True story! At the time he was active it was one criticism after another. It was very unfair to Lewis who conducted himself with class and dignity and rarely lashed out at the media who didn't give him the credit he deserved.
This is facts! At least in my case. I couldn't stand Lennox Lewis win he was on top. I thought he was an arrogant, uninteresting, boring fighter. I knew he was great though, begrudgingly. It wasn't until years after his retirement, in re-viewing some of his fights when he was in his prime, that I began to really respect what he did in the sport. In all objectivity, he's a top 3 Heavyweight of all-time, AT LEAST.
@@Riles3152 better than maricano who never lost? ali who shocked the world by beating foreman when he was considered well past his prime? better than joe louis? i dont see how a guy who didnt fight bowe in his prime and lost to two soupcans belongs in the top 3.
Largely this is true. Some of us did always see the guy as the top level operator he was but he had so many haters and so many more people who need boxing pundits, commentators etc to influence their opinions thinking there was no smoke without fire but now the dust has settled he is undoubtedly in the eyes of any objective fan the best HW of probably the best era of HW's.
@@Riles3152 perception is everything is it, his power is ATG level and he KO'd heavily guys who were known for having chins and dropped guys who had never been on the canvas before but due to a lack of bad boy image was never labelled as a puncher by so many. His overhand right was one of the most deadly shots in boxing history. His faint jab come wide left hook also was pure genius, powerful and accurate.
I also feel sorry for Steve Lott, you can tell he had a lot of love for Tyson so it must have been hard watching him spiral down all those years after being frozen out. Insightful comments from him, he knew the guy.
Tyson was definitely past his best, but Lewis had just reached his zenith. They both peaked at different ages. Unusual for boxers to get better with age, but Lewis was the exception.
@@TheDuke4100 blah blah blah, anyone "15 years" past their best at that age was never anything great to begin with. All this crybaby but but but excuse making is simply fangirls who don't know boxing, quite sad.
@@TheDuke4100 Lewis was older than Mike at this time , and still fought better . Lewis also wanted to fight him 6 years earlier but Don King stopped it , and paid him to step aside .
Tyson, perhaps, is underrated in his ability to withstand a punch and keep fighting. Buster Douglas? That is one of the most sensational uppercuts in history and it still took the left cross to send Tyson to the canvas.
he didnt get up. and tyson would lose to other soupcans later on. his peak was over at age 23. his ability to take a punch before douglas was barely tested.
That's a good point. Since Mike Tyson had the tremendous head movement and ring generalship he didn't get hit. The power such as the power against Marvis Frazier in Glens Falls, N.Y. also prevented his ability to take a punch. I think the official time was 30 seconds in that Frazier fight. When he's knocking out opponents in the first and second rounds he won't and can't get hit. But he was absorbing tremendous punishment from James "Buster" Douglas throughout the fight. That he took like a champion. Douglas was connecting with the lead-off right hand, double jab, ferocious combinations. It was an awesome display of true boxing. Tyson was taking a beating especially when his head was snapped back against the ropes in the 9th round. It's the same with Mike Tyson as George Foreman before Zaire in 1974. Nobody hit Foreman. When Ali did it was over in the 8th.
@@chrischichester7823 the comparison sort of ends when you realize that ali was a smart techinichian who held on to the title against the odds for a few more years and douglas apparently ate himself out of contention immediatly after his one moment. had douglas had a better legacy its possible that fight would lose some of its lustre as an unbelievable upset that dimished tyson in many peoples views, my own includued.
Two of the best to ever lace up gloves. Its funny growing up in Vegas I've met Iron Mike; he is among the most kind and seemingly gentle men I've ever come across despite his "in ring" reputation. He saved someone's life on the freeway about a year ago as well. Great guy!
I met Mike at the opening of Tao Nightclub in September 2006. He had a table upstairs next to us. Pre cell phone camera, etc. Had tons of security around him but let me take a picture and speak with him for a few minutes. Super nice guy
He was a great fighter but he was boreing didn't fight bowe as a pro got knocked clean out twice by b level heavyweights and when vitali made him work and gave him a real challenge he decided to retire instead of take the rematch.
Stick Talk Gorilla Did you not see the clip when Bowe dropped the belt in the bin rather than defend it against Lewis? Plus Lewis stopped him in the Olympic gold medal bout, so who really ducked who?
@@DifferentFan0 the only possible yardstick to even get close to judging between Bowe and Lewis is Andrew Golota. Bowe was getting beaten by Golota in both fights before the disqualifications when Lewis fought him next after those 2 fights it lasted less than 90 secs
Lennox Lewis doesn't get his just due among the casual fan, but for the purists it's clear how great a fighter he genuinely was. He was consistently overshadowed by the myth of Tyson, and to some degree Holyfield as well. Regardless the guy was brilliant in the ring.
@@mitchellglass6832 Lennox Lewis was an oppotunist and nothing special, he beat Tyson 12yrs after Douglas had hammered him and 6yrs after Holyfield had beaten him.. Lewis avoided every heavyweight who was at the top of their game, choosing to fight bums instead. Tucker, Botha, Golota, Morrison -- all junkies & steroid freaks. Grant, Butler, Mavrovic, Fortune -- all bums class C fighters David Tua - the fattest man to ever fight for the Title. Akinwande, Briggs - pathetic McCall rematch -- McCall only days out of rehab (pathetic) Ruddock -- Damaged Goods after 2 brutal beatings from Tyson Lewis priced himself out of a fight with Bowe in 93 & 95 by demanding options on Bowes next 5 fights should Lewis lose. he turned down $12 million and a gauranteed title shot against Tyson in 96 stepping aside and selling his position to Holyfield for a meagre $3 million, he done so because he knew that he was a one round KO for that version of Mike Tyson
Its time to call Lennox Lewish what he actually is- One of the greatest boxers of all time, AND the greatest boxer of the mid to late 90s early 2000's.
The main difference between the young and old Tyson is just quality of opponent. In the 1980s he could out speed heavyweights that belonged in the 1970s. Holmes, Berbick, Thomas etc. Ten plus years later he had to face "live" opponents like Lewis and Holyfield. The emergence of the "big" heavyweights like Lewis, Bowe, and Vitali also meant that he could no longer compete because just not big enough at 5'11".
Not really because Frank Bruno was huge. Lou savares was huge. In response to your comment on the heavyweights from the 70s, I don't think he would be able to beat Ali. Ali would have always beat Tyson or Lennox Lewis. Muhammad Ali was a complete fighter. Good footwork, technical skills. Power
Tonny Tucker was 6'5 Ribalta 6'6 Carl Williams 6'5 Holmes 6'3 Biggs 6'5 Tubbs 6'3 Thomas 6'3 Bruno 6'3 Ruddock 6'3 and do you really think mfs like mcbride are better than Tyson or something
All you chumps needa stop discrediting both Tyson and Lewis , they are both some of the greatest heavyweights in boxing history and did alot for boxing . we can all agree that since their departure , boxing has died and no longer the same . I would love to have these fighters back in the ring and re-live their Era of Boxing .
I am right there with you brother! Tyson had not just power but speed a great jab and the best head movement in the heavy weight division. It infuriates me when people who are new to boxing know him as a crazy guy who bite Holyfield's ear.
Lennox beat Vitali Klitschko, a good Holyfield twice (the draw was scandalous) and Tyson (albeit at end of career) and Bowe ducked Lewis to the point where he through his world title in a bin to avoid fighting; remembering that Lewis stopped him in the Olympic final. The question is who did Lewis not beat? He only lost two fights both of which were avenged with stoppages.
@@MCRAIDER40 course he beat vitali,he forced a stoppage doesn’t matter how well vitali was doing and props to him but that fight was a justified stoppage.Lewis went out beating a younger bigger hungrier future hof’er
It would have not happened in 1990. Tyson was ahead of Lewis in that era. Lewis was still developing. Mike was already established. Mike probably would have won at the time. In the mid 90s going forward not anymore. Mike's skill had declined by then.
