"quality" opponents Wlad "fought"

[Max Power]

Lennox's reign...not as long as Wladimir's


Now of course Lennox had some proper rivals: Holyfield (an older one), Grant (like it or not was built up to be a rival), Tyson (albeit an older one), David Tua, Frank Bruno (an older one) etc. But there were guys Lewis never fought Riddick Bowe comes to mind. Not Lennox's fault, but the fight didn't happen we can speculate on how it would go but it'll never be more than speculation.


.

I remember Lewis vs Grant was billed as 2BIG Lewis exposed that boy as 2fraudulent, so I concur.

I also remember Rock Newman having Riddick Bowe throw the belt in the garbage can. As much as I like Riddick-- that was a hoe-ass move. I credit Lennox for that- How does Bowe not want to fight that man who beat him in the olympics?

Tyson would beat Bruce Seldon because he payed Lennox Lewis $ 4 million dollars September 1996 to 'step aside' correct? That is the buster of all hoe azz moves. especially considering that phantom punch Seldon got hit with....two knockdowns.

Akinwande was so scurred of Lennox he held him like they were slow dragging at prom night- till he got DQ'd.

And just like Wlad, Lennox got stopped by nobodies- McCall (Tyson's sparring partner) and Rahman who Maskaev beat his butt outta the ring. Jim Lampley: Rahman is LAYING RIGHT NEXT TO ME! RIGHT NEXT TO ME!

What separates Lennox from Wlad appears simple to me: Lennox has been in dog fights- and won.
Tyson decisioned Ruddock- Lewis destroyed him in 2. Bruno IMO was to Lennox what Brewster was to Wlad- both Lennox & Wlad were raw and didnt have years of Manny Steward's mentoring.
Mercer to Lewis IMO could be Sanders & Wlad. Not style wise, but digging deep down.
Lennox dug down deep, Wlad just fell down.
Golota had just schooled Bowe, but broke down mentally & DQ'd Going into that fight Golota's rep IMO was more solid than say an Ibrigamov or Povetkin for Wlad...Lennox destroyed that boy in one.

Briggs - strong fighter but suspect skills came out swingin for the fences and Lennox dismantled Briggs and landed Haye-friggin makers on Briggs.

Based on those fights and the ones not made, give me the opinion that Wlad wouldn't have hung with Lennox. Not a fact, its all speculation, as you said we will never know, so we just argue like we think we know how it woulda went down and I say Lennox beats Wlad's Muth#@%^! ass!
What is fact: Wlad has ruled for a long time like Holmes and I really dont have too many good names to add to Larry Holmes either..

I disagree.

Lewis never fought an opponent like Sanders, he ducked ALL southpaws. And Sanders combination of qualities, dangerous in the early rounds was EXACTLY the juice necessary to catch a lazy Lewis off guard and KO him as well. I would say not the same stylistically, but this fight is analogous to Lewis's loss to McCall!

The Brewster fight was illegitimate in my book because Wladimir was diagnosed with, PROVEN to have a life-threatening condition immediately post-bout. That is why the big money never materialised for Brewster because everybody KNEW. Of course it was good fuel for American haters to still try to pass off to this very day as negative stigma. The Brewster fight was NOTHING like the Mercer battle for Lennox, which was a competitive fight for LEwis. Wladimir single sidedly bashed Brewsters brains out until he succumbed to illness right at the very end. Wladimir would NEVER be troubled by a boxer like Ray MErcer ever.

Shannon Briggs BREACHED Lennox and nearly got the drop on him! Again, I can't see Wladimir having any problems with Shannon.

I can't see Wladimir letting MAvrovic run around for 12 rounds.

I can't see Wladimir losing rounds to Holyfield.

The only guys LEnnox truly wasted, Botha, Ruddock, Grant and Golota- These guys are nothing more than humdrum opponents for Wladimir too.

To say that Wladimir could not hang with LEnnox doesn't stand up to facts because many lesser fighters did and many lesser fighters pushed LEnnox.

We will have to agree to disagree as everytime you say I cant see....doesnt stand up to
facts either. I have no problem knowing what you can't see. Its your perspective. Not the world's.

That's fair enough.

The only thing I will give Lennox is that he has been a better finisher of good opponents. Only Ray Austin got blown out by defense-oriented Wladimir (huggy bear for lack of better definition lol) whereas LEnnox blew out the 4 mentioned. Previous offense-oriented Wladimir was a good finisher too but he took little chances after Sanders to ensure victory and prevent any further upsets but at the expense of far less excitement.

The same attempts to crowd please from Lennox however are the things that also make him more vulnerable than Wladimir. If he chose to take such chances against Wladimir himself, I don't think Lennox would like the consequences so much.

I would expect Lennox vs Wladimir to be a very cautious and technical affair. Of extremely high level though.