Lennox Lewis - The gloss

[Memphis]

Rahman was beaten convincingly, no doubt there.

McCall went crazy/mental ill/nervous breakdown/withdrawal from drugs during his fight but still think Lewis owned him in the rematch.

Lennox should never have lost to these fighters but his trainer pepe was poor when he lost to Oliver and Manny Steward (who was in McCall's corner) sorted Lennox out.

This kind of rubber stamps what I'm saying. There're no doubt over the Rahman fight because Lewis won it convincingly. Yet he was chinned pretty convincingly the first time around, a fair draw if ever there was one. We just decide for ourselves that the second fight was the one that really mattered and counts.

McCall 2, I don't think you can say anything other than he won by default didn't he? If the second Rahman fight was the 'real' Lewis. Surely the first Lewis V McCall fight was a better indication of the 'real' Oliver McCall in which he won by convincing stoppage.

I think the narrative for Lennox Lewis losing to Rahman the first time was that he was not taking the fight seriously, was filming Oceans 11 and the altitude was a factor. Lewis was gulping for air during the first fight. Lennox won many of the rounds before being knocked out. So when the result of the rematch happened it validated all those things. There was no need for a 3rd fight which I know Rahman was begging for. Lennox also knew he was nearing the end of his career and wanted the "big money fights".

You can not blame Lewis for McCall, he won and there was nothing more he could do about that fight. It may not have been satisfactory for Lewis but that was not Lennox fault.

I'm not blaming him for anything Master, I'm not trying to do him down in any way shape or form. It's just a subject I find quite interesting especially now that we have a leading pack of heavyweights in AJ Wilder and Fury, and every Tom Dick or Harry cant help but compare them to the last great pack of heavyweights and of course, they wouldn't stand a chance. As you can imagine I think that's bollocks.

The narrative for Rahman 1 could be rounded up nicely into a 'Lewis was completely unprofessional' ball. I think he turned up with a few days to spare didn't he to acclimatise? By the same logic that says Lewis can't be held responsible for McCall's unravelling in fight 2, Rahman isn't to blame for Lewis not giving the fight the attention it deserved. Also by the same token, if we're all supposed to tow the party line that Lewis meant business in fight two and that's the true fight right there, then surely the same luxury should be afforded to McCall and the one true fight that stands is the one i which he knocked Lewis the fuck out.

Lewis is a universally recognised great fighter and nailed on top 5/10 heavyweight of all times. I just think there are some issues in his career that are papered over with two identical statements that aren't necessarily accurate and certainly not fair to the other fighters. Given that he is now a yardstick by which to measure contemporary fighters, I think it's worth noting and discussing his shortcomings.