Brian Ticas If Tyson hadn’t abandoned the peak A Boo style, He would’ve smashed Lewis & Holyfield inside of 1990-1992 . Tyson was a stylistic nightmare for Lewis, for crying out loud Lewis couldn’t even knockout Tua , who couldn’t for box for shit, and only had a left hook, and durability, Tua could be out-boxed easily by tall heavyweights w jabs while on the other hand, Tyson was the one out-boxing the tall fighters in his prime. Tyson had footwork, angles, speed , power, head movement, good chin, and PURE killer instict & aggression ! Holyfield was tough, but he would’ve been stopped inside of 12 rounds against Mike if they fought in their primes, If Holyfield had to hold on to Old Foreman, Just what do you think Prime Tyson would’ve done to him ???
@Ryan Patey Tony Tubbs, Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Andrew Golota, Razor Ruddock, James "Bonecrusher" Smith, and Tony Tucker. Only Larry Holmes and Spinks can be considered great but the rest are still solid names to his resumé.
@Ryan Patey Ruddock and Tucker both fought back against Tyson and still lost. Holmes being 38 isn't really an excuse seeing as how he gave Holyfield a hard time at age 42 four years later. He even beat Ray Mercer in the same year.
@Ryan Patey Irrelevant since that is a whole different topic that has nothing to do with what we were talking about. You claimed Tyson beat no one great while I provided you the names of two great fighters that he beat plus other good names. That was the whole point.
Tired of all these Tyson fan-boys saying how he would've destroyed anyone "in his prime". Lewis was a superior fighter in every aspect apart from sheer thuggery and would've given a late 80's Tyson a beating 8 times out of 10. I'd give a prime Tyson a 20% chance of knocking Lewis out though. Tyson was the most marketable heavyweight since Ali, but as his legacy shows, nowhere close to the best.
If cus damato would have kepted him maybe. Too bad Mike fell off from where he began. Nice head movement, knowing how to move in on people. Came out of jail, he was a average fighter with power.
Lol listen up its a fact every fighter has a prime, mike was past it and lennox was in his, mike had been through tons of stuff by that time, still doesnt change the fact that lennox will never be the same level as tyson
So if you would have payed attention to this documentary you would have clearly heard Lewis back in the day he wasn't ready for Tyson and didn't want no part of him because he was like an animal you sound bitter LoL 🤣
@@SP-tr6jm I think Tyson would win the first few rounds since Joe was a slow starter and took a while to get into his rhythm. The question is if Tyson could knock him out in that time. If the fight goes into the later rounds, I see Frazier taking over.
I'm so glad mike is where he is today. He's grown up so much and has in fact become a more inspirational person than he ever was before. He denied what everyone here was so cynical on, that he would keep fighting for money and keep spiraling. Mike. I don't know you that much beyond what I see on videos, but to me you more than redeemed yourself as a human being. Mike is the best.
Caught Teddy Atlas on Joe Rogan's podcast recently and what he said about Mike really rang true. He captivated the imagination of boxing fans the world over, but when met with resistance was never the guy we thought he was.
and the same can be said for just about anyone else I can say the same thing about ali too All he did was trash talk until he got met with guys who couldn't handle his BS and whooped him Teddy is just jealous and nothing else
I respect Lewis, truly a great fighter but Tyson was an empty shell by this time and for everyone's information if you dont know Mike was champion at 20 whilst Lewis was an amateur still years away from the pro ranks so who would have won then? All I'm saying is very few fighters meet at their peaks.....I think Holyfield v Tyson 1990 which never happened could have been the one.
Most underrated record is Tyson winning the HEAVYWEIGHT title at 20.. most 20 year olds arent even heavy enough to be a heavyweight let alone have the fight IQ, physical maturity, mental maturity, boxing skills, lunching power to be the heavyweight champion at 20. It'll never be broken because even if they turn pro at 18 there's no way that someone would get a title shot in less then two years these days
But again look at the heavyweight division when Tyson was reigning. Which of those contenders were good? Only ones I see were frank Bruno, razor ruddock, and Tony tucker. All the other fighters Tyson beat were garbage 🗑.
@@cartonbox5174 not true. I mean anyone can lose. But james bonecrusher Smith, razor Ruddock, Tony Tucker to name a few were no ordinary boxers and they lost to Mike
@@sugs1191 they were ordinary Tyson dodged all the good ones like holyfield and even paid Lennox Lewis 4 mil to step aside Also he lost to Buster Douglas another ordinary boxer
Lewis is one of the greatest Heavyweight Champions, ever! And the greatest of his era! Sadly, he never got accepted because he was an outsider and a serious threat, i.e. a Brit dominating a Sport where it is usually dominated by Americans, and the majority of the latter didn't like the sound of that one bit & they certainly didn't like it when there was no more American Boxers left to through at him. If Lewis had been an American he would have been the Golden Boy of Boxing and more than likely coined the Greatest! They would have put him right up there with Ali without contemplating a seconds thought about it. But hey, the main thing is, he's a Brit, and he dominated and done Great Britain proud!
I will never understand a comment like that? Lennox was a star in America doing commercials for American products! Lewis always got & gets crazy live in the US so I don't know why you feel Americans care if the HWC is British cause WE DO NOT CARE! I'm serious & im not trying to be disrespectful @all my brother just talking is all & im serious, where the best athlete is from doesn't matter here in the US. Pacquiao is loved & he can barely speak English lol David Beckham loved & we loved & love Lennox. Respect to you bro I'm just talking
@Mercedesman. Tyson only ever knocked out big men who were "has beens" or "never beens". I seem to remember him struggling to beat big men like Mitch Green who were journeymen at best. You just can't answer the question - Name a truly world class fighter under 35 that Tyson actually beat.
cujo concep No you can't because Lewis knocked out Tyson and beat Holyfield. It is you Tyson fans that are fishing for excuses because your man could beat neither Lewis nor Holyfield (He has two attempts) Lewis only lost two fights and he avenged both those defeats by knockouts.
cujo concep Perhaps you can answer the question. Can you name one, and I'm only asking for one, world class fighter under 35 (so no Holmes) that Tyson beat during his career? Naturally I'm classing Michael Spinks as a blown up Cruiserweight so not a world class heavyweight.
After the Michael Spinks fight, that’s when Mike’s life really started going to hell. Don King ruined him, he didn’t show a lot of interest in his fights & was going through the motions. Had he stayed w/ Kevin Rooney, he would’ve been undefeated & still the heavyweight champion of the world. I love the man he’s become now. He seemed to have made peace w/ himself & all the things he used to be.
I remember all the Tyson fanatics at the time that were so cocksure that he was going to knock Lewis out, it was so satisfying to see Lewis destroy him.
Yeah I was a freshmen in hs. I remember catching the fight that Saturday. N let me tell you, Lennox Lewis put one of the biggest ass whippings ever on mike Tyson in boxing. It was as if a father was whipping his child with a belt after getting suspended from school.
walkwithme please dont ever compare lewis to mayweather, you sound insane. Lewis could be a violent man in the boxing ring when the time came he just has a calm demeanor dont let it fool you. hes definitely no runner, watch the klitcko fight or the holy field fight. tyson was towards the end of his career at this point he had been dealt alot of bad hands with his original trainer dying and prison time and the alleged rape.
