I am speechless that you are a boxing fan and can write such a stupid post.
You been following boxing long? You may have picked up over the years that guys hit their prime at different ages. To say Lennox Lewis at 25 would have beaten Lennox Lewis at 35 is a joke.
Did you see Lewis before he hook up with Manny Steward? Lewis peaked late, IN HIS 30s, if you can believe it!
Tyson peaked very early, in his early 20's. By the time Tyson hit 30 he was a clear notch or two below his prime.
You really telling me you have been a boxing fan, but have not ever notice that boxers hit their peaks at different times? You never noticed some guys are done at 32, others at 38?
Stick around and watch boxing for a few more years. You may see this first hand.
BTW sorry if you are just getting into boxing as a fan and I am getting a little harsh, but it is frustrating to explain this over and over.
Actually I have been a boxing fan for more than 35 years. My dad, a former pro, took me to my first “live” fight in 1966, Cassius Clay / Brian London. I remember that I was upset at not going to the Clay / Henry Cooper fight three months earlier, but that was on a school night so no go.
Getting back to your comments…..
Of course I realize that fighter’s peak at different ages. That’s got little to do with natural development and everything to do with training and lifestyle.
It is said that the human males reach physical peak at 21 - 22 years of age. Lifestyle, Training and Diet will enhance or prolong strength, endurance flexibility and body composition.
Imagine if Manny Steward had hooked up with Lewis when Lewis was 24 years old. The 25 year old Lewis would have kicked the 37 year old versions ass.
Ask Steward which version he would have preferred to work with. And while you’ve got him on the phone, ask him about Dennis Andries too. If you are saying that Steward would rather have a 37 year old Lewis or a 40 year old Andries and not the younger versions – then you are the one being stupid.
How many times have you heard trainers say – “I wish I had this guy 10 years ago” ?
Lewis “peaked” at age 21/ 22 just like the rest of the human race. The fact he had better training in later years meant he was able hang on to that peak longer.
It is a fact – all things being equal - a 25 year old man is in better physical shape than a 37 year old man. What makes the difference are the things like training, diet, motivation, desire, and of course, punches taken - things that impact on a fighter no matter what his age.
Don’t confuse ability with success. Lewis was more successful at age 37, than he was at 25, that’s true. Does this mean he was better at 37 than he was at 25… not necessarily?
I know I am speaking in general terms, there have been some exceptions of fighters developing late, but for every one you can name, there will be 40 or 50 fighters who will say that “ I was better in my youth”.
All the old fighter’s who come back after years of layoff , Foreman, for example, and claim they are better now than they used to be, they are kidding themselves.
Was Walcott better at 25 than at 37,?. Better motivated, more confident, certainly, better physically?, I doubt it. If Walcott had that confidence and motivation earlier he may have beaten Abe Simon in 1940, when aged 26, and then would have taken Simon’s place and fought Louis in 1941. both aged 27 years old. Now that would have been a good fight
You asked if I ever watched Lewis before Steward came along, yes I did. Lewis at 25 had just won the European Heavyweight Title from Chanet, I was at that fight, as well as his fights with Ocasio, Mason, McCrory, Williams, Ruddock, Bruno, and McCall.
Lewis was pretty damn good in my opinion, and wasn’t exactly a no hoper. At 25 years old he was on the brink of moving into the big time with a record of 14 – 0 – 0.
At the time of the first Steward trained fight with Lionel Butler, Lewis was nearly 30 years old and on the comeback trail after the McCall loss.
Lewis success in his 30s wasn’t because his body suddenly matured late – it was no freak of nature - no accident, - it was down to a lot of hard work.
I know one thing – If Steward had had Lewis from age 15, like Cus did for Tyson, a fight between these guys around 1988 would have been worth watching.
Tyson peaked very early. Do you see a pattern forming here – Lewis peaked late ( after Steward’s involvement), Tyson peaked early, (before Cus’s departure)
The point I was making was that people make excuses for Tyson getting beat when he was past 30, but make no allowance for the fact that he is not the only fighter who has to deal with aging muscles and outside influences etc.
I recon if you asked Andries, Lewis, Braddock, Foreman, Walcott, - they would all say, - “I wish I had the same desire, influence, and opportunity when I was younger as I did when I was older, just think what I might have achieved.”
You say stick around and watch more boxing, well I have seen enough.
I seen boxing reduced to a complete farce with too many weights and too many mediocre champions. I have seen first hand the erosion of the sport I have loved since I was 7 years old.
Good point re: early 90's, here were sone excellent fighters out there
