How well known was Lennox Lewis

[KananKrus]

First saw him on TV as an amateur boxer representing Jamaica. Then the next time was in the Olympics, he was representing Canada! I don't remember which one though', he beat Riddick Bowe in the gold medal match.

He then turned professional, boxing out of UK! Go figure... It was too confusing to me regarding his nationality, but it is hard not remember this guy, by his sheer size alone. Add to that the great skill, unique to that size.... There weren’t a lot of 6'5" boxers then with decent musculature and athleticism, even now!

I believe he is well known. Anyone following sports surely would! He was a champion for a considerable length of time, and those exposures surely give him due name recognition!

[killersheep]

I believe he was well known, anyone who followed any sports likely knew who he was, he was better known in the US than the Klitschkos are now that's for sure.

[ICB]

He was well known over here in the UK everyone was talking about him all the time, was never really a fan of his style at times but i do enjoy watching some of his fights against Gary Mason, Andrew Golota, Shannon Briggs, Evander Holyfield 2, Vitali Klitschko, Michael Grant, Ray Mercer, Tommy Morrison.

[CGM]

I first heard of him in the lead up to the Olympics, when he was touted as a very good medal candidate for Canada. After winning the gold, I'd say he was always well known here, anyone who had any interest at all in boxing paid attention to his career. His professional development was reported in the Canadian sports pages, and he was though of as a Canadian, even though he moved to England when he turned pro. There is no doubt who Canada favored when it came to the Holyfield bouts.

[Master]

Lennox was very well known but unappreciated because he was perceived to be too laid back, quiet and sometimes overly cautious. He is more respected after he retired.

[Fenster]

I first heard of him in the lead up to the Olympics, when he was touted as a very good medal candidate for Canada. After winning the gold, I'd say he was always well known here, anyone who had any interest at all in boxing paid attention to his career. His professional development was reported in the Canadian sports pages, and he was though of as a Canadian, even though he moved to England when he turned pro. There is no doubt who Canada favored when it came to the Holyfield bouts.

Decided to go back to his place of birth

[CGM]

I first heard of him in the lead up to the Olympics, when he was touted as a very good medal candidate for Canada. After winning the gold, I'd say he was always well known here, anyone who had any interest at all in boxing paid attention to his career. His professional development was reported in the Canadian sports pages, and he was though of as a Canadian, even though he moved to England when he turned pro. There is no doubt who Canada favored when it came to the Holyfield bouts.

Decided to go back to his place of birth

OK I could say he learned his chops in Canada, but really, whatever. Claim a victory on a technicality if it makes you feel better.

Obviously he thought England would serve him better as a pro.

[Fenster]

I first heard of him in the lead up to the Olympics, when he was touted as a very good medal candidate for Canada. After winning the gold, I'd say he was always well known here, anyone who had any interest at all in boxing paid attention to his career. His professional development was reported in the Canadian sports pages, and he was though of as a Canadian, even though he moved to England when he turned pro. There is no doubt who Canada favored when it came to the Holyfield bouts.

Decided to go back to his place of birth

OK I could say he learned his chops in Canada, but really, whatever. Claim a victory on a technicality if it makes you feel better.

Obviously he thought England would serve him better as a pro.

Yes.. we (thats us Brits.. specifically Lennox's fellow Londoners like me ) probably have a lot to thank Canada for.

Without being taken over there he probably wouldn't have been the fighter/person he was.

Then again who knows.

[THE THIRD MAN]

His overrated achievements are known down here.

[DaxxKahn]

Lennox became a known name throughout the sporting world and not just in boxing after the first Holyfield bout....It was a big deal and most American fans felt he was robbed in that fight so it made some noise in the news....,

As he became more dominate he became more famous of course but in short Lewis, Holyfield, Bowe etc were all still shadowed by Tyson in terms of poularity

[CutMeMick]

As mentioned by Sheep, if you followed sports you knew about Lennox.
He was known...

In the year 2000 Reflection Eternal (A group made up of Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek) had Lennox do a short piece on their album "Train of thought"

[Dizaster]

I thought he was pretty well known over here.. Certainly not as well known as Tyson.. I asked my girlfriend and even though I had a Lennox Lewis picture on my wall, she still had no idea who he is.. Although she has heard of Tyson, Ricky Hatfield (i'll let her think that ones right), and our Aussie ones Danny Green, Mundine, KT..

Boxing doesn't get much mainstream press here unless they are an Australian boxer, or a big overseas boxer that is coming to fight here..

A lot of my guy friends though who were by no means into boxing still knew of Lennox, but Tyson & Ali are probably the real 2 standouts that pretty much any person knows.. Not many boxers get to be that famous and well known..

[rjj tszyu]

After Tyson and maybe holyfield probably the best known boxer in the world. Oscar was very popular but you could never argue he was the most popular sportsman in the world whereas you could with them.

[Taeth]

I first heard of him in the lead up to the Olympics, when he was touted as a very good medal candidate for Canada. After winning the gold, I'd say he was always well known here, anyone who had any interest at all in boxing paid attention to his career. His professional development was reported in the Canadian sports pages, and he was though of as a Canadian, even though he moved to England when he turned pro. There is no doubt who Canada favored when it came to the Holyfield bouts.

Decided to go back to his place of birth

But Canada made him the boxer he was. In England he would have been far to refined for the boxing world... depending on where he grew up.

[Fenster]

I first heard of him in the lead up to the Olympics, when he was touted as a very good medal candidate for Canada. After winning the gold, I'd say he was always well known here, anyone who had any interest at all in boxing paid attention to his career. His professional development was reported in the Canadian sports pages, and he was though of as a Canadian, even though he moved to England when he turned pro. There is no doubt who Canada favored when it came to the Holyfield bouts.

Decided to go back to his place of birth

But Canada made him the boxer he was. In England he would have been far to refined for the boxing world... depending on where he grew up.

Yes, probably, i already said that.

Funk knows if Lewis would have even been a boxer if he stayed in England. That's impossible to say.

What do you mean "far to refined?"

Lewis was taken from the rough streets of London to have a cosy upbringing in Ontario.