The thing that gets me about the commentators and comments is the implication that Tyson was too old and some how Lewis was not. Lewis is 10 months OLDER than Tyson. Tyson had been avoiding Lewis all his career 'cause he knew he would get the whooping he finally did.
i agree. When he began training under Emanuel Steward he reached his full potential. Lennox was an outstanding champion and deserves more credit for his accomplishments than he receives. He fought the best fighters of his era and won. He was smart enough to know when to step down, and he has his mental faculties intact. He is reputed to have a financial net worth of $35,000,000. I don't think he cares about what the naysayers think. I'm sure that just about anyone who has crawled through those ropes would be more than satisfied to walk in his shoes. Sadly too many outstanding champions are financially broke at the end of their career and necessarily continue to fight because they need the money. And that is when so many become severely impaired for life. There's an old saying...."There was never a horse who couldn't be rode and never a rider who couldn't be throwed." Pride comes before the fall.
Ok if you look at boxing from a age only perspective that would be true. When you look at boxing styles and what it took to condition those fighters than Tyson was WAY past his prime where Lewis would of only been slightly past his prime. Tysons peak was at age 22 Lewis Unified the Title when he was 33. Its not due to their age as much as it is their style of fighting. Tyson required high level endurance and conditioning to swarm a fighter and knock them out much like Frazier, David Tua, and Rocky Marciano. Lewis was a boxer/puncher would could rely on his physical advantages to either win a decision (i.e. Holyfield or Mercer) or score a knock out (Rudock, Tyson). Or in other words if a 34 tyson fights a 35 year old Lewis which one is past his prime the most? Well it depends on the age of the prime. Tyson was 34 with a prime of 22 so he was 12 years past his prime and Lewis was 32 at his prime and was 3 years past his prime. When we watch the fight in 2002 its quite obvious who is more prepared for the fight. It is a long complex answer but makes sense I hope.
So what your saying is you didn't actually listen to LENNOX HIMSELF! LENNOX SAID he was hoping he never fought or had to fight tyson back in the day! Now I could be mistaken but hoping you don't need to do something in the future means you will try to avoid it. Did tyson avoid fighting Lennox because he made Lennox hope he didn't have to fight him for real?? I'll try to make some kinda sense of that but I seriously doubt I will. Just saying....
Yeah that is partially true. I heard Lennox Lewis was Tyson's mandatory when Tyson came out of prison. That Tyson paid Lewis some step aside money. But I don't think Tyson in the 80s was scared of anyone though. Possibly after Douglas beat him and he went to prison yes. People come out of jail and they become cowards. I seen it. You can't blame them though.
I'm not asking for a the "he was over the hill" or "if he'd have faced him at his peak" fanboys to reply but this is my personal opinion. They both peaked at opposite ends of their career thats a fact Tyson first 5/6 years and Lewis last 10/11 years. The one thing I will say is even when he struggled or gave up he never looked as beaten up as he did when he fought Lewis. The Holyfield fights he took some vicious hits but didn't look as bad. Testament to Lewis's underrated power.
+MrDiache If it meant my purse for the fight was going up by ten mill and I knew he wouldn't actually eat my children then he could say whatever he wanted.
I never realized that after fighting McNeeley Tyson honestly barely fought for the rest of his career. Just 12 fights with two of those being the Holyfield matches. He was just never the same after Buster Douglas. Losing Kevin Rooney lost Mike the one person who genuinely wanted what was best for him. Not a bunch of sycophants and enablers trying to profit off what was clearly a downward spiral. Happy to see Mike's doing a lot better now, and maintains a stoic if distant perspective on boxing.
Mike is one of the greatest heavyweight fighters. But, when your reasons for boxing changes, you are no longer the same boxer. Also, Tyson is a better fighter than Lewis. Why? Think about it. Mike won most of his fights at a disadvantage. Most fighters were taller than him and bigger. The truth is that the style that Mike Tyson used required so much energy that it is very hard to sustain. When a fighter is past 32 and is 6'4 he can use reach and distance. But, when a fighter is only 5'9 he has to use twice the energy to compete. Mike was at an astronomical disadvantage.
Tran Zilla that's a very poor excuse @ best that you're making for Tyson".... even a so-called prime Tyson is no where in the same area code with Lewis".... you sound either ignorant of the boxing game r maybe you're just a hater!... bottom line is that if Lewis was an American, people would be shouting from rooftops how he's the greatest!.
@@synergyhowacquisition3821 I really think you need to study boxing. When Mike Tyson was ranked Lennox Lewis was still in the amateurs. Lennox Lewis never fought Tyson in his prime because Lewis was not even ranked. Lennox Lewis would have got destroyed if he fought a prime Tyson. Lennox was not even ranked in the pros. If Lennox Lewis would have fought Tyson when Tyson was released from prison then Lennox would have destroyed Tyson. When Mike Tyson was released from prison Tyson was not trying to fight the best fighters, Tyson was only interested in making money. Further, Don King paid Lennox Lewis somewhere in the Ball Park of 4 million dollars to step aside and not fight Tyson when Tyson was released. A prime Tyson was fighting to win, a washed up Tyson was fighting for money.
@@tranzilla6960 you're the one that needs to study boxing"....... roughly 4 years prior to Lewis and Tyson getting it on, their was an agreement for them to fight!... however, Tyson's camp ended up backing out of that fight, there by forfeiting 4 million dollars to Lewis".... so get out of here with your Tyson mythology shite!. all of you Tyson fanatic fanboys are mesmerized by the Tyson mythos.
God bless you bro. You just reconfirmed what I told you. When Tyson was with Don King that version of Mike Tyson was fighting for money. Why would a no longer prime Tyson fight Lennox Lewis that would have beaten him. When you are trying to win an argument you can't go with the way you feel you have to go with what actually happened. This is what actually happened: 1. When Mike Tyson was a Champion Lewis was not ranked to fight Tyson. That is what actually happened. 2. When Lennox was in his prime, Tyson was a decent fighter and avoided a fight because Tyson was a marketing machine to make money. Why would Tyson's camp and others help Mike Tyson lose and miss out on a chance of making millions. Tyson's camp wanted to make money millions not lose bro. 3. Lennox beat a washed up Mike Tyson. Tyson style is not based on endurance. It's a 18 to 32 age limit. Why is this right? Because this actually happened. Why argue with the reality. Base your opinion on what actually happened, not your feelings or some emotional out cry 😭.
Mike Tyson was a combination of physical and psychological explosiveness and that's what made him great. Mike Tyson, wherever you are, have no regrets for what you've been or done, you couldn't have done it any differently.
If Lennox was American he would be the greatest ever, I find that really childish from some Americans the fact that he's British and there not willing to concede that he was even great
maybe not the greatest ever but kno what u mean americans only cheer and respect their own for instance joe calzaghe was way better than mayweather and isnt appreciated and he even beat roy jones and is still ranked as lower than him
no one wants to be american there time is over in the heavyweight division its the brits that rule the world not over hyped yanks like the cowardly wilder fury could beat this poor excuse with one hand tied behind his back even the over hyped aj would beat wilder long live the brits
When I saw this fight I couldn't believe how Tyson was. He was gettin his ass whooped. He looked like a shell of his former self. And then Lewis mercilessly ended it with a KO. And when KO'd him he even gave a little shove like "Bitch get on the ground. You're nothing now."
Tyson never really fought anybody of note in his prime. It's hard to know how good he truly was - world class for sure, but maybe not the monster he was marketed to be.
+Cobretti20001 Ruddock never beat a top 20 fighter in his entire career. He was big and strong but he was very limited. As I say, never beat a top 20 opponent.
+Jack Kenna I respectfully disagree. I know that Tyson didn't have many top opponents, however he did beat Larry Holmes. I know Holmes had just come out of retirement and got Ko'd, but he came back again a few years later, beat a top fighter, Ray Mercer, and earned a shot against Holyfield. That's how good he was. I don't think a prime Tyson beats Ali, but I do think that he beats all of Ali's great opponents, Frazier, Foreman, and Norton.
