Tyson of 1988 versus Lewis of 1999

[JazMerkin]

Lewis wins, no doubt in my mind. Tyson always had trouble with guys 6'4" and taller. Tyson looked pretty ordinary against guys like Mitch Green, Tucker, Bonecrusher Smith, and got beat up pretty bad and knocked out by Douglas.

And Lennox Lewis was always the smarter boxer with higher ring IQ. I can't find the clip now on youtube, but I remember watching some random clip that trainers saw Lewis and Tyson sparring in the early 80s as amateurs and Tyson had the edge in the early goings and then Lewis adapted and whipped him. A prime and motivated Lewis? I say he adapts and then whips Tyson, I say late round KO.

A 16 year old Tyson

Same as that little incident at the 84 Olympic trials that Holyfield is so proud of. A 21 year old man, manning up to a 17 year old boy He is actually poud of that

The biggest difference betwen the Tyson of 88 and the Tyson of 02 is the elusiveness. Lewis would have had massive problems even touching him.

Lennox is only 9 months older than Tyson. You make it sound like it's a grown man beating him up.

Anyways it really doesn't matter anymore. What happened was Tyson got his ass whipped by Lewis in sparring as amateurs and in a pro boxing match in '02. And what matters is that Lewis resume and accomplishments is leagues above Tyson.

Beating up on bums and blownup light HWs is a lot different than trying to beat up Lewis, Tyson learned that real quick.

Haha, but you have missed the point entirely. What we are trying to determine here is which peak beats the other peak and all you have is some amateurs bout and a Tyson who was 36. Fair enough, he was younger than Lewis but he was champ younger too and also lost about 5 years in the ring through bans or prison, but what matters is that Lewis beat the guy who beat a post jail Tyson? Okay, that's the argument over.

I think his point was that at points closer to Tyson's peak & Lewis', on both occasions Lewis had his way with him.

[Gandalf]

Lewis wins, no doubt in my mind. Tyson always had trouble with guys 6'4" and taller. Tyson looked pretty ordinary against guys like Mitch Green, Tucker, Bonecrusher Smith, and got beat up pretty bad and knocked out by Douglas.

And Lennox Lewis was always the smarter boxer with higher ring IQ. I can't find the clip now on youtube, but I remember watching some random clip that trainers saw Lewis and Tyson sparring in the early 80s as amateurs and Tyson had the edge in the early goings and then Lewis adapted and whipped him. A prime and motivated Lewis? I say he adapts and then whips Tyson, I say late round KO.

A 16 year old Tyson

Same as that little incident at the 84 Olympic trials that Holyfield is so proud of. A 21 year old man, manning up to a 17 year old boy He is actually poud of that

The biggest difference betwen the Tyson of 88 and the Tyson of 02 is the elusiveness. Lewis would have had massive problems even touching him.

Lennox is only 9 months older than Tyson. You make it sound like it's a grown man beating him up.

Anyways it really doesn't matter anymore. What happened was Tyson got his ass whipped by Lewis in sparring as amateurs and in a pro boxing match in '02. And what matters is that Lewis resume and accomplishments is leagues above Tyson.

Beating up on bums and blownup light HWs is a lot different than trying to beat up Lewis, Tyson learned that real quick.

Haha, but you have missed the point entirely. What we are trying to determine here is which peak beats the other peak and all you have is some amateurs bout and a Tyson who was 36. Fair enough, he was younger than Lewis but he was champ younger too and also lost about 5 years in the ring through bans or prison, but what matters is that Lewis beat the guy who beat a post jail Tyson? Okay, that's the argument over.

I think his point was that at points closer to Tyson's peak & Lewis', on both occasions Lewis had his way with him.

But he never faced Tyson in the ring in his prime. Lewis was nobody when Tyson was doing his thing.

[brucelee]

The old Tyson I saw in 1988 would obliterate Lewis of 1999.

[ross]

The old Tyson I saw in 1988 would obliterate Lewis of 1999.

