Tyson of 1988 versus Lewis of 1999

[marbleheadmaui]

I have no idea! A tall, long, guy with a questionable chin against a gifted puncher who struggled to maintain distance against tall, long guys and never had a Plan B.

It is an awful matchup for both!

[Mr140]

Well to me wen he lost to Mc he was still green and when he lost Rahman he was kinda on the slide. You ask me his prime was probably 1996 to 2000 were his best years.

[Otley]

Lewis in his prime beats Mike in his prime. The question here is who did Mike beat in his prime...he never fought any one that was close to a Prime Lewis....all I remember Tyson fighting was against over the hill bums and a blown up Light Heavyweight (WOW).....the first time Tyson fought any one resembling a pure boxer was Buster Douglas and we all know what happened in that fight. Lets face it Mike was well matched in a pretty dire time for good quality heavyweights. Lewis fought everyone in a time where there were more challenges than that of when Tyson fought in his prime.

Tyson would always find it difficult against a tall strong boxer type because Tyson was basically a small mediocre heavyweight with short arms.

Job Biscuit (Lewis wins every time)!!!

eh eh!!

[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.

[IamInuit]

I have no idea! A tall, long, guy with a questionable chin against a gifted puncher who struggled to maintain distance against tall, long guys and never had a Plan B.

It is an awful matchup for both!

Lewis having a questionable chin is one of the biggest urban legends in boxing. The two shots that stopped him would have stopped a hippo and we all know what happened in the rematches providing us with perhaps two of the funniest pictures in boxing history,





If Lennox had a bad chin it would have showed when he exchanged bombs with Vitali.

This is a hard fight to call. The 88 version of Tyson had incredible head movement and extremely fast hands and lets face it could have knocked anyone out. Gun to my head Lewis on pts.

[JonesJrMayweather]

Lennox+Steward beats any version of mike tyson...

[BIG H]

I have no idea! A tall, long, guy with a questionable chin against a gifted puncher who struggled to maintain distance against tall, long guys and never had a Plan B.

It is an awful matchup for both!

Yes, they were both awful fighters

If they had've been around between 1880 and 1960 you would be all over them like a fat kid with cake

And totally agree with the guys that said Lewis didn't have a questionable chin. George Chuvalho or Oliver McCall would've gone down from the Rahman punch

[JazMerkin]

I have no idea! A tall, long, guy with a questionable chin against a gifted puncher who struggled to maintain distance against tall, long guys and never had a Plan B.

It is an awful matchup for both!

Yes, they were both awful fighters

If they had've been around between 1880 and 1960 you would be all over them like a fat kid with cake

And totally agree with the guys that said Lewis didn't have a questionable chin. George Chuvalho or Oliver McCall would've gone down from the Rahman punch

Jesus, are you HTH in disguise?

He said match-up, as in they were both designed to exploit the other's flaws. I've seen him rate both as Hall of Famers & he had no disagreements about me rating Lewis an ATG.

Aside from your lack of reading comprehension (you are from Essex I understand ), I have to say I agree about Lewis' chin. Everyone is chinny if caught with the right shot. Although I think Chuvalo would've weathered it. McCall would've taken the shot then walked over & wanked on the ref's shoes or something mental like that.

[ICB]

I have no idea! A tall, long, guy with a questionable chin against a gifted puncher who struggled to maintain distance against tall, long guys and never had a Plan B.

It is an awful matchup for both!

Lewis having a questionable chin is one of the biggest urban legends in boxing. The two shots that stopped him would have stopped a hippo and we all know what happened in the rematches providing us with perhaps two of the funniest pictures in boxing history,





If Lennox had a bad chin it would have showed when he exchanged bombs with Vitali.

This is a hard fight to call. The 88 version of Tyson had incredible head movement and extremely fast hands and lets face it could have knocked anyone out. Gun to my head Lewis on pts.

Well to be fair Oliver McCall wasn't even fighting, the guy was totally screwed up. And he should of had an immediate rematch vs Oliver McCall.

[ross]

Lewis in his prime beats Mike in his prime. The question here is who did Mike beat in his prime...he never fought any one that was close to a Prime Lewis....all I remember Tyson fighting was against over the hill bums and a blown up Light Heavyweight (WOW).....the first time Tyson fought any one resembling a pure boxer was Buster Douglas and we all know what happened in that fight. Lets face it Mike was well matched in a pretty dire time for good quality heavyweights. Lewis fought everyone in a time where there were more challenges than that of when Tyson fought in his prime.

Tyson would always find it difficult against a tall strong boxer type because Tyson was basically a small mediocre heavyweight with short arms.

Job Biscuit (Lewis wins every time)!!!

eh eh!!

I have no idea! A tall, long, guy with a questionable chin against a gifted puncher who struggled to maintain distance against tall, long guys and never had a Plan B.

It is an awful matchup for both!

Yes, they were both awful fighters

If they had've been around between 1880 and 1960 you would be all over them like a fat kid with cake

And totally agree with the guys that said Lewis didn't have a questionable chin. George t Oliver McCall would've gone down from the Rahman punch

You sound like Amir Kahns old man about the Prescott fight!

So all the fighters that beat Rahman had a better chin than George Chuvalo? Hhaha!

Lewis never had a dominant period, he was gegting gift decisions v Mercer and looked shite v Akinwande and Mavrovic. He drew with Bolyfield because he was too scared to engage and got a shite decision against Holyfield because he was too scaredtoexchange and at the very height of his fame, he got proper sparked out cold by Rahman. What a joke!