JasonMarshMusic Respectfully suggest the fact Holmes beat Mercer is a demonstration of how average Mercer was rather than how good Holmes was at that stage of his career. Mercer was big and tough but that's about it. He had no boxing skills to mention and the only quality he ever beat was Morrisson who gave Mercer a battering for 5 rounds before being caught. Mercer didn't beat another top fighter in his entire career. Holmes had class but was very much past his best and Mercer was simply very average . Holmes readily admits to being 6 or 7 years past his prime when he faced Tyson. He was 38 years old, inactive for 2 years (and yet Tyson still couldn't land a glove on him for first 3 rounds).
I don't mean bums in the sense that they are worthless people. I mean that they were not great or even good fighters. That is what Tyson and his management team sought out so he could look impressive. It was a staple of Tyson's career.
For all you Tyson fans I have a list of his wins once he was released from prison: Peter McNeely, Buster Mathis Jr., Frank Bruno, Bruce Seldon, Frans Botha, Orlin Norris, Julius Francis, Lou Saverese, Andrew Golota, Brian Neilson and Clifford Etienne. A bunch of bums, tomato cans, chumps. Here are his losses: Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield (twice), Danny Williams and Kevin McBride. You see Tyson never beat one good fighter on his comeback. He was a bottom feeder plain and simple.
Frank bruno wasnt that bad. All the other ones were chumps. Your right. Lewis beat better fighters. Tbh i dont know if tyson would have handled shannon briggs.
There's no debate. Lewis deserves the credit of being the best fighter of his era. Tyson dodged Lewis when young and in his prime. Lewis made no excuses, I never liked Lewis, but he was the best boxer/fighter of that amazing era, as hard as his life was, Tyson ultimately can only blame himself for not fulfilling his potential to have a longer and more consistent reign as heavyweight king!
I wish they'd bring this series back, fantastically produced television
Lol yes so many great fights they could’ve used
A superb series, fantastically put together.
probally wouldn’t be as appreciated today….
@@marqueswilliams345 Barrera-Morales
GGG-Canelo 1
Chocolatito vs Rungvisai
And obviously Manny V Marquez 4
They are too busy producing troon woke shit
Mike has done a great job of reinventing himself after boxing. I'm happy for him.
Night
He's more psychotic than ever.
I miss HBO boxing- many years of boxing excellence
Seriously...friggin sucks.
From George foreman V Ali to Mikes astronomic rise...back to Chavez, Del a Hoya, Roy Jones, Floyd, Pacquiao and even Canelo.
Lennox Lewis didn’t get the credit he deserved when he was still boxing. It’s only since he retired that we realise how good he was.
True story! At the time he was active it was one criticism after another. It was very unfair to Lewis who conducted himself with class and dignity and rarely lashed out at the media who didn't give him the credit he deserved.
This is facts! At least in my case. I couldn't stand Lennox Lewis win he was on top. I thought he was an arrogant, uninteresting, boring fighter. I knew he was great though, begrudgingly. It wasn't until years after his retirement, in re-viewing some of his fights when he was in his prime, that I began to really respect what he did in the sport. In all objectivity, he's a top 3 Heavyweight of all-time, AT LEAST.
@@Riles3152 better than maricano who never lost? ali who shocked the world by beating foreman when he was considered well past his prime? better than joe louis? i dont see how a guy who didnt fight bowe in his prime and lost to two soupcans belongs in the top 3.
Largely this is true. Some of us did always see the guy as the top level operator he was but he had so many haters and so many more people who need boxing pundits, commentators etc to influence their opinions thinking there was no smoke without fire but now the dust has settled he is undoubtedly in the eyes of any objective fan the best HW of probably the best era of HW's.
@@Riles3152 perception is everything is it, his power is ATG level and he KO'd heavily guys who were known for having chins and dropped guys who had never been on the canvas before but due to a lack of bad boy image was never labelled as a puncher by so many. His overhand right was one of the most deadly shots in boxing history. His faint jab come wide left hook also was pure genius, powerful and accurate.
I also feel sorry for Steve Lott, you can tell he had a lot of love for Tyson so it must have been hard watching him spiral down all those years after being frozen out. Insightful comments from him, he knew the guy.
Steve Lott always gave Tyson the benefit of the doubt.
@@irod3932 elaborate
Rest in Peace Ralph Wiley & Emmanuel Steward
The main difference between the young and old Tyson was Don King.
@Gamelocker swarmer* but lewis would allways give tyson troublr
"Down home Mississippi ass whipping"....LMAO!
'Grandmas Lysol wouldnt wash out what he got that night' fucking hilarious :-)
Grace Hodges grandmas lime soap...not lysol
Real one lol 😂
Amazingly well done documentary. I didnt realize it was so hard to make this fight in the making.
Tyson was definitely past his best, but Lewis had just reached his zenith. They both peaked at different ages. Unusual for boxers to get better with age, but Lewis was the exception.
liston got better as he gol older. you could argue foreman did. tyson was pretty much washed up at 23
They were both past their best, fact of life. It was a fair fight and the better fighter won.
@@crimsonchin9632 Tyson was 15 years past his best. Not even close to it being fair
@@TheDuke4100 blah blah blah, anyone "15 years" past their best at that age was never anything great to begin with. All this crybaby but but but excuse making is simply fangirls who don't know boxing, quite sad.
@@TheDuke4100 Lewis was older than Mike at this time , and still fought better . Lewis also wanted to fight him 6 years earlier but Don King stopped it , and paid him to step aside .
Tyson was the epitome of the celebrity rockstar. Arguably one of the most universally recognizable faces on the planet.
And he’s still one of the most famous celebrities ever.
Mad mad mad mad props to my man Mike for taking a beating like that from a great fighter like Lewis. You ARE one of the greatest, a gladiator.
Thats wasnt a Boxing Fight by Lewis. He was Holding & clinching Tyson until He was tired down
@@primesuspect8198what?😂
@@vince11harris lewis Wrestled Tyson down
@@primesuspect8198 you mean Tyson was holding
Tyson, perhaps, is underrated in his ability to withstand a punch and keep fighting. Buster Douglas? That is one of the most sensational uppercuts in history and it still took the left cross to send Tyson to the canvas.
he didnt get up. and tyson would lose to other soupcans later on. his peak was over at age 23. his ability to take a punch before douglas was barely tested.
That's a good point. Since Mike Tyson had the tremendous head movement and ring generalship he didn't get hit. The power such as the power against Marvis Frazier in Glens Falls, N.Y. also prevented his ability to take a punch. I think the official time was 30 seconds in that Frazier fight. When he's knocking out opponents in the first and second rounds he won't and can't get hit. But he was absorbing tremendous punishment from James "Buster" Douglas throughout the fight. That he took like a champion. Douglas was connecting with the lead-off right hand, double jab, ferocious combinations. It was an awesome display of true boxing. Tyson was taking a beating especially when his head was snapped back against the ropes in the 9th round. It's the same with Mike Tyson as George Foreman before Zaire in 1974. Nobody hit Foreman. When Ali did it was over in the 8th.
@@chrischichester7823 the comparison sort of ends when you realize that ali was a smart techinichian who held on to the title against the odds for a few more years and douglas apparently ate himself out of contention immediatly after his one moment. had douglas had a better legacy its possible that fight would lose some of its lustre as an unbelievable upset that dimished tyson in many peoples views, my own includued.
Two of the best to ever lace up gloves. Its funny growing up in Vegas I've met Iron Mike; he is among the most kind and seemingly gentle men I've ever come across despite his "in ring" reputation. He saved someone's life on the freeway about a year ago as well. Great guy!
Ali goat
I met Mike at the opening of Tao Nightclub in September 2006. He had a table upstairs next to us. Pre cell phone camera, etc. Had tons of security around him but let me take a picture and speak with him for a few minutes. Super nice guy
Lennox is a beast and an ATG! Beat all of the top fighters of his generation.
