Prime Lewis vs Prime Holyfield

[elgoadie]

Who wins?

[Rumsfeld]

I'll take prime Lewis by decision, but prime Holyfield (around the time Holy fought Bowe the first time) would definitely have a good shot at winning.

[Silver]

might not mean much to some of you but holyfield gave lewis problems in that rematch. it was actually kind of close.

[Beeston Brawler]

I still think the judges in the first fight influenced how Lennox fought in the second.....

When do you consider Lewis at his peak, also - around the Briggs fight or later, Holyfield I?

[Silver]

I still think the judges in the first fight influenced how Lennox fought in the second.....

When do you consider Lewis at his peak, also - around the Briggs fight or later, Holyfield I?
maybe you're right, but it ended making the fight closer

[dezbeast]

Actually, Lewis probably was at his peak when he fought Holyfield. I see Lewis taking around 6 out of 10 fights against the Holyfield of Bowe II.

[My2Sense]

It's hard to pinpoint an exact peak for Lewis, as he never was consistent at any stage of his career. However, I feel he showed his best form against Morrison and Golota in the mid '90s. By the time of his fights with Mavrovic and Holyfield, I feel he was past his peak. As I watched the Lewis-Holyfield fights, I just felt I was watching two old veterans in action. Holyfield was the older and more faded of the two, but given that I felt Lewis clearly won both fights (yes, even the second) I would favor him to beat Holy under any circumstances.

[dezbeast]

I feel he showed his best form against Morrison and Golota in the mid '90s. By the time of his fights with Mavrovic and Holyfield, I feel he was past his peak. As I watched the Lewis-Holyfield fights, I just felt I was watching two old veterans in action.

What do you think of the Grant fight? He didn't look too old there. How does Lewis' skills at the time he fought Holyfield compare to when he fought Golota and Morrison? Do you think they improved due to experience?

[DamonD]

Both guys at their optimum, physically and mentally, working on the correct gameplans...well, you know who I'd vote for.

If either is below-par it's going to be a painful night for them though. Can't screw about against opponents of that quality. Holyfield too intense a fighter, Lewis too good a boxer.

[kmcc505]

I can't believe how overrated Lewis is on this board. Really.

[Thread Stealer]

Holyfield lost 9 or 10 rounds the first time around, and still lost the rematch 7-5 or 8-4, despite fighting better that time (and Lewis fighting worse, giving more openings, perhaps being more aggressive because of the bs decision the first time). People who say prime Holyfield beats prime Lewis always bring up the 2nd fight, but what about the first fight when he got soundly beaten?

A younger Holyfield was quicker and had better workrate but also wasn't as big, strong, or experienced against big guys. He was also more prone to getting into vicious exchanges when it wasn't in his best interest.

Lewis would always give Holyfield all sorts of problems with his jab, power, ring generalship, strength, and size. Prime Lewis beats prime Holyfield the majority of time, especially if Holyfield is suffering from "HGH-itis".

[kmcc505]

Holy was just a strong in early nineties as late, was faster, quicker and had a higher work rate, could slip jabs better and took care of business. 8-4 in the rematch is ridiculous. Lennox jabs and says away, judges give him decision. Dumb.

[Thread Stealer]

Holy was just a strong in early nineties as late, was faster, quicker and had a higher work rate, could slip jabs better and took care of business. 8-4 in the rematch is ridiculous. Lennox jabs and says away, judges give him decision. Dumb.

Lewis gave more opportunities in the rematch, fighting more aggressive, and being less of a jabber. He still won 7 or 8 rounds. You don't win rounds merely by doing better than expected and better than the first time. Only a very small minority of people did not score it for Lewis. The topic comes up every few months. The great majority will have it 8-4 or 7-5 (like I had it) for LL.

Holyfield got stronger as time went on. He got bigger, and not merely "fat weight", but muscle. He fought huge heavyweights like Bowe and Foreman which gave him more experience against big heavyweights. He adapted to the age by being smarter in the ring and not as hot-headed.

[kmcc505]

Lewis gave more opportunities in the rematch, fighting more aggressive, and being less of a jabber. He still won 7 or 8 rounds. You don't win rounds merely by doing better than expected and better than the first time. Only a very small minority of people did not score it for Lewis. The topic comes up every few months. The great majority will have it 8-4 or 7-5 (like I had it) for LL.

Holyfield got stronger as time went on. He got bigger, and not merely "fat weight", but muscle. He fought huge heavyweights like Bowe and Foreman which gave him more experience against big heavyweights. He adapted to the age by being smarter in the ring and not as hot-headed.

Like I've said before, 7-5 I get, 8-4 is silly. I don't think the second fight was closer b/c of what LL didn't do, but for what Holy did. I respect your scoring opinion, but I think you are wrong.

Holyfield always had good strength. He never had one punch power, but could hurt you and finish with combinations.