[IamInuit]

I have no idea! A tall, long, guy with a questionable chin against a gifted puncher who struggled to maintain distance against tall, long guys and never had a Plan B.

It is an awful matchup for both!

Lewis having a questionable chin is one of the biggest urban legends in boxing. The two shots that stopped him would have stopped a hippo and we all know what happened in the rematches providing us with perhaps two of the funniest pictures in boxing history,





If Lennox had a bad chin it would have showed when he exchanged bombs with Vitali.

This is a hard fight to call. The 88 version of Tyson had incredible head movement and extremely fast hands and lets face it could have knocked anyone out. Gun to my head Lewis on pts.

Well to be fair Oliver McCall wasn't even fighting, the guy was totally screwed up. And he should of had an immediate rematch vs Oliver McCall.

He folded, cried like a baby and had to be escorted out of the ring. I'm surprised nobody handed him a soother. Why did Lennox owe him a rematch?

[ICB]

I have no idea! A tall, long, guy with a questionable chin against a gifted puncher who struggled to maintain distance against tall, long guys and never had a Plan B.

It is an awful matchup for both!

Lewis having a questionable chin is one of the biggest urban legends in boxing. The two shots that stopped him would have stopped a hippo and we all know what happened in the rematches providing us with perhaps two of the funniest pictures in boxing history,





If Lennox had a bad chin it would have showed when he exchanged bombs with Vitali.

This is a hard fight to call. The 88 version of Tyson had incredible head movement and extremely fast hands and lets face it could have knocked anyone out. Gun to my head Lewis on pts.

Well to be fair Oliver McCall wasn't even fighting, the guy was totally screwed up. And he should of had an immediate rematch vs Oliver McCall.

He folded, cried like a baby and had to be escorted out of the ring. I'm surprised nobody handed him a soother. Why did Lennox owe him a rematch?

That's because he was having personal problems in his life, im not saying that's Lennox Lewis's fault. But it was hardly revenge when the guy doesn't even want to fight, which had nothing to do with his opponent.

And i meant when Lennox Lewis lost, there should of been an immediate rematch. Like with the Hasim Rahman fight.

[IamInuit]

I have no idea! A tall, long, guy with a questionable chin against a gifted puncher who struggled to maintain distance against tall, long guys and never had a Plan B.

It is an awful matchup for both!

Lewis having a questionable chin is one of the biggest urban legends in boxing. The two shots that stopped him would have stopped a hippo and we all know what happened in the rematches providing us with perhaps two of the funniest pictures in boxing history,





If Lennox had a bad chin it would have showed when he exchanged bombs with Vitali.

This is a hard fight to call. The 88 version of Tyson had incredible head movement and extremely fast hands and lets face it could have knocked anyone out. Gun to my head Lewis on pts.

Well to be fair Oliver McCall wasn't even fighting, the guy was totally screwed up. And he should of had an immediate rematch vs Oliver McCall.

He folded, cried like a baby and had to be escorted out of the ring. I'm surprised nobody handed him a soother. Why did Lennox owe him a rematch?

That's because he was having personal problems in his life, im not saying that's Lennox Lewis's fault. But it was hardly revenge when the guy doesn't even want to fight, which had nothing to do with his opponent.

And i meant when Lennox Lewis lost, there should of been an immediate rematch. Like with the Hasim Rahman fight.

Then don't fight. All depends on ones definition of revenge. I am sure if you asked Lennox, he would say that Oliver did not want to fight. Bittersweet perhaps but revenge nonetheless.

[ICB]

I have no idea! A tall, long, guy with a questionable chin against a gifted puncher who struggled to maintain distance against tall, long guys and never had a Plan B.

It is an awful matchup for both!

Lewis having a questionable chin is one of the biggest urban legends in boxing. The two shots that stopped him would have stopped a hippo and we all know what happened in the rematches providing us with perhaps two of the funniest pictures in boxing history,





If Lennox had a bad chin it would have showed when he exchanged bombs with Vitali.

This is a hard fight to call. The 88 version of Tyson had incredible head movement and extremely fast hands and lets face it could have knocked anyone out. Gun to my head Lewis on pts.

Well to be fair Oliver McCall wasn't even fighting, the guy was totally screwed up. And he should of had an immediate rematch vs Oliver McCall.

He folded, cried like a baby and had to be escorted out of the ring. I'm surprised nobody handed him a soother. Why did Lennox owe him a rematch?

That's because he was having personal problems in his life, im not saying that's Lennox Lewis's fault. But it was hardly revenge when the guy doesn't even want to fight, which had nothing to do with his opponent.

And i meant when Lennox Lewis lost, there should of been an immediate rematch. Like with the Hasim Rahman fight.

Then don't fight. All depends on ones definition of revenge. I am sure if you asked Lennox, he would say that Oliver did not want to fight. Bittersweet perhaps but revenge nonetheless.

I agree Oliver McCall shouldn't of fought, Lennox Lewis can only fight what was in front of him. But IMO i don't really think it was revenge.

Because he was fighting a man who had just got out of rehab, and was having all sorts of problem's in his life. And Oliver McCall wasn't even fighting for most of the fight, he was just walking around the ring, turning his back on Lennox Lewis.

Infact i was more impressed with the fact that despite having a breakdown, Oliver McCall was still able to take flush shots of Lennox Lewis without blinking. Jesus what a chin the guy has incredible.