But he ducked Bowe
He was a great fighter but he was boreing didn't fight bowe as a pro got knocked clean out twice by b level heavyweights and when vitali made him work and gave him a real challenge he decided to retire instead of take the rematch.
Stick Talk Gorilla Did you not see the clip when Bowe dropped the belt in the bin rather than defend it against Lewis? Plus Lewis stopped him in the Olympic gold medal bout, so who really ducked who?
@@DifferentFan0 lol bowe ducked lewis
@@DifferentFan0 the only possible yardstick to even get close to judging between Bowe and Lewis is Andrew Golota. Bowe was getting beaten by Golota in both fights before the disqualifications when Lewis fought him next after those 2 fights it lasted less than 90 secs
Lennox Lewis doesn't get his just due among the casual fan, but for the purists it's clear how great a fighter he genuinely was. He was consistently overshadowed by the myth of Tyson, and to some degree Holyfield as well. Regardless the guy was brilliant in the ring.
I rate Lewis highly I just think the other 2 were better. Particularly Tyson
People overrate Tysons power. Whose his biggest knockout? 38 year-old Larry Holmes? Undersized scared Mike spinks?
@@mitchellglass6832 Lennox Lewis was an oppotunist and nothing special, he beat Tyson 12yrs after Douglas had hammered him and 6yrs after Holyfield had beaten him.. Lewis avoided every heavyweight who was at the top of their game, choosing to fight bums instead.
Tucker, Botha, Golota, Morrison -- all junkies & steroid freaks.
Grant, Butler, Mavrovic, Fortune -- all bums class C fighters
David Tua - the fattest man to ever fight for the Title.
Akinwande, Briggs - pathetic
McCall rematch -- McCall only days out of rehab (pathetic)
Ruddock -- Damaged Goods after 2 brutal beatings from Tyson
Lewis priced himself out of a fight with Bowe in 93 & 95 by demanding options on Bowes next 5 fights should Lewis lose. he turned down $12 million and a gauranteed title shot against Tyson in 96 stepping aside and selling his position to Holyfield for a meagre $3 million, he done so because he knew that he was a one round KO for that version of Mike Tyson
@@ctapuk3754 who is Tysons best win? 38 year old Larry Holmes? How about Michael scared Spinks? Lennox beat every one he ever faced.
@@mitchellglass6832 who is Lewis best win washed tyson 38 old holyfield on decline? Lucky cut over green Klitscko?
Its time to call Lennox Lewish what he actually is- One of the greatest boxers of all time, AND the greatest boxer of the mid to late 90s early 2000's.
PolishBehemoth not even close to the best boxer of the late 90's early 2000's that belongs to Roy jones jr
he didnt dominate, he lost to bums and should have lost to klitshko too..
I favour Lennox over Roy Jones technically better in my opinion
In a world where Roy Jones didn't exist, maybe.
Lewis ducked Bowe
After Tyson got defeated for the first time (Tyson vs Douglas 1990) everything started going down hill for Tyson
Everything went downhill as soon as he fired kevin rooney
zain mamood The beginning of the end was when Cus died
Michael Crane He became heavyweight champion after Cus died.
Michael Crane The beginning of the end was when Mike got infected with the Don King disease.
+Suhail muzaffar you don't know shit about boxing you moron .
Damn. I know it's been noted before but George Foreman really turned out to be a classy guy. Same with Mike Tyson as well.
The main difference between the young and old Tyson is just quality of opponent. In the 1980s he could out speed heavyweights that belonged in the 1970s. Holmes, Berbick, Thomas etc. Ten plus years later he had to face "live" opponents like Lewis and Holyfield. The emergence of the "big" heavyweights like Lewis, Bowe, and Vitali also meant that he could no longer compete because just not big enough at 5'11".
Not really because Frank Bruno was huge. Lou savares was huge. In response to your comment on the heavyweights from the 70s, I don't think he would be able to beat Ali. Ali would have always beat Tyson or Lennox Lewis. Muhammad Ali was a complete fighter. Good footwork, technical skills. Power
Tonny Tucker was 6'5 Ribalta 6'6 Carl Williams 6'5 Holmes 6'3 Biggs 6'5 Tubbs 6'3 Thomas 6'3 Bruno 6'3 Ruddock 6'3 and do you really think mfs like mcbride are better than Tyson or something
@@brianticas7671 who wins prime Ali or prime Holyfield and how
All you chumps needa stop discrediting both Tyson and Lewis , they are both some of the greatest heavyweights in boxing history and did alot for boxing . we can all agree that since their departure , boxing has died and no longer the same . I would love to have these fighters back in the ring and re-live their Era of Boxing .
Proper punctuation optional.
💯💯
2:59 "well-spoken", "nice smile", "charming" ROFL
HE SPEAKS SO WELL!
"Tyson's biting my leg....he's biting my leg. I hate getting bit."
Marcy Marc he is a pitbull
Damn I miss this show.
Lewis was the best Heavyweight of the 90's.
Facts.
He was, but christ he was boring to watch.
Lennox was the best I think Holyfield deserves the spot the hw if the 90s purely for the wars and big fights he was in.
@@MC-yq6us who wins prime Ali or prime Holyfield and how
@@kingdomofanimaria prime Ali by decision
I am right there with you brother! Tyson had not just power but speed a great jab and the best head movement in the heavy weight division. It infuriates me when people who are new to boxing know him as a crazy guy who bite Holyfield's ear.
maybe getting crushed by a virtual no one at the age of 23 took a fair bit away from his image that turned out to be fake.
There is a ray of sunshine waiting for Mike Tyson! He came out on the good side of life!
Watching people flame out is one of the greatest spectacles in existence.
Tragic at the same time, especially a la Borges, when people prop them up because they’ve invested so much in them.
Gambling or otherwise…
I love it - "I push this head back and its Tyson biting my leg..... and i hate gettin bitten". Lol.
Kay Mann I was thinking who actually enjoys getting bitten? Lol
Thanks. Loved looking back at that.
Lewis is the man. He got skills.
Lennox beat Vitali Klitschko, a good Holyfield twice (the draw was scandalous) and Tyson (albeit at end of career) and Bowe ducked Lewis to the point where he through his world title in a bin to avoid fighting; remembering that Lewis stopped him in the Olympic final. The question is who did Lewis not beat? He only lost two fights both of which were avenged with stoppages.
Lewis was king of that erra...
With trainer Manny, not before, imo.
A young Holyfieild beats a young Lewis, in my opinion
@@Ramzblood A young Holyfield? You mean the Cruiserweight Holyfield? 😂😂
He did not beat Vitali…. He was getting his ass whooped but it was called because of a cut
@@MCRAIDER40 I think you were watching a different fight. It was only a matter of time before Vitali was stopped, regardless of the cut.
@@MCRAIDER40 course he beat vitali,he forced a stoppage doesn’t matter how well vitali was doing and props to him but that fight was a justified stoppage.Lewis went out beating a younger bigger hungrier future hof’er
This fight was a good 12 years too late.
It would have not happened in 1990. Tyson was ahead of Lewis in that era. Lewis was still developing. Mike was already established. Mike probably would have won at the time. In the mid 90s going forward not anymore. Mike's skill had declined by then.
Brian Ticas If Tyson hadn’t abandoned the peak A Boo style, He would’ve smashed Lewis & Holyfield inside of 1990-1992 . Tyson was a stylistic nightmare for Lewis, for crying out loud Lewis couldn’t even knockout Tua , who couldn’t for box for shit, and only had a left hook, and durability, Tua could be out-boxed easily by tall heavyweights w jabs while on the other hand, Tyson was the one out-boxing the tall fighters in his prime. Tyson had footwork, angles, speed , power, head movement, good chin, and PURE killer instict & aggression ! Holyfield was tough, but he would’ve been stopped inside of 12 rounds against Mike if they fought in their primes, If Holyfield had to hold on to Old Foreman, Just what do you think Prime Tyson would’ve done to him ???
