If Lewis had lost Mercer fight in 1996?

[killerkai1]

If Lewis had dropped the Mercer fight decision in 1996 it would have been his second defeat in less then two years, how would this have impacted his career? He took the world title in 1997 and went on to be a fine champion but this fight was crucial. Would it have been the end of Lennox or just a blip?:p

[Sizzle]

Kimbo would be having his knob devoured right about now.

[Danny Ocean]

mercer didnt even nearly win that fight

[robert ungurean]

In my oppinion Lewis DID lose that fight to Mercer.

[Woller]

I shook my head when I heard the decision. I had Lewis winning something like 8-2.
Oh well, Holyfield got a gift draw also against Lewis.

Woller

[The Kurgan]

Mike Tyson and Riddick Bowe would have wanted to fight him.

[achillesthegreat]

If Lewis had dropped the Mercer fight decision in 1996 it would have been his second defeat in less then two years, how would this have impacted his career? He took the world title in 1997 and went on to be a fine champion but this fight was crucial. Would it have been the end of Lennox or just a blip?:p
No major impact. He would have rematched Mercer and won clearer. Lewis wasn't the finished product by that point.

A loss to Mercer in a war would be better received historically than one punch kos to Rahman and McCall.

Who knows, Bowe, Holy and Tyson may have not avoided him and they may have tasted a whooping.

[Duodenum]

Well, if Larry Holmes lobbied for a rematch, I'm sure Mercer would have been eager to give him a shot. (Larry winning a rematch is another matter, but it could have been a promotable pairing.)

[killerkai1]

lewis would beat mercer in a rematch. maybe. it always struck me that lewis always got his rematches but could not offer mercer or klitsc one! anyway, thanks for the contributions.

[NickHudson]

No doubt it was a close fight. I remember how disappointed the UK analysts were afterwards, and how they commented on Lewis having no chance against mid-90s Tyson if he fought to a similar standard.

Manny Stewards comments are also revealing between rounds. As early as the 1st or the 2nd he is telling Lewis that being in tough fights is good for him, that he has to learn to relax and roll with the pressure...

[killerkai1]

ref nick hudson, Remeber Manny Stewards remarks to Lennox after round 6'we can't lose any more rounds now' !

[NickHudson]

yep, I hear you killerkai1!

ref nick hudson, Remeber Manny Stewards remarks to Lennox after round 6'we can't lose any more rounds now' !

[The Kurgan]

Then the correct decision would have been rendered.

Lewis must be gaining regard in your eyes if you're worried about him encroaching on Ali's spot.

[Greg T Loepp]

He did loose the Mercer fight, regardless of what the "judges" thought

[Zakman]

In my oppinion Lewis DID lose that fight to Mercer.

Same here. It wasn't a "Robbery," but Ray should have gotten the decision. At the time, he wasn't really the fighter being pushed by the boxing establishmemt, jhaving already lost to OLd Man Holmes and Journeyman Jesse Ferguson, where he was accused of "bribery." I think that may have affected the judges a bit. I had it 6-4 in rounds.

[The Kurgan]

Same here. It wasn't a "Robbery," but Ray should have gotten the decision. At the time, he wasn't really the fighter being pushed by the boxing establishmemt, jhaving already lost to OLd Man Holmes and Journeyman Jesse Ferguson, where he was accused of "bribery." I think that may have affected the judges a bit. I had it 6-4 in rounds.

While I disagree with you on this one, Zak, I DO think that Mercer had been more or less abandoned as a contender. Mercer would have only have needed to fight a little bit harder in two of the later rounds to change the fight on my card.

As for the bribery "accusation", it wasn't just that: it was a clear public self-incrimination! :lol:

[Mendoza]

Raymond Mercer was an under achieving heavyweight with wildly erratic performances. Mercer was at his best vs Lewis. A hard fight broke out between the two. I thought Lewis edged it out, 6 rounds to 4, but after the final bell sounded one who saw Lewis' hand being raised in victory knew he was in a fight. Outside of the Kltischko match, this is the only fight I can recall where Lewis sported a swollen face.

Looking back this was an important fight for Lewis. He proved he wasn't crystal chinned or combat shy vs a dangerous opponent. Lewis simply wanted in more in the late rounds. He broke Mercer’s will, and took control of the fight in the later rounds.
If Lewis had drawn or lost by decision, I think he would still become champion. However, had Mercer scored a stoppage inside the distance it might have ruined Lewis ' confidence in the ring which was one of his best assets.

[ChrisPontius]

Lewis' face was swollen badly, worst of his career including the Klitschko fight.
I think Mercer did well because of various reasons:

-Lewis wanted a knockout to have an impressive win and force Tyson in the ring with him. He went all out with big punches and combinations during the first 5 rounds, but for the first time in his career he had a guy in front of him who he genuinly couldn't hurt. This costed him several early rounds. He made the same mistake during the mid-rounds of the second Holyfield fight.
Lewis going toe to toe with Mercer was playing all into Mercers hands.

-The fight was over only 10 rounds. This definitly favored Mercer as he usually tired down the stretch, i think he won only one of the last four rounds. If it was a 12 rounds fight it would probably have been less close

-Mercer was really "on" that night. To be fair, so was Lewis. He fought a dumb fight but did put together beautiful combinations and took Mercers best shots without going down or being in serious trouble.

[DamonD]

Mercer was furious after the fight, not just because he thought he'd won but he knew he hadn't beeen able to do enough in the last few rounds. The exact same thing happened to him in the Holyfield fight, which cost him a knockdown in the 8th (that arguably turned the tide of the fight) and then his coasting in the 10th.

When he had his next fight, against Witherspoon that year, it's noticible how Mercer paces himself a lot more. So while Witherspoon gets early rounds in the bank, it's Mercer that is able to rally for the win.

Mercer's blood infection came at a terrible time for him. He'd looked so good since coming back from the Ferguson and Wilson disasters, his jab in particular turning into a tremendous weapon, and then all that got scuppered. By the time he came back properly he wasn't the same guy.

[Rock0052]

If Lewis had dropped the Mercer fight decision in 1996 it would have been his second defeat in less then two years, how would this have impacted his career? He took the world title in 1997 and went on to be a fine champion but this fight was crucial. Would it have been the end of Lennox or just a blip?:p

Holyfield recovered from his blip with Moorer, I don't see why Lewis wouldn't have done the same.

[Bigcat]

it was a close one..

LL thought that he had lost...

He would have still acheived greatness