, better (not harder) right hand, better footwork. Lewis' size is the only thing that could in any way make it competitive.

Shavers = I don't think Shavers would be landing much in this. Safty first, second and third Lewis wins on points although either of them could flatten the other at any given point.

Norton = Lewis batters him. Nuff said.

Foreman = Foreman batters him. Nuff said.

Ali = Tough one to imagine this, Lewis never fought anyone remotely like Ali, Ali never fought anyone as big as Lewis (correct me if I'm wrong). I think both have their moments, basically a nip and tuck fight, lots of feignting and measuring, ultimately Lewis tires and Ali wins a comfortable points victory.

Quarry = Well, good big man vs good small man. Lewis wins, probably points.

Bonavena = Lewis points win. possibly a late tko but I doubt it.

Foreman batters him , nuff said? I'm not saying Lewis is Ali but Foreman had no style at all, Lewis would have seen his punches come all day long. Once Forman tires in this one, Lewis make a mess of him

EVERYONE saw Foremans punches coming. How many were able to do anything about it?

Very few. Lewis would be no exception.

Ezzard wrote:I think we’re losing focus here.

I agree that Lyle and Shavers are more than capable of beating Lewis. But 50-50?

Lewis can win by a one shot stoppage, an attrition stoppage or a decision. Shavers and Lyle will either KO Lewis or get soundly beaten.

I would never rule out a Lyle or Shaves victory. But 50-50?

I changed my mind on Lyle. I honestly don't think Lennox can take a single right hand from Shavers. If they fought ten times, I think lennox would get stopped early five times. I obviously could be wrong, but the right hand he dropped on Ali in the second or Holmes in the seventh is the end of Lennox night.

I just think Lewis is more than likely to get there first. I'd give it to Earnie 3 out of 10.

Goodnight, Irene wrote:EVERYONE saw Foremans punches coming. How many were able to do anything about it?

Very few. Lewis would be no exception.

I obviously don't agree

Roars Like Me wrote:

Foreman batters him , nuff said? I'm not saying Lewis is Ali but Foreman had no style at all, Lewis would have seen his punches come all day long. Once Forman tires in this one, Lewis make a mess of him

I think Lewis would be on the floor before Foreman got tired.

Ezzard wrote:I just think Lewis is more than likely to get there first. I'd give it to Earnie 3 out of 10.

I have a hard time seeing Lennox attack such a dangerous opponent early. That's against his nature with the exception of Ruddock.

Yes, see what you mean. pre-McCall he went after people.

What about Grant? does he qualify as danergous?

Shavers just isnt in Lewis' league at all. Lewis could KO him by accident. He had pourous defense and would be putty if struck with Lewis' overhand right. Ali and Holmes had a limited punch --- Lewis does not (although he may well eschew it for a safety-first gameplan --- which is fine --- he could own Shavers as he pleases).

Shavers gets way too much cred in general. He isnt even near to Lewis' league.

Ezzard wrote:Yes, see what you mean. pre-McCall he went after people.

What about Grant? does he qualify as danergous?

In hindsight, no he doesn't, not at all. At the time people thought he was, it didn't look like Lennox did.

Goodnight, Irene wrote:Shavers just isnt in Lewis' league at all. Lewis could KO him by accident. He had pourous defense and would be putty if struck with Lewis' overhand right. Ali and Holmes had a limited punch --- Lewis does not (although he may well eschew it for a safety-first gameplan --- which is fine --- he could own Shavers as he pleases).

Shavers gets way too much cred in general. He isnt even near to Lewis' league.

I've never seen anyone place Shavers in Lewis's league from a ratings standpoint. While Shavers is overrated in some circles, he is underrated compared to the useless bum you paint him as every time his name comes up.

He stopped Norton, Young, Ellis, Williams and Bugner. And he landed shots on Holmes & Ali that Lewis could have never dreamed of standing up to.

Did he get lucky all of those times? Or is Lennox just too damn powerful and intelligent to get caught with a punch from a guy who wasn't in his league?

You are right, I have an axe to grind with him.

Not a personal one by any means, its purely aimed at his rep (he did get damn lucky against Ellis at a minimum, BTW, and had a double-dose of luck against Young --- I refuse to seriously credit him for either Young fight).

Still, I believe what I wrote is pretty compelling --- that Lewis was just WAYYY superior (agree that Shavers is one shot away at any time, however).

Lennox Lewis vs

Ron Lyle: Lennox box cautiosly and will try to use his longer reach. He will be a safety first fighter and a killer later. He beats Lyle either way if Lennox comes at his very best.


Joe Frazier: Lennox, At his very best, if he is fighting this great fighting machine, the great Smokin' Joe of the late 60s and early 70s (before the fight of the century), would get KO'd. I don't think that he could hurt Joe, being Joe at his very best. Lennox won't be able to handle the pressure that Joe would have put on him. Ask the great Muhammad Ali in fight #1

Jimmy Young: It would be a tactical fight from the beginning. But I think if Jimmy, the one that beat the great George Foreman and Muhammad Ali (got robbed on that one) comes in great shape, will give Lennox a boxing lesson

Larry Holmes: Another tactical fight. Both of them using their jabs. Holmes jab was sharper and quicker. Holmes might go to the canvas once, but he had great recuperative powers. He stops Lennox in 12. Lewis stamina is a concern in this fight like in the Frazier fight.

Earnie Shavers: It is a 50/50, but one punch from Earnie like he did the great Larry Holmes, I don't think that Lennox would get up from that one.

Ken Norton: Another tactical match. Both using jabs and counters. Lennox is not Big George nor Earnie Shavers in punching power. The Norton that beat the great Muhammad Ali 3 times will pressure Lennox and Lennox wilts between 13th and 15th rounds

George Foreman: I cannot see him outbox Foreman. Foreman by KO. Lennox is not Jimmy Young, nor Ali nor Holmes in boxing savvy.

Muhammad Ali: Too much boxing skill for Lewis to handle. He had everything more than Lewis except, I think, in punchig power, Ali was inferior in that department. But Ali had a decent punch, faster jab, accuracy, and too much foot speed and hand speed for Lennox to handle. Prime for prime, a mismatch. Ali by TKO late or a sound beating for an UD. I will pick TKO for "The Greatest" because of Lennox's chin.

Jerry Quarry: Quarry would be too small. I cannot see him get inside. Lennox by cuts in 9 rounds.

Oscar Bonavena: Bonavena's pressure will haunt Lewis. Argentina wins the world crown against England, this time, there is no Hand of God by Diego Maradona but the Fist of Oscar. Bonavena was too tough. Ali did not outboxed him nor break him until the end.

Bonavena beats him!? Young delivers a boxing lesson? How the hell could anyone observe Lewis' MONSTER right hand and remark he couldnt hurt Frazier!? Couldnt dent Norton!?