@Ryan Patey Tony Tubbs, Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Andrew Golota, Razor Ruddock, James "Bonecrusher" Smith, and Tony Tucker. Only Larry Holmes and Spinks can be considered great but the rest are still solid names to his resumé.
@Ryan Patey Ruddock and Tucker both fought back against Tyson and still lost. Holmes being 38 isn't really an excuse seeing as how he gave Holyfield a hard time at age 42 four years later. He even beat Ray Mercer in the same year.
@Ryan Patey Irrelevant since that is a whole different topic that has nothing to do with what we were talking about. You claimed Tyson beat no one great while I provided you the names of two great fighters that he beat plus other good names. That was the whole point.
I fell asleep during the undercard then woke up during round 3! LOL
Interesting comment around 11.35 where a guy remarks that Lennox Lewis 'had a British accent' - that's news to anyone from Britain...
I cried like a baby, Tyson lost like a warrior. As the man said though, Tyson stopped fighting to win and kept fighting for money.
Mike and his team knew what they were doing by avoiding a fight with Lewis . This fight proves it.
thanks so much for posting these
Tired of all these Tyson fan-boys saying how he would've destroyed anyone "in his prime". Lewis was a superior fighter in every aspect apart from sheer thuggery and would've given a late 80's Tyson a beating 8 times out of 10. I'd give a prime Tyson a 20% chance of knocking Lewis out though. Tyson was the most marketable heavyweight since Ali, but as his legacy shows, nowhere close to the best.
If cus damato would have kepted him maybe. Too bad Mike fell off from where he began. Nice head movement, knowing how to move in on people. Came out of jail, he was a average fighter with power.
Lol listen up its a fact every fighter has a prime, mike was past it and lennox was in his, mike had been through tons of stuff by that time, still doesnt change the fact that lennox will never be the same level as tyson
So if you would have payed attention to this documentary you would have clearly heard Lewis back in the day he wasn't ready for Tyson and didn't want no part of him because he was like an animal you sound bitter LoL 🤣
Memphis took the chance on that fight! Proud of my hometown
tyson vs joe frazier would have been a great fight!
YSPHUK G mike would’ve WALKED THROUGH FRAZIER!
Joe woulda rolled this dude
@@SP-tr6jm
I think Tyson would win the first few rounds since Joe was a slow starter and took a while to get into his rhythm. The question is if Tyson could knock him out in that time. If the fight goes into the later rounds, I see Frazier taking over.
@Johnny Boy tyson hits harder thsn foreman brah
You sir,are a legend ! for all of these uploads :) keep them comming
I'm so glad mike is where he is today. He's grown up so much and has in fact become a more inspirational person than he ever was before.
He denied what everyone here was so cynical on, that he would keep fighting for money and keep spiraling.
Mike. I don't know you that much beyond what I see on videos, but to me you more than redeemed yourself as a human being.
Mike is the best.
(Larry Merchant's voice) "The bad boy of boxing is getting spanked."
11:50
Gave him that two piece!
I never noticed Jim Grey's face at 12:15 when Tyson Is talking all that wild stuff .haha. hilarious!
I hope Robin Givens is somewhere living in a van down by the river.
Lol damn. Cold hearted wishful thinking.
Yep in the immortal words of Bill Burr "what a gold digging whore".
Cold hearted, but in this case justified
Not likely tho, in her divorce with Tyson she got 25 million ffs
I heard she spent it all on Bitcoin when it was 10 dollars
Shit none of these heavyweights these days would had challenged these .. mad respect to those days !
Lennox Lewis, one of the best ever.
I don't give a chit what anyone says about Tyson he's my favorite Heavyweight of all time.
+rockodoggy Not the greatest HW, but certainly the most entertaining ;)
Caught Teddy Atlas on Joe Rogan's podcast recently and what he said about Mike really rang true. He captivated the imagination of boxing fans the world over, but when met with resistance was never the guy we thought he was.
The only fight of his that comes to mind where this would be untrue would be against Razor Ruddock, but honestly I think that's it.
and the same can be said for just about anyone else
I can say the same thing about ali too
All he did was trash talk until he got met with guys who couldn't handle his BS and whooped him
Teddy is just jealous and nothing else
@@theinformationbomber7102 Ali beat everyone tho and past his prime aswell
@@kingdomofanimaria ali didn't beat no one
he was unnecessarily overhyped
he was a media creation and nothing else
@@theinformationbomber7102 yes he did he beat Frazier foreman Norton shavers Oscar chuvalo Lyle all past his prime
I never noticed it until now, when Tyson was going up to lighted platform...he almost tripped and fell.
Lennox you are the REAL CHAMP.
This fight was and is more about winning or losing. It really was about legends and legacys and history.
I respect Lewis, truly a great fighter but Tyson was an empty shell by this time and for everyone's information if you dont know Mike was champion at 20 whilst Lewis was an amateur still years away from the pro ranks so who would have won then? All I'm saying is very few fighters meet at their peaks.....I think Holyfield v Tyson 1990 which never happened could have been the one.
In present day kovalev vs ward. Prime vs prime. Rare. Trinidad vs de la hoya
I think Holyfield still wins in 1990
@scarface 38 no he didn't 🤣
@@yaelgarcia459 holyfield was too light hadnt quite juiced up yet
Most underrated record is Tyson winning the HEAVYWEIGHT title at 20.. most 20 year olds arent even heavy enough to be a heavyweight let alone have the fight IQ, physical maturity, mental maturity, boxing skills, lunching power to be the heavyweight champion at 20. It'll never be broken because even if they turn pro at 18 there's no way that someone would get a title shot in less then two years these days
Unless they're in the UFC
But again look at the heavyweight division when Tyson was reigning. Which of those contenders were good? Only ones I see were frank Bruno, razor ruddock, and Tony tucker. All the other fighters Tyson beat were garbage 🗑.
As a Tyson fan I think Lewis was one of the few boxers who could of beaten him at his peak too.
Any 'good' boxer can beat Mike lol
@@cartonbox5174 not true. I mean anyone can lose. But james bonecrusher Smith, razor Ruddock, Tony Tucker to name a few were no ordinary boxers and they lost to Mike
@@sugs1191 they were ordinary
Tyson dodged all the good ones like holyfield and even paid Lennox Lewis 4 mil to step aside
Also he lost to Buster Douglas another ordinary boxer
@@cartonbox5174 he did not dodge holyfield. True about Lewis but he did fight him. He only perhaps dodged Foreman too
@@sugs1191 he dodged him 100%
I liked Lennox Lewis as a boxer, but we all know this was only a shadow of what Mike Tyson was.
Lewis is one of the greatest Heavyweight Champions, ever! And the greatest of his era! Sadly, he never got accepted because he was an outsider and a serious threat, i.e. a Brit dominating a Sport where it is usually dominated by Americans, and the majority of the latter didn't like the sound of that one bit & they certainly didn't like it when there was no more American Boxers left to through at him.
If Lewis had been an American he would have been the Golden Boy of Boxing and more than likely coined the Greatest! They would have put him right up there with Ali without contemplating a seconds thought about it.
But hey, the main thing is, he's a Brit, and he dominated and done Great Britain proud!
Your gonna see the same When Joshua goes over.They are going to act like he never exists
Amen sir spoken as iv spoken myself on many occasions with various great british fighters who never get credit
Absolutely agree 100%
Incorrect. Holyfield was the greatest heavyweight of the 90s.
I will never understand a comment like that? Lennox was a star in America doing commercials for American products! Lewis always got & gets crazy live in the US so I don't know why you feel Americans care if the HWC is British cause WE DO NOT CARE! I'm serious & im not trying to be disrespectful @all my brother just talking is all & im serious, where the best athlete is from doesn't matter here in the US. Pacquiao is loved & he can barely speak English lol David Beckham loved & we loved & love Lennox. Respect to you bro I'm just talking
I always used look forward to seeing lennox lewis fight true legend.
