2002 Lennox Lewis vs 1988 Mike Tyson

[Primo Carnera]

I think Tyson might be too intimidated. He always struggled when top class fighters fought him with confidence. He really only beat Ruddock when faced with that type of challenge. I would take Lewis by fairly comfortable decision.

again, the thread clearly says the "1988 Tyson". I really don't recall Tyson being intimidated by anybody at that time, infact Completely the opposite. He intimidated every guy he fought up to then. Top class fighters that fought him with confidence? were there any? Berbick tried to be confident and copied Tyson Black boots, no socks to try to wind him up, and look what happened to him , and he was World Champion!!!!!!!
88 Tyson beats 2002 Lewis and The Best Tyson beats The Best Lewis!!!

[El Kabong]

again, the thread clearly says the "1988 Tyson". I really don't recall Tyson being intimidated by anybody at that time

Who had he fought to be intimidated by at that point? An older and out of shape Larry HolmesBonecrusher Smith Tyrell Biggs? At that time the division was far from flush with intimidating power punchers, it was the holdovers from the Holmes era and a bunch of young fighters who developed a little later than Tyson.


Mike Tyson was a force of nature, but don't forget there have been other boxers that have had that aura about them and vs better competition IMO....George Foreman was far and away more intimidating than Tyson. Sure Tyson beats Michael Spinks who went toe to toe with Holmes quickly...but Foreman just man handled Joe Frazier who beat Ali....Frazier being a TRUE heavyweight as well, one that took everything Ali threw at him and then some. Joe Louis made up for the lack of competition his era had with quantity and had he not given 3 of his prime years to be in the Army he could have had 30 or 40 consecutive successful title defenses!!! Joe Louis would KO you in 1 or he'd KO you in 12 or even later if needed, his power stayed around and his timing, accuracy, and delivery of that power were just things of beauty.

Mike Tyson gets overrated quite a bit, I like him but come on a Prime Lennox Lewis had all the tools to beat a Prime Tyson...height, reach, a good jab, good defense, strength, and power. I'd say Prime v Prime Lennox wins 8 out of 10 times vs Tyson.

[TitoFan]

again, the thread clearly says the "1988 Tyson". I really don't recall Tyson being intimidated by anybody at that time

Who had he fought to be intimidated by at that point? An older and out of shape Larry HolmesBonecrusher Smith Tyrell Biggs? At that time the division was far from flush with intimidating power punchers, it was the holdovers from the Holmes era and a bunch of young fighters who developed a little later than Tyson.


Mike Tyson was a force of nature, but don't forget there have been other boxers that have had that aura about them and vs better competition IMO....George Foreman was far and away more intimidating than Tyson. Sure Tyson beats Michael Spinks who went toe to toe with Holmes quickly...but Foreman just man handled Joe Frazier who beat Ali....Frazier being a TRUE heavyweight as well, one that took everything Ali threw at him and then some. Joe Louis made up for the lack of competition his era had with quantity and had he not given 3 of his prime years to be in the Army he could have had 30 or 40 consecutive successful title defenses!!! Joe Louis would KO you in 1 or he'd KO you in 12 or even later if needed, his power stayed around and his timing, accuracy, and delivery of that power were just things of beauty.

Mike Tyson gets overrated quite a bit, I like him but come on a Prime Lennox Lewis had all the tools to beat a Prime Tyson...height, reach, a good jab, good defense, strength, and power. I'd say Prime v Prime Lennox wins 8 out of 10 times vs Tyson.

I agree, but there's one missing factor...... mentality.

Tyson at his peak was unwavering. He fought some huge punchers (ie: Razor Ruddock), and still found the way and the will to win. With Lennox, you didn't know what you were going to get on fight night. Laser-focused and angry..... or lazy and lackadaisical. If you add the adjectives on 2002 Lewis, namely focused and determined..... THEN I would agree with Lewis winning 7 or 8 times out of 10. Otherwise forget it.

[El Kabong]

I agree, but there's one missing factor...... mentality.

Tyson at his peak was unwavering. He fought some huge punchers (ie: Razor Ruddock), and still found the way and the will to win. With Lennox, you didn't know what you were going to get on fight night. Laser-focused and angry..... or lazy and lackadaisical. If you add the adjectives on 2002 Lewis, namely focused and determined..... THEN I would agree with Lewis winning 7 or 8 times out of 10. Otherwise forget it.

Alright then, let's account for that then




All of that was bubbling under the surface, just 1 or 2 good shots away

[TitoFan]

Yeah, we all know Tyson was a head case.
Still, he never went into the ring unfocused or lackadaisical.

[ross]

I agree, but there's one missing factor...... mentality.

Tyson at his peak was unwavering. He fought some huge punchers (ie: Razor Ruddock), and still found the way and the will to win. With Lennox, you didn't know what you were going to get on fight night. Laser-focused and angry..... or lazy and lackadaisical. If you add the adjectives on 2002 Lewis, namely focused and determined..... THEN I would agree with Lewis winning 7 or 8 times out of 10. Otherwise forget it.

Alright then, let's account for that then




All of that was bubbling under the surface, just 1 or 2 good shots away

This is a 15 year old child.....

