Lennox Lewis vs Corrie Sanders

[mr. magoo]

I know that I would certainly pick Lewis to take Sanders apart, but is there anyone here who thinks that Corrie could have given him a decent run for his money around 2001-2003?

[Russell]

Mhm, it'd be a wild kind of fight while it lasted. Sanders was VERY agggressive when he wanted to be.

Against Wlad and Vitali, Bert Cooper, Czyz...

The huge majority of his fights are 1 and 2 rounders.

I'd put my money on Lennox blasting him out before three, Golota style.

[Bodysnatcher]

In Lennox's biography, it's mentioned that Lennox and Sanders shared promoters and that Lewis admired his skills.

Funnily enough, there's more info about Sanders in that book than you'll find anywhere. It mentions that he could run the 100 in 11 seconds but that, as is well known, he was easily distracted by golf and simply by the fact that he didn't have the mental toughness recquired (not consistently anyway).

One of the reasons he beat Wlad was that he dedicated himself like never before and had intensive sessions with a sports psychologist.

I think in 2003, Sanders could have unsettled Lewis early on but Lewis would have dug deep to stop him.

[Russell]

Don't agree with that.

Lewis didn't fold against the biggest punchers he faced. That's what Sanders is.

He floundered when once caught cold by a shot he didn't see coming, and another time when he was just overweight and stupid.

He'd know about Sanders.

[mr. magoo]

In Lennox's biography, it's mentioned that Lennox and Sanders shared promoters and that Lewis admired his skills.

Funnily enough, there's more info about Sanders in that book than you'll find anywhere. It mentions that he could run the 100 in 11 seconds but that, as is well known, he was easily distracted by golf and simply by the fact that he didn't have the mental toughness recquired (not consistently anyway).

One of the reasons he beat Wlad was that he dedicated himself like never before and had intensive sessions with a sports psychologist.

I think in 2003, Sanders could have unsettled Lewis early on but Lewis would have dug deep to stop him.

I'm almost inclined to agreeing.

Although I'd still pick Lewis to beat Sanders in 2003, it would have been a very dangerous fight for Lennox. Corrie's brutal destruction of Wlad showed us just exactly what he was capable of, and Lennox was struggling to stay on top of the division by this point.

The two biggest factors for me are, that Lewis rarely had trouble with left handed fighters, and also that Sanders had the tendency to gas out early. For these reasons I'd pick even a declining Lewis to beat him, but it would still be a very dangerous fight for him at that late stage.

[Vanboxingfan]

I'm almost inclined to agreeing.

Although I'd still pick Lewis to beat Sanders in 2003, it would have been a very dangerous fight for Lennox. Corrie's brutal destruction of Wlad showed us just exactly what he was capable of, and Lennox was struggling to stay on top of the division by this point.

The two biggest factors for me are, that Lewis rarely had trouble with left handed fighters, and also that Sanders had the tendency to gas out early. For these reasons I'd pick even a declining Lewis to beat him, but it would still be a very dangerous fight for him at that late stage.

While I won't discount that this could be a dangerous fight for Lewis, I highly doubt that he would get caught in the same fashion as Wlad. Lewis's defensive is simply better, and if he honestly felt a danger of getting KO'd he would keep Sanders on the outside for the first 3-4 rounds and then gradually become more aggressive. One of Lewis' strong points, which I don't think gets mentioned enough, is that he has the versatility to use various options, and he was a pretty intellegence fighter, as he seemed to know when to get aggressive and blow a fighter out, (ie Grant) verses simply control the fight from a distance (Tua). Although with the latter one could argue that if he was more aggressive he would have blown him too out, but who's to say with any degree of certainly, given Tua's chin. But certainly Sanders could crack and an unfocused Lewis could get both hit and hurt, but it's not a likely scenario.

[Russell]

Part of Wlad getting caught was a horrible corner that wasn't keeping him on his toes or anything else, really.

Lennox would have a great corner at the time of this fight.

[teeto]

Im not taking anything from Sanders, one of the better and more quality fighters of his time , but Lennox i'd take everytime, just too great a fighter

[ChrisPontius]

I know that I would certainly pick Lewis to take Sanders apart, but is there anyone here who thinks that Corrie could have given him a decent run for his money around 2001-2003?

If Sanders fought (also in South-Africa, his home town ironically) instead of Rahman against Lewis in their first fight, then he has an excellent chance of upsetting Lewis but getting knocked out in a rematch.

Against the Lewis that fought Vitali Klitschko he has a very good chance, too.


But against a focused and/or younger Lewis, his odds are slim.

I've never seen Lewis against a southpaw though - nevermind one with fast hands and great power.

[Russell]

Sanders chin is weird.

He was stopped early in his career by medicore punchers.

He showed a granite chin, seemingly motivated, against Vitali.

He was stopped in one round by a bodyshot in his last fight.

Da' fuckkk.

[Bodysnatcher]

Sanders chin is weird.

He was stopped early in his career by medicore punchers.

He showed a granite chin, seemingly motivated, against Vitali.

He was stopped in one round by a bodyshot in his last fight.

Da' fuckkk.