@Mercedesman. Tyson only ever knocked out big men who were "has beens" or "never beens". I seem to remember him struggling to beat big men like Mitch Green who were journeymen at best. You just can't answer the question - Name a truly world class fighter under 35 that Tyson actually beat.
Winning 10 rounds to 0 against Mitch Green is struggling?
You could ask the same question about Lennox Lewis.
cujo concep You've answered your own question. Mitch Green was only a journeyman boxer yet Tyson could only beat him on on points.
cujo concep No you can't because Lewis knocked out Tyson and beat Holyfield. It is you Tyson fans that are fishing for excuses because your man could beat neither Lewis nor Holyfield (He has two attempts) Lewis only lost two fights and he avenged both those defeats by knockouts.
cujo concep Perhaps you can answer the question. Can you name one, and I'm only asking for one, world class fighter under 35 (so no Holmes) that Tyson beat during his career? Naturally I'm classing Michael Spinks as a blown up Cruiserweight so not a world class heavyweight.
After the Michael Spinks fight, that’s when Mike’s life really started going to hell. Don King ruined him, he didn’t show a lot of interest in his fights & was going through the motions. Had he stayed w/ Kevin Rooney, he would’ve been undefeated & still the heavyweight champion of the world. I love the man he’s become now. He seemed to have made peace w/ himself & all the things he used to be.
WTF???The whole documentary talks about how Tyson was old and washed up when Lennox was a year older!!!
youre a dumb as fuck....Mike in that time hardly trained...he was most of the time sniffing cocaine
it ain't age, it's mileage.
But Tyson had more demon
It was made by Americans, what do you expect.
He created fear!
No one else did.
never believe the hype and the myth!
I remember all the Tyson fanatics at the time that were so cocksure that he was going to knock Lewis out, it was so satisfying to see Lewis destroy him.
Yeah I was a freshmen in hs. I remember catching the fight that Saturday. N let me tell you, Lennox Lewis put one of the biggest ass whippings ever on mike Tyson in boxing. It was as if a father was whipping his child with a belt after getting suspended from school.
sounds like mayweather (lewis) vs Pacquiao (tyson)
walkwithme yea I've been thinking the same thing
walkwithme please dont ever compare lewis to mayweather, you sound insane. Lewis could be a violent man in the boxing ring when the time came he just has a calm demeanor dont let it fool you. hes definitely no runner, watch the klitcko fight or the holy field fight. tyson was towards the end of his career at this point he had been dealt alot of bad hands with his original trainer dying and prison time and the alleged rape.
@@Redk00laidhe's comparing their style Einstein both of them are outboxers
Wow! They did the legend George Foreman real dirty! “Broadcaster” May as well just put “grill guy”
They put "broadcaster" in there because he was calling the fight
Tyson needed the money..
Tyson wanted a rematch.???
What happen???
Lewis didn’t wanna do a rematch i think he retired after
Tyson and Lewis were great boxers period.
Lewis beat Tyson into humility
Dumbass, read a nook you dummy! Tyson's personal demons were the issue.
professional prize fighting is a extremely dangerous sport🥋🥊!
The thing that gets me about the commentators and comments is the implication that Tyson was too old and some how Lewis was not. Lewis is 10 months OLDER than Tyson. Tyson had been avoiding Lewis all his career 'cause he knew he would get the whooping he finally did.
exactly. people don't like hearing it but Lennox was just better than anyone in his era.
i agree. When he began training under Emanuel Steward he reached his full potential. Lennox was an outstanding champion and deserves more credit for his accomplishments than he receives. He fought the best fighters of his era and won. He was smart enough to know when to step down, and he has his mental faculties intact. He is reputed to have a financial net worth of $35,000,000. I don't think he cares about what the naysayers think. I'm sure that just about anyone who has crawled through those ropes would be more than satisfied to walk in his shoes. Sadly too many outstanding champions are financially broke at the end of their career and necessarily continue to fight because they need the money. And that is when so many become severely impaired for life. There's an old saying...."There was never a horse who couldn't be rode and never a rider who couldn't be throwed." Pride comes before the fall.
Ok if you look at boxing from a age only perspective that would be true. When you look at boxing styles and what it took to condition those fighters than Tyson was WAY past his prime where Lewis would of only been slightly past his prime. Tysons peak was at age 22 Lewis Unified the Title when he was 33. Its not due to their age as much as it is their style of fighting. Tyson required high level endurance and conditioning to swarm a fighter and knock them out much like Frazier, David Tua, and Rocky Marciano. Lewis was a boxer/puncher would could rely on his physical advantages to either win a decision (i.e. Holyfield or Mercer) or score a knock out (Rudock, Tyson). Or in other words if a 34 tyson fights a 35 year old Lewis which one is past his prime the most? Well it depends on the age of the prime. Tyson was 34 with a prime of 22 so he was 12 years past his prime and Lewis was 32 at his prime and was 3 years past his prime. When we watch the fight in 2002 its quite obvious who is more prepared for the fight. It is a long complex answer but makes sense I hope.
So what your saying is you didn't actually listen to LENNOX HIMSELF! LENNOX SAID he was hoping he never fought or had to fight tyson back in the day! Now I could be mistaken but hoping you don't need to do something in the future means you will try to avoid it. Did tyson avoid fighting Lennox because he made Lennox hope he didn't have to fight him for real?? I'll try to make some kinda sense of that but I seriously doubt I will. Just saying....
Yeah that is partially true. I heard Lennox Lewis was Tyson's mandatory when Tyson came out of prison. That Tyson paid Lewis some step aside money. But I don't think Tyson in the 80s was scared of anyone though. Possibly after Douglas beat him and he went to prison yes. People come out of jail and they become cowards. I seen it. You can't blame them though.
I'm not asking for a the "he was over the hill" or "if he'd have faced him at his peak" fanboys to reply but this is my personal opinion. They both peaked at opposite ends of their career thats a fact Tyson first 5/6 years and Lewis last 10/11 years. The one thing I will say is even when he struggled or gave up he never looked as beaten up as he did when he fought Lewis. The Holyfield fights he took some vicious hits but didn't look as bad. Testament to Lewis's underrated power.
to be honest if someone said they would eat your kids you would go to town
+MrDiache If it meant my purse for the fight was going up by ten mill and I knew he wouldn't actually eat my children then he could say whatever he wanted.
Brutal fight tbh if I was lennox I would of at least helping Mike up
+MrDiache lewis is likely gay and never had kids and Tyson knew this , so why he would be offended by that, I'm sure I don't know
I never realized that after fighting McNeeley Tyson honestly barely fought for the rest of his career. Just 12 fights with two of those being the Holyfield matches. He was just never the same after Buster Douglas. Losing Kevin Rooney lost Mike the one person who genuinely wanted what was best for him. Not a bunch of sycophants and enablers trying to profit off what was clearly a downward spiral. Happy to see Mike's doing a lot better now, and maintains a stoic if distant perspective on boxing.
Mike is one of the greatest heavyweight fighters. But, when your reasons for boxing changes, you are no longer the same boxer.
Also, Tyson is a better fighter than Lewis. Why? Think about it. Mike won most of his fights at a disadvantage. Most fighters were taller than him and bigger. The truth is that the style that Mike Tyson used required so much energy that it is very hard to sustain. When a fighter is past 32 and is 6'4 he can use reach and distance. But, when a fighter is only 5'9 he has to use twice the energy to compete. Mike was at an astronomical disadvantage.
Tran Zilla that's a very poor excuse @ best that you're making for Tyson".... even a so-called prime Tyson is no where in the same area code with Lewis".... you sound either ignorant of the boxing game r maybe you're just a hater!... bottom line is that if Lewis was an American, people would be shouting from rooftops how he's the greatest!.