While your "Very small majority" maybe correct on this one message board, do any sort of google search and you'll see that it does not hold true elsewhere. The second fight had screwy scoring.

In any event, I'll stick by Prime Holy of Prime Lennox any day. Lewis was a great champion but Holyfield was better. He could fight different fights againsts different opponents, had a great chin and was a busy fighter. LL was a big man that used his jab well and had good power, but he got starched by lesser men and young Holy could hurt him bad.

:bbb

That being said, I'll openly admit my bias in the matter. I wonder if LL fans will do the same?

[Vanboxingfan]

Holyfield lost 9 or 10 rounds the first time around, and still lost the rematch 7-5 or 8-4, despite fighting better that time (and Lewis fighting worse, giving more openings, perhaps being more aggressive because of the bs decision the first time). People who say prime Holyfield beats prime Lewis always bring up the 2nd fight, but what about the first fight when he got soundly beaten?

A younger Holyfield was quicker and had better workrate but also wasn't as big, strong, or experienced against big guys. He was also more prone to getting into vicious exchanges when it wasn't in his best interest.

Lewis would always give Holyfield all sorts of problems with his jab, power, ring generalship, strength, and size. Prime Lewis beats prime Holyfield the majority of time, especially if Holyfield is suffering from "HGH-itis".


Good post, these are my sentiments as well. It would certainly be a fight for the ages and interesting enough, no one thinks it would end by T(KO) yet against Bowe Holyfield was rocked to his core.

[Vanboxingfan]

Like I've said before, 7-5 I get, 8-4 is silly.
It's not silly at all, if you want to argue about it on a round by round basis I'm willing. I've done so on numerous occassions in the general thread.

It wasn't a hard fight to call. If I gave Holyfield every close round I get to 7-5 Lewis, under no circumstance do I give this fight to Holyfield. And this is based on that fight alone, nothing to do with the outcome of the first fight. And it wasn't just me, last time I participated in this type of discussion there was a poll as well, and about 80% of the pollsters picked Lewis.

[kmcc505]

And that poll was on this forum. So this one group of people thinks it so it must be true. In any event, I had it 6-6 like I said. I can see 7-5 either way but 8-4 is silly. You can break down the rounds if you want and I will, too. But I don't see us agreeing with each other if we both have already scored the fight more than once which it sounds like we both have.

[Vanboxingfan]

I don't think it's one group of people, it just is what it is. It's not a particularly hard fight to score and I've seen the fight several times and even trying, I can't get a draw for Holyfield. And I like both fighters so I don't have a particular bias against either one, other than the fact I think Lewis had a better heavyweight career than Holyfield but Holyfield smokes Lewis on a P4P list.

[kmcc505]

Fair enough, Van. Maybe I'll rescore and see what I come up with this time. Like I said, I had it a draw last time.

[OBCboxer]

I'll take Holyfield by UD.

[round15]

might not mean much to some of you but holyfield gave lewis problems in that rematch. it was actually kind of close.


Silver, I thought Lewis was handed this decision on the premise that Eugenia Williams was paid off by Don King.

That woman should never be allowed to judge another important boxing contest again. I'd ban her and John Ruiz from boxing if I had the power.

As for Holyfield vs Lewis II, a draw would have been the fairer decision because Holyfield looked much better in the rematch and Lennox resorted to backing up and jabbing.

One thing is for sure about the rematch, Holyfield hurt Lewis way more than Lewis hurt Holyfield.

[he grant]

Clearly Evander, possibly by stopage ... Lewis could barely do shit with a 37 year old Evander ...

[Hydraulix]

The old version of Holyfield gave Lewis trouble in their rematch. Based on that, I think a prime Holyfield would be a serious threat to Lewis because he wouldn't fight only in spurts like the 1999 version.

[kmcc505]

Prime Holy would fight much better against Prime Lewis than old Holy did. I like Holy to win by UD but in a close fight.

[Brighton bomber]

I'd favour Lewis on points. While the 2nd fight was closer (I had it 7-5 to Lewis) you still can't ignore the first fight. Whenever Lewis has faced an opponent he had something to prove against and knew he had to be at his best he took it to another level, as against Ruddock, Golota, Holyfield 1 and Rahman 2.

Holyfield in his prime was more active and fired in rapid combo's but he was also prone to stay in the pocket for too long and take uneccessary punishment as in the first Bowe fight. I see it as a very tough fight much like Lewis/Mercer but I see Lewis being able to keep Evander off him for long enough and often enough to earn a close decision.

I must say though I do think Holyfield is very underrated on this forum

[PetethePrince]

Holyfield on his best night beats Lewis on his best night in my eyes.

[Vanboxingfan]

Clearly Evander, possibly by stopage ... Lewis could barely do shit with a 37 year old Evander ...


If you call couldn't do shit against him winning around 17 out of 24 rounds then I agree. :good

[catasyou]

Holyfield on his best night beats Lewis on his best night in my eyes.

This.