In that last fight you could just tell he was thinking `I'm 42, I could be on the golf course right now....fuck THIS for a living.`

[teeto]

In that last fight you could just tell he was thinking `I'm 42, I could be on the golf course right now....fuck THIS for a living.`

:lol: :lol:

[The Kurgan]

He showed a granite chin, seemingly motivated, against Vitali.


Vitali arm-punched his way through that fight. Many of his rights had about as much snap as rice crispies that had been in milk for three hours.

Sanders had a dodgy chin, but also an awkward style for Lennox: I think Lewis's overhand right would be rather inneffective against a southpaw, and his right uppercut would be very dangerous to throw if one considers Sanders's counter-left-cross. It's also worth noting that jabs are almost always useless against a southpaw (at the worst) or just a means of keeping the southpaw's right hand occupied (at best). Rahman and Vitali beat Sanders with their straight right hands, which were both very good at what they used them for.

However, Lewis could throw straight lead right hands if he had to; he also had a sneaky check hook. The difference in skill level would also really tell and despite his handspeed I think Sanders would have difficulty in finding flush shots to land on Lewis, due to Lewis being very conscious of Corrie's power.

I can see this resembling the Shannon Briggs fight: Lewis would look rather clumsy and have to resort to second (and third, and fourth) winds against an awkward and ultra-brave opponent. He could get caught by a counter and be staggered, but I just don't think Sanders had the class to finish off someone of Lewis's calibre, even if he hurt him.

I'd expect Lewis to KO Sanders between the 4rth and 7th rounds.

[Bummy Davis]

Lets face it , No one would want to fight Sanders(VLADS people were not smart) Lewis was a better fighter in everyway but even he would have to be carefull to take that fight...I wanted to see that fight because Sanders had fast hands, hard punch and tricky southpaw style, a fight vs Lewis could be an upset but a care full Lewis would stop Corrie...Sanders was never really 100% FIT, EVEN WHEN HE FOUGHT RAHMAN HE COULD NOT GET ANY ROADWORK IN BECAUSE OF A LEG INJURY but make no mistake about it Corrie could hit and Lewis was slower and would get hit early....definate DANGER IMO

[Russell]

Vitali arm-punched his way through that fight. Many of his rights had about as much snap as rice crispies that had been in milk for three hours.


Did you miss the fact that Vitali is the size of fucking Godzilla and equally strong?

Or the slow motion replays of Sander's jaw opening and salvia flying out Ike vs. Byrd style?

He was getting whacked. Period.

[The Kurgan]

Did you miss the fact that Vitali is the size of fucking Godzilla and equally strong?

Or the slow motion replays of Sander's jaw opening and salvia flying out Ike vs. Byrd style?

He was getting whacked. Period.

Vitali is indeed a big strong guy. That's why he stops his opponents in spite of the fact that his technique is physically sickening.

[Russell]

Never said it wasn't.

But you've got to factor in Vitali learning and applying it in later fights.

He didn't look any worse than Lennox in that fight, and in his last fight against Williams he looked VERY good, using double uppercuts and what not.

[The Kurgan]

He didn't look any worse than Lennox in that fight

Can you clarify what you mean by this please?

[KobeIsGod]

lennox would play it smart and cautiously wear down sanders to a late round stoppage. sanders' left had the power to send anyone's head spinning.

[punchy]

Sanders is a bit like the Tua fight both guys if they catch you are dangerous Lennox would win nine out of ten but there is that chance.

[Russell]

Can you clarify what you mean by this please?

Vitali didn't look any more sloppy/reckless than Lennox when they fought one another.

[kenmore]

I know that I would certainly pick Lewis to take Sanders apart, but is there anyone here who thinks that Corrie could have given him a decent run for his money around 2001-2003?

Sanders's only chance would have been if Lewis entered the fight overconfident and unprepared. In that case Sanders might have connected with his left hand and knocked Lewis out, as McCall and Rahman did.

But assuming Lewis was prepared -- and there's a 98% chance he would have been - he would have beaten Sanders easily.

My guess is that Lewis would have boxed cautiously but effectively for about six rounds, then knocked a tiring Sanders cold in the seventh or eighth. Corrie would have tried hard, but I can't picture him landing any solid shots on the Lewis, who was defensively savvy.

[TBooze]

Mhm, it'd be a wild kind of fight while it lasted. Sanders was VERY agggressive when he wanted to be.



Tua was very aggressive, but had second thoughts when he started to taste that left hand leather of Lennox....

As long as it was Lennox and not his alter-ego Lummox in the ring, Sanders would be blown away inside three. Even Lummox would be 5-1 on to get the job done.

[Russell]

Sanders would be KO'ed if Lewis layed into him, so it's irrelevant. :D

[Seamus]

A focussed Lewis beats just about anyone who ever bestrode the division.

[The Kurgan]

Vitali didn't look any more sloppy/reckless than Lennox when they fought one another.

Would you say that Lewis peaked in 2003? If not, when did he peak?

[Mendoza]

Sanders name was mentioned on several occasions as a possible opponent for Lewis or Tyson in the 1990’s, but both teams knew fighting Sanders was not in their best interest. It was just pre-opponent hype before a lesser name was chosen. Sanders is a risky fight for either Tyson or Lewis. I would pick Lewis and Tyson to win if they were focused. If they did not bring their A game, an upset could easily happen.