@@synergyhowacquisition3821 I really think you need to study boxing. When Mike Tyson was ranked Lennox Lewis was still in the amateurs. Lennox Lewis never fought Tyson in his prime because Lewis was not even ranked. Lennox Lewis would have got destroyed if he fought a prime Tyson. Lennox was not even ranked in the pros.
If Lennox Lewis would have fought Tyson when Tyson was released from prison then Lennox would have destroyed Tyson. When Mike Tyson was released from prison Tyson was not trying to fight the best fighters, Tyson was only interested in making money.
Further, Don King paid Lennox Lewis somewhere in the Ball Park of 4 million dollars to step aside and not fight Tyson when Tyson was released. A prime Tyson was fighting to win, a washed up Tyson was fighting for money.
@@tranzilla6960 you're the one that needs to study boxing"....... roughly 4 years prior to Lewis and Tyson getting it on, their was an agreement for them to fight!... however, Tyson's camp ended up backing out of that fight, there by forfeiting 4 million dollars to Lewis".... so get out of here with your Tyson mythology shite!. all of you Tyson fanatic fanboys are mesmerized by the Tyson mythos.
God bless you bro. You just reconfirmed what I told you. When Tyson was with Don King that version of Mike Tyson was fighting for money. Why would a no longer prime Tyson fight Lennox Lewis that would have beaten him.
When you are trying to win an argument you can't go with the way you feel you have to go with what actually happened.
This is what actually happened:
1. When Mike Tyson was a Champion Lewis
was not ranked to fight Tyson. That is
what actually happened.
2. When Lennox was in his prime, Tyson was a decent fighter and avoided a fight because Tyson was a marketing machine to make money. Why would Tyson's camp and others help Mike Tyson lose and miss out on a chance of making millions.
Tyson's camp wanted to make money millions not lose bro.
3. Lennox beat a washed up Mike Tyson.
Tyson style is not based on endurance.
It's a 18 to 32 age limit.
Why is this right? Because this actually happened. Why argue with the reality. Base your opinion on what actually happened, not
your feelings or some emotional out cry 😭.
18:09: "He hurt you? What did you think he was here for, to take you on a date? Of course he hurt you." 😂
mike vs lennox 10 years before this fight would be a different story
Yes, lennox would win on decisions
Mike Tyson was a combination of physical and psychological explosiveness and that's what made him great. Mike Tyson, wherever you are, have no regrets for what you've been or done, you couldn't have done it any differently.
If Lennox was American he would be the greatest ever, I find that really childish from some Americans the fact that he's British and there not willing to concede that he was even great
maybe not the greatest ever but kno what u mean americans only cheer and respect their own for instance joe calzaghe was way better than mayweather and isnt appreciated and he even beat roy jones and is still ranked as lower than him
no one wants to be american there time is over in the heavyweight division its the brits that rule the world not over hyped yanks like the cowardly wilder fury could beat this poor excuse with one hand tied behind his back even the over hyped aj would beat wilder long live the brits
Mike still walked through so many of those fucking shots! he really was IRON!
Tyson was fucked after those 3 years in prison. He had one good win after prison and that was against golota.imo...
When I watched this fight back then I was a Tyson fan. Now I'm a Lewis fan..
Tyson was passed it in his prime he would of won
Only time I ever cried after a boxing match .
Love u Mike
Only time I wanted to see him lose.
@@sugs1191 Agreed.
When I saw this fight I couldn't believe how Tyson was. He was gettin his ass whooped. He looked like a shell of his former self. And then Lewis mercilessly ended it with a KO. And when KO'd him he even gave a little shove like "Bitch get on the ground. You're nothing now."
Thats what i was thinking.
Tyson never really fought anybody of note in his prime. It's hard to know how good he truly was - world class for sure, but maybe not the monster he was marketed to be.
+estevenj there was nobody of name Holmes was the only champion of note
+estevenj Michael spinks frank Bruno you could say tony tucker
bigjoeofthe707 I remember watching it live, I predicted Lewis would win before the fight, my mate had Tyson.
really good content. thanks
Mike Tyson, extremely exciting in the ring but just falls short amongst the greats.
True. Tyson after Douglas had not a single notable win.
+Austin Smith Ruddock was a quality win, a very highly ranked dangerous puncher.
+Cobretti20001 Ruddock never beat a top 20 fighter in his entire career. He was big and strong but he was very limited. As I say, never beat a top 20 opponent.
+Jack Kenna I respectfully disagree. I know that Tyson didn't have many top opponents, however he did beat Larry Holmes. I know Holmes had just come out of retirement and got Ko'd, but he came back again a few years later, beat a top fighter, Ray Mercer, and earned a shot against Holyfield. That's how good he was.
I don't think a prime Tyson beats Ali, but I do think that he beats all of Ali's great opponents, Frazier, Foreman, and Norton.
JasonMarshMusic
Respectfully suggest the fact Holmes beat Mercer is a demonstration of how average Mercer was rather than how good Holmes was at that stage of his career. Mercer was big and tough but that's about it. He had no boxing skills to mention and the only quality he ever beat was Morrisson who gave Mercer a battering for 5 rounds before being caught.
Mercer didn't beat another top fighter in his entire career.
Holmes had class but was very much past his best and Mercer was simply very average .
Holmes readily admits to being 6 or 7 years past his prime when he faced Tyson. He was 38 years old, inactive for 2 years (and yet Tyson still couldn't land a glove on him for first 3 rounds).
Very Interesting
tyson was "not" a myth. .he's one of the most ferocious sensational and brilliant heavyweights of all time! !!
What gives you, an aging presenter the right to call mike tyson a myth? ????
The first amendment to the US Constitution.
+Robert King wize guy!
+Robert King and since when did anyone take any notice of the constitution? Obama certainly doesn't!
+Robert King and since when did anyone take any notice of the constitution? Obama certainly doesn't!
The reality is that Lennox was undisputibtly the last emperor!
That was an ass whipping...
It was man.
I don't mean bums in the sense that they are worthless people. I mean that they were not great or even good fighters. That is what Tyson and his management team sought out so he could look impressive. It was a staple of Tyson's career.
For all you Tyson fans I have a list of his wins once he was released from prison: Peter McNeely, Buster Mathis Jr., Frank Bruno, Bruce Seldon, Frans Botha, Orlin Norris, Julius Francis, Lou Saverese, Andrew Golota, Brian Neilson and Clifford Etienne. A bunch of bums, tomato cans, chumps. Here are his losses: Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield (twice), Danny Williams and Kevin McBride. You see Tyson never beat one good fighter on his comeback. He was a bottom feeder plain and simple.
probably because he was past his prime then, dummy
Frank bruno wasnt that bad. All the other ones were chumps. Your right. Lewis beat better fighters. Tbh i dont know if tyson would have handled shannon briggs.
@@michaeljoiner8780 all you tyson nuthuggers always have excuses for his lackluster wins and carefully selected opponents. FACTS!!
"Well spoken and had a nice smile".....Let that sink in.
Lewis wouldnt of beat tyson when tyson was in his prime
There's no debate. Lewis deserves the credit of being the best fighter of his era. Tyson dodged Lewis when young and in his prime. Lewis made no excuses, I never liked Lewis, but he was the best boxer/fighter of that amazing era, as hard as his life was, Tyson ultimately can only blame himself for not fulfilling his potential to have a longer and more consistent reign as heavyweight king!
Tyson never dodged lewis
It was lewis who dodged Tyson
@@theinformationbomber7102 Lewis never dodged Tyson. Tyson avoided him but it was not an outright duck. But imo their era's were not the same.
@@sugs1191 Tyson never avoided Lewis
lewis turned down the offer to fight Tyson
Tyson was done after the first.
Felt that upper cut and thought fuck this
Lennox Lewis was the greatest HW of his era.