The way Mercer bullied Lewis around and the way Lewis fought scared against Holyfield deffinitly makes me think Tysons skill and speed would have been too much for Lewis.

Theres too many young fans on here that dont remember how good Mike was. Its all bullshit nowadays about how Mike got found out. He didnt get found out at all. Unless Douglas was better than Spinks, Holmes and Tucker?

Mike had a very noticable and rapid decline in skills when he left Rooney. The Tyson from 88 was awesome.

[Snakey]

The old Tyson I saw in 1988 would obliterate Lewis of 1999.

The way Mercer bullied Lewis around and the way Lewis fought scared against Holyfield deffinitly makes me think Tysons skill and speed would have been too much for Lewis.

Theres too many young fans on here that dont remember how good Mike was. Its all bullshit nowadays about how Mike got found out. He didnt get found out at all. Unless Douglas was better than Spinks, Holmes and Tucker?

Mike had a very noticable and rapid decline in skills when he left Rooney. The Tyson from 88 was awesome.

Your not trying to claim Holmes was in his prime for that fight are you?

[Mctaggert]

Lewis was scared in the Holyfield fight! what Utter rubbish, Holyfield was the one who did not want to get hit flush by Lewis and fought two defensive fights staying in close not wanting to be hit from long range.

Mike was nocking everyone out in 1988 sure, I've seen all of Mikes fights, and I see Lewis winning 60% of the time if they fought. When ever anyone tied up Mike, punched him back, was not scared by his bullyboy tactics. Mike lost heart, and I think the punching power of lewis would have broke Mikes heart and focus.

The victories over Holmes and tucker were hardly impressive either, Holmes was ring rusty and old. Michael spinks is the only one that is impressive out of the three really.

I think you really have somthing against Lewis Ross, you're not that Cowardzage person off youtube are you?

[Nameless]

Lewis wins hands up.

Lewis size mixed with the Kronk Style is one of the worst thing ever for Mike. I could see Lewis frustrating him with his piston like jab and grabbing him when Tyson would be able to close the distance,doing so for 4-5 rounds (as Tyson was known to spend a lot of gaz and to fade a bit passed the fifth) and then mixing up the jab with even more power shots. It would be a very interesting match up and the HW division being the HW, one punch can make all the difference, sure Tyson could technically have"some chance" but I really believe that LEwis would win this one in a dominating fashion, especially because not only did he have a better technique and a better size but was much smarter and able to adapt in the ring than Tyson.

[ross]

Your not trying to claim Holmes was in his prime for that fight are you?

That same Holmes that Mike wiped the floor with beat Mercer 4 years later, the same fighter who Lewis got a gift decision against

Holmes also fought McCall and pushed him close and also didnt get knocked out like Lewis just had

Lewis was scared in the Holyfield fight! what Utter rubbish.

The victories over Holmes and tucker were hardly impressive either, Holmes was ring rusty and old. Michael spinks is the only one that is impressive out of the three really.

I think you really have somthing against Lewis Ross, you're not that Cowardzage person off youtube are you?

In the 5th round I think it was, Lewis had Holyfield hurt but didnt have the balls to go in and finish it.

Tucker is an impressive win. He was an undefeated defending champ. Just because I can see that Mike Tyson of 88 has a hell of lot better chance against a fighter called Lennox Lewis than anyone else is willing to give him credit for. That means I have something against him?

After taking people to court to get fights, he accepts money to not fight for a title. He didnt want it until Mike said he was retired.

[Master]

Tyson beat an undefeated Tucker comfortably on points, Tucker landed an uppercut in the first round and then he could do very little afterwards except take the bombs from Tyson. Lewis was very cautious by nature and I believe he would have tried to out box Tyson from distance and hold when Tyson got in close. Tyson would have been too aggressive for him and whilst I think Lewis would survive to see the bell because of his ring experience he would lose a decision in similar fashion to Tucker.