The better HW of their era, Holyfield or Lewis?

[BIG H]

I have said above that I think peak Holyfield beats peak Lewis, but it's tight. When was peak Holyfield? The 1st Bowe fight arguably? Lewis was better than Bowe, so maybe Lewis would've out jabbed and beaten Holyfield

I'm sticking with Evander, but very hard to call

[Master]

Whilst I say Tyson beats both at his peak Lewis was better than Holfield.

Holyfields peak is a mystery because after the Bowe defeat he was inconsistent, great against Tyson, Lewis II, Moorer II but poor against Lewis I, Moorer I and Bowe III.

[Mctaggert]

I have picked Lewis but like most people have said its very close between the two. I wish there was a "too close to call" option.

You could say that Holyfield in the early 1990s was in his prime but he was also reckless and often resorted to brawling and standing toe to toe rather than keeping to a game plan.
Lewis for me was the better all round package but he had all the natural advantages Evander didn't. (apart from an iron chin)

[Mr140]

Well Holyfeild resume at heavy is pretty good i mean he has wins over Bowe, Tyson, Foreman, and Holmes and he took to Lewis in rematch at 36. To me his heart condition is what made him inconsistent i mean Holyfeild has alot of medical issues i not sure how he is still allowed to fight to be honest.

[donnydarkoIRL]

I could be entirely wrong, but if we take Holyfield at his best, would he not be a Cruiserweight?

[stebs]

I could be entirely wrong, but if we take Holyfield at his best, would he not be a Cruiserweight?

Yes he would be.

[VictorCharlie]

I have always been a big fan of Evander and I think he may be the more talented of two but as far as legacy and best of the era you really can't argue with Lewis's reign and resume. On a side note I actually thought Evander won the Lewis rematch.

[milmascaras1]

both of these guys were ATG's imo. holyfield had a great run and is probably considered top 10 all-time at heavyweight. until last year, after viewing some of lewis' earlier fights, i didn't know how great this guy was. this guy was absolutely incredible and i think vastly underrated. okay, so, if you had to put a gun to my head, i would have to pick lennox lewis over holyfield. both of these guys had it all but because of the size difference, lennox was the better heavyweight and certainly a top 8 all-time.

[rjj tszyu]

I have always been a big fan of Evander and I think he may be the more talented of two but as far as legacy and best of the era you really can't argue with Lewis's reign and resume. On a side note I actually thought Evander won the Lewis rematch.

I actually scored the rematch a draw so IMO the 2 fights got the right results just they came with the wrong fights.

[GAME]

Prime for prime I think we'd see the same result.

You have to ask when was Evanders prime. If it was teh early 90s then logic dictates that if a cruiserweight like Cooper could hurt Evander then Lewis would have finished him. If a prime versiuon of Evander was the guy who beat Tyson then Lewis fought him and beat him twice. Evander was a great champion but Lennox had all the pyhiscal tools, too much power, great jab and had his number and would be a hard man to beat against any heavyweight champ in history.

[Spicoli]

Prime for prime I think we'd see the same result.

You have to ask when was Evanders prime. If it was teh early 90s then logic dictates that if a cruiserweight like Cooper could hurt Evander then Lewis would have finished him. If a prime versiuon of Evander was the guy who beat Tyson then Lewis fought him and beat him twice. Evander was a great champion but Lennox had all the pyhiscal tools, too much power, great jab and had his number and would be a hard man to beat against any heavyweight champ in history.

Cooper was a legitimate heavyweight puncher but don't think he hit harder then Foreman...who bounced everything he could off Holyfield in prior fight and didnt do what Cooper did. Holyfields head was all wrong in front of hometown crowd and going from originally being set to meet Mike Tyson who pulled out....then Francesco Damiani....then to literal last minute sub for a sub, Cooper.

Do think Cooper is THE man to have hurt him the worst in career though. Out of everyone,just weird how it translates.

[NUCLEAR BULL]

both holyfield and lewis were great hence there both in everyones all time great heavyweights..........i have to say i like holyfield a bit more...i have alot of both there fights i'm such a fan of them.....for me holyfield did some unbelivable things like beating bowe in the re-match beating tyson twice when he was deemed wash-up...the fact he was only 14.5 stone or 204 lbs when he first become heavyweight champ and hanged with big hitters like big foreman, bowe, holmes makes him a warrior........lewis did some super stuff to.....i edge holyfield for the excitment factor

[ICB]

I have said above that I think peak Holyfield beats peak Lewis, but it's tight. When was peak Holyfield? The 1st Bowe fight arguably? Lewis was better than Bowe, so maybe Lewis would've out jabbed and beaten Holyfield

I'm sticking with Evander, but very hard to call

Evander Holyfield fought the wrong fight vs Riddick Bowe, in there 1st meeting. Plus Lennox Lewis might not have been better than Riddick Bowe in that one fight. It was an amazing performance from Riddick Bowe.

In the rematch Evander Holyfield fought a great fight, possibly one of his best performance's as a Heavyweight. Counter punching sticking/moving, a real good technical performance from Evander Holyfield.

That version of Evander Holyfield i believe beats Lennox Lewis.

[rjj tszyu]

I have said above that I think peak Holyfield beats peak Lewis, but it's tight. When was peak Holyfield? The 1st Bowe fight arguably? Lewis was better than Bowe, so maybe Lewis would've out jabbed and beaten Holyfield

I'm sticking with Evander, but very hard to call

Evander Holyfield fought the wrong fight vs Riddick Bowe, in there 1st meeting. Plus Lennox Lewis might not have been better than Riddick Bowe in that one fight. It was an amazing performance from Riddick Bowe.

In the rematch Evander Holyfield fought a great fight, possibly one of his best performance's as a Heavyweight. Counter punching sticking/moving, a real good technical performance from Evander Holyfield.

That version of Evander Holyfield i believe beats Lennox Lewis.

Me too. Also I don't want to make excuses for Evander but did you know his brother was shot dead right before (i think it was a week) the first Bowe fight? I know I couldn't have gone through with the fight under those circumstances and I often wonder whether he would have been dragged into the war he did had he been totally focused which he surely can't have been.

Anyway this discussion has got my appetite up for watching this trilogy again so I'm off lol.

[BIG H]

I have said above that I think peak Holyfield beats peak Lewis, but it's tight. When was peak Holyfield? The 1st Bowe fight arguably? Lewis was better than Bowe, so maybe Lewis would've out jabbed and beaten Holyfield

I'm sticking with Evander, but very hard to call

Evander Holyfield fought the wrong fight vs Riddick Bowe, in there 1st meeting. Plus Lennox Lewis might not have been better than Riddick Bowe in that one fight. It was an amazing performance from Riddick Bowe.

Can't argue with any of that