FIGHT OF FANTASY: LENNOX LEWIS
rails, and he didn’t fight for over two and a half years. When “The Gypsy King” did return, he was unlucky to receive a draw against Deontay Wilder but later scored two knockout wins over the American, claiming Ring and WBC titles in the first. Fury also enjoyed blockbuster nights against Dillian Whyte (TKO 6) and Derek Chisora (TKO 10) but lost a pair of decisions to the outstanding Oleksandr Usyk (SD 12, UD 12). Both men are very smart and excellent technicians. Could one of them find an edge? How would Lewis, who was usually the larger man, deal with someone even bigger than himself? Or would Fury be found wanting against someone just as strong, skilled and powerful as himself?
behind a solid jab, trying to land right hands over the top and mixing up the rhythm, head to body. I think that Lennox Lewis would need to land more hard, devastating shots to try to put a halt to the fight, whereas I think Tyson Fury would have to rely on will to win and stamina to box his way to a points victory. “I think it would be a 50/50 fight where Tyson Fury would have the range, the grits. However, Lennox Lewis would have the pugilist specialty and might want it more. Ultimately, I think it would go down to Tyson on points.” Prediction: Fury PTS
outbox him first and maybe go for the knockout later on by putting combinations together. “Tyson would try to do what he always does, and that’s outbox people and outthink people. He’s obviously a very intelligent fighter. His feints – he’s great at feinting. I call him the king of the feints. He makes people do things they don’t want to do. He forces fighters into punching when they don’t want to. He’s a great counterpuncher. His size and how long his arms are, it’s very difficult when he’s in unbelievable shape to get near to him. He’d feint, work his jab, straight right hand, put the uppercuts in underneath when you least expect them. “I think it’s a difficult fight for both fighters to fight and a difficult one to score as well. Either one could win the fight. I think Fury would win a very close points decision.“ Prediction: Fury PTS
fighter, astute ring generalship. “The best Fury opposing him would have to be a combination of the clever defensive fighter who dismantled Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 and the Gypsy King who beat up Deontay Wilder in their second encounter. But Fury would need to make it a boxing match, which would have been his best chance. So, defensive awkwardness and heavy hands when needed. “The battle of the jab would have been key in the early rounds. Fury would need to tie up on the inside and get ahead in the fight. Lewis always seemed to warm to the task. Manny Steward and Ben Davison would be in the corners. Both would weigh in around 250 pounds. As they dance, Fury ahead by 5-3 after eight close rounds, Lewis, in my view, then comes into his own. “I spoke to Lewis about the fight with Fury in Miami in December 2025. ‘It would have been a great challenge,’ he concurred, ‘but I would have won by stoppage.’ I believe Lewis would have done so, probably late in the fight. I would also rank Lewis as arguably the heavyweight who could have beaten any heavyweight in any era. But as Lewis also showed twice in his career, even the greats are vulnerable to the KO.“ Prediction: Lewis KO Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk, and you can follow him on X @AnsonWainwr1ght.
VS.
TYSON FURY By Anson Wainwright
Tony Sims World-class trainer
“I think it would be more of a mentally draining fight for both of them. They’re both very smart, intelligent boxers, and I think it would be a fight of the jab and movement. It would be a very difficult fight for both of them. At their peaks, they were very hard people to beat. “I think [Lennox] would probably try to stay [in the] center of the ring and obviously pressurize Tyson. I think he would try to hit him to the body a lot with jabs and bring the right hand over the top. He had a great right hand. I think Lennox would try to
W ho would win a clash between two of Britain’s finest heavyweight champions? Lennox Lewis, the Olympic gold medalist who, in the early 1990s, became the first England-born boxer to win a heavyweight title since Bob Fitzsimmons, then claimed undisputed champion status by the end of the decade? Or Tyson Fury, who made heavyweight history with his upset of Wladimir Klitschko and his unforgettable trilogy with Deontay Wilder? A standout amateur in Canada, where Lennox’s mother relocated the family when he was 12, Lewis defeated Riddick Bowe in the finals of the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul. He turned pro in his native England and collected British, Commonwealth and European titles as he climbed the world heavyweight rankings. In his coming-out party, Lewis stopped dangerous contender Razor Ruddock (TKO 2) in October 1992. He was awarded the WBC title when Bowe, then the undisputed champ, refused to face him. Lewis made three defenses before he suffered a shocking knockout loss to Oliver McCall in September 1994.
Lewis bounced back with a vengeance under Emanuel Steward’s tutelage, defeating a string of top contenders – including Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer, McCall (regaining the WBC belt), Henry Akinwande, Andrew Golota and Shannon Briggs (for lineal recognition) – until he was held to a controversial draw by IBF/WBA titleholder Evander Holyfield in March 1999. However, he outpointed the American legend in their rematch eight months later, unifying all of the major titles. A surprise loss to Hasim Rahman in 2001 lit a fire under him, and he exacted revenge in four brutal rounds. A megafight knockout triumph over Mike Tyson preceded a violent brawl with Vitali Klitschko in June 2003, which Lewis won on cuts. He announced his retirement in February 2004. Meanwhile, Fury’s quality was questionable at times, but, like Lewis, he claimed British, Commonwealth and European honors on his way up. That set the stage for a fight with Ring/ IBF/WBA/WBO ruler Wladimir Klitschko, who lost a points decision upset in November 2015. Fury’s life then went off the
Lawrence Okolie Heavyweight contender, former WBO cruiserweight titleholder “It’s hard for me, because I’ve watched Lennox Lewis and I believe he’s a legend. A great, great fighter, done amazing things in the sport, legendary stuff. But then so has Fury. “They would each have to do the same thing, but it’s about who could do it better, consistently. They both come from the same Kronk school, working well
Gareth A Davies Journalist and broadcaster “A prime Lennox Lewis, which was late ’90s to early 2000s, against the very best Tyson Fury is an intriguing fantasy fight. Lewis: first of the super heavyweight era, undeniable skills, fine jab and finisher’s right hand, allied with a deep composure. Disciplined
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