What if Lennox Lewis Beat Tyrell Biggs in the Olympics

[ironchamp]

How would the heavyweight picture turn out if Lennox Lewis beat Tyrell Biggs in the 84 Olympics? (presuming that a victory would have meant he turns pro 4 years earlier than he originally did).

Does he get overshadowed by a Dominant Tyson?

Does he just blend with the 80s Heavyweights?

Does he start his title run and reign in the 80s?

Thoughts

[MrSmall]

He'd probably get starched at some point, but no Manny Steward to help, so he would never have been so dominant.

[bb251]

I think Iron Mike would've beat him anywhere from'85-'88

[ChrisPontius]

He'd probably work his way up undefeated. If he's very lucky, he'd play the role of Buster Douglas in dethroning an unfocused Tyson, which would improve Tyson's historic standing as well.

But more likely he'd get knocked out by a peak Tyson between 88-89, i don't think an early version of Lewis was ready to take on a prime Tyson.

[achillesthegreat]

Same sort of progress but with more youth and athleticism on his side when he got to be a more complete fighter.

Perhaps a much better legacy had he caught and beaten a younger Holy and Tyson. Bowe may have fought him because he wouldn't have the demons of the Olympics.

[Muchmoore]

But more likely he'd get knocked out by a peak Tyson between 88-89, i don't think an early version of Lewis was ready to take on a prime Tyson.

I agree. The Lewis we are talking about here was an amatuer in real life, he wasn't the Lewis of the 90's.

[aliwasthegreatest]

true but you can't exactly take a sparring session for what would happen in the fight either.

[barneyrub]

true but you can't exactly take a sparring session for what would happen in the fight either.You can with a young Tyson in the terms of when Lewis sparred with him in 1984 he was shocked that Tyson wasnt engaging in the type of take it easy sparring he had been used to, he was trying to knock him out, it was totally different and Lewis said he learnt alot from that. He said that it was a wake up call to him about the reality of getting in the ring. Tyson was more developed and only 2 years from becoming champ while lewis was technically raw and physically not as developed either.


sparring session 1984

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[josak]

Tyson actually (according to him) kicked Lewis' ass in sparring, then Lewis came back and "tried to kill him." LOL.

[josak]

Right but that´s not what i´m doing. What i´m doing is that Lewis knew how Tyson fought and that he knew how to counter it because of the sparring. So, that and his ability to adapt gives him a big advantage.

All of Tyson's opponents knew "how he to fight him", but it's one thing to know and another to actually apply that when a 215 pound bull is rushing towards you. Personally, I don't think Lewis could ever beat a prime Tyson on his best night. Tyson back then, unlike the later days, didn't just barrell forward recklessly, he was a very skilled fighter who stayed behind the jab, slipped, went to the body and countered. I have a hard time believing Lewis could handle him, and a sparring session years prior is hardly proof that he could. Tyson was always improving and I guarantee he was a far and away a much better fighter in 88 then 85' (or w/e) when the sparring session occured. That's my opinion anyway.

[josak]

They sparred 4 days, the first day Tyson kicked Lewis ass, the 2nd and 3rd Lewis adjusted to Tyson´s style and they were about even, at the 4th Lewis it was the first day the other way around. Tyson never changed his style, Lewis knew how to beat him and had the tools to do so. Knowing that it´s a 1+1 exercise to assume what would happen when they meet in the ring.

Still, you can't predict what would happen in an actual fight based on a sparring session (in which Tyson owned Lewis the first half of anyway). And as I said, Tyson would have been a much improved fighter at 87' or 88' when Lewis would actually face him.

[ironchamp]

They sparred 4 days, the first day Tyson kicked Lewis ass, the 2nd and 3rd Lewis adjusted to Tyson´s style and they were about even, at the 4th Lewis it was the first day the other way around. Tyson never changed his style, Lewis knew how to beat him and had the tools to do so. Knowing that it´s a 1+1 exercise to assume what would happen when they meet in the ring.

Lewis although had talent, improved notibly under the guidance of Emmanuel Stewart without his prescence we have, at best, the fighter who hit he heavyweight scene up until McCall.

I guess most acknowledge that he does stand out from the Heavyweight scene in the 80s though I disagree with those who believe he would have beaten Tyson in 1988. I think as professionals they would have met in 1988 which would have been roughly 3-3 1/2 as after he would have turned pro.

I do think that Tyson's prison sentence would have put him out of the picture and Lewis would have ruled most of the 90s (with a blemish or two) only to have Tyson come out of Jail and get a piece of the title (from a random belt holder) and lose to Lewis in a Superfight.

[josak]

Well I guess no one knows who would win. If I had to bet money though in 87'/88' it would be Tyson.

[Sweet Science]

'86-'88 Tyson beats any version of Lewis. Tyson dominated Lewis in sparring, all Lewis said regarding the sparring was he was able to give Tyson a bloody lip at one point.