Tyson of 1988 versus Lewis of 1999

[ICB]

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.

He didn't really struggle vs those guys, they just looked to survive there's big difference.

[NuthaPug]

I don't think Lewis really had a questionable chin. The fact that he got knocked out doesn't demonstrate a weak chin. Let Rahman hit anyone that hard and it doesn't take a weak chin to achieve a KO.

Lewis didn't always have the "fire in the belly" when he stepped into the ring. So he loses even when at his prime (I would consider him in his prime both when he lost to Rahman and later when he beat him) because he didn't prepare for the fight. He looked soft, doughy, lazy.

I've always thought that a prime Tyson might take out Lewis if he did it early; a prime Lewis who came sharp and prepared, and weathered the first three or four rounds, should be able to outbox and win either on decision or KO.

Tyson was probably not in best form against Douglas, but regardless, Douglas provides a template for a tall, strong heavyweight to outbox Tyson.

[Andre]

I don't think Lewis really had a questionable chin. The fact that he got knocked out doesn't demonstrate a weak chin. Let Rahman hit anyone that hard and it doesn't take a weak chin to achieve a KO.

Lewis didn't always have the "fire in the belly" when he stepped into the ring. So he loses even when at his prime (I would consider him in his prime both when he lost to Rahman and later when he beat him) because he didn't prepare for the fight. He looked soft, doughy, lazy.

I've always thought that a prime Tyson might take out Lewis if he did it early; a prime Lewis who came sharp and prepared, and weathered the first three or four rounds, should be able to outbox and win either on decision or KO.

Tyson was probably not in best form against Douglas, but regardless, Douglas provides a template for a tall, strong heavyweight to outbox Tyson.

Im with you, also Douglas did beat Tyson fair and square full points to him massive effort and he did template how to do so in the later rounds.

Douglas was also very lucky that night if his own knock down had happened at any time other than right at the end of the round as it did ,Tyson would have finished him on rising up to face him. As it happened Douglas had the balls and heart to think; wow I've taken his best shots, Im still here, right its my turn and he went at him with no trepidation, not something Tyson was ever used to facing.

Could Lewis have dug that deep if clocked maybe the real question?