[mikeeod]

Back to the main point, Tyson would always have a punchers chance vs Lennox, so a Tyson win isn't out of the question. That being said, Lewis was much larger and would've come in against Tyson with a laser focus due to Mike being so dangerous. With both versions fighting their best fights, Lennox comes out ahead. Too many weapons, too smart, and too big for any version of Mike Tyson.

[El Kabong]

This is a 15 year old child.....

Yes and he was the youngest heavyweight champion of all time....just pointing out that a Tyson who wept before fights wasn't all that far in the past. But please feel free to elaborate on how Tyson grew emotionally and psychologically in the 7 years between this and 1988.

[TitoFan]

This is a 15 year old child.....

Yes and he was the youngest heavyweight champion of all time....just pointing out that a Tyson who wept before fights wasn't all that far in the past. But please feel free to elaborate on how Tyson grew emotionally and psychologically in the 7 years between this and 1988.

I don't think Tyson grew up emotionally and psychologically until after he retired.

However, that is besides the point I was originally trying to make. Whereas Lewis was given to the periodic lackadaisical attitude, which earned him two knockout losses which he later avenged, Tyson was not. Regardless of whether he won or lost, Tyson went in there trying to rip your head off. His head was a mess.... but inside the ring he was like a caged animal. If the Lewis that got KO'ed against Rahman and McCall shows up against prime Tyson, he gets KTFO'ed..... I don't care how much bigger Lewis is. Otherwise, the saying that a great big man beats a great little man has a lot of truth to it. Prime Tyson versus a prime (and laser-focused) Lewis would be a helluva fight. But I think Lewis takes it over 50% of the time.

[ross]

This is a 15 year old child.....

Yes and he was the youngest heavyweight champion of all time....just pointing out that a Tyson who wept before fights wasn't all that far in the past. But please feel free to elaborate on how Tyson grew emotionally and psychologically in the 7 years between this and 1988.

Are you for real?

You cant comprehend the difference in maturity between a 15 year old and a man who had been in the biggest fights the world had known at 22?

[Britkid]

I think Tyson might be too intimidated. He always struggled when top class fighters fought him with confidence. He really only beat Ruddock when faced with that type of challenge. I would take Lewis by fairly comfortable decision.

again, the thread clearly says the "1988 Tyson". I really don't recall Tyson being intimidated by anybody at that time, infact Completely the opposite. He intimidated every guy he fought up to then. Top class fighters that fought him with confidence? were there any? Berbick tried to be confident and copied Tyson Black boots, no socks to try to wind him up, and look what happened to him , and he was World Champion!!!!!!!
88 Tyson beats 2002 Lewis and The Best Tyson beats The Best Lewis!!!

Watch the old home footage of Tyson then, he was often terrified as he stood there waiting for the bell. D'Amato et al had a hard time just getting him in the ring (El Kabong posted an example of this, in the post below).

Although they did an excellent job boosting his self confidence I cannot believe Tyson was not constantly fighting with self doubt. Look at the way he behaved, you do not need to be a psychologist to see it was a bravado to hide his true feelings.

That said Tyson was indeed a phenomenon; with the fastest hands and feet seen this side of Ali, and them tools did get him out of any of the minor troubles he had in 85 through to 89 in the ring. But from Douglas on he could not control his demons enough not to affect his performances in the ring.

I would say that 'breakdown' would have occurred earlier if it had been mid 90s Holyfield, or a Steward version of Lewis, or indeed a 'Tokyo' Buster Douglas the other side of the ring in 85, 86, 87, 88 or 89.

[Vendettos]

1988 Tyson is the best HW of all time. Its like men vs machine.

[nmc231295]

Tyson.
always

[Fenster]

I said prime Tyson would start favourite over any boxer in history because in his pomp I believe he was the most spectacular, intimidating heavyweight ever.

However, that doesn't mean I think he would beat everyone. Not even close.

In 1988 Tyson beat an ancient (for those times) 225lbs Larry Holmes, a 240 fat Tony Tubbs and a 210 Spinks.

2002 Lennox Lewis is a 250lb athlete, unflappable, has superb skills, intelligent, a massive puncher and recognised as the best heavyweight on the planet, due to having beat everyone he'd ever faced.

I think it's fair to say in Tyson's pomp he never faced anyone close to Lewis.

[Primo Carnera]

I said prime Tyson would start favourite over any boxer in history because in his pomp I believe he was the most spectacular, intimidating heavyweight ever.

However, that doesn't mean I think he would beat everyone. Not even close.

In 1988 Tyson beat an ancient (for those times) 225lbs Larry Holmes, a 240 fat Tony Tubbs and a 210 Spinks.

2002 Lennox Lewis is a 250lb athlete, unflappable, has superb skills, intelligent, a massive puncher and recognised as the best heavyweight on the planet, due to having beat everyone he'd ever faced.

I think it's fair to say in Tyson's pomp he never faced anyone close to Lewis.

yep, my points were.
a. saying he starts favourite and not divulging further implies that "he should beat them" and
b. this isn't aimed at you, but you said yourself that he was the "most intimidating HW ever" , yet Britkid was saying that Tyson was himself intimidated and afraid.
if you think Lewis beats Tyson fine, you've made points to stake your claim . I personally don't agree, but that's what this forum is about.......different opinions.