By Alexander Venn
25.07 - Lennox Lewis has stated earlier this month that he is only interested in a re-match with Tyson, but would this be wise, given the Brownsville brawlers antics in his last re-match?
Considering the one-sided way in which Lewis delivered the pounding last month in Memphis, would a re-match actually excite anyone? As now, Lewis has shown that Iron Mike is just a ghost of the past, and has been since losing to James Buster Douglas, in Tokyo, quite honestly.
For Tyson, oddly, the future looks good. Tysons grace in defeat against East Hams No.1 is still fresh in the publics mind and other up-and-coming Heavyweights might get a little over confident in respect to a fight with Tyson. Although way past his best, it still took 2 exceptional fighters to tame him (Holyfield and Lewis) and did you notice how many big punches he took before the KO ?
Big money match ups with the likes of the Klitschkos, Rahman or Tua, would be both well matched and entertaining as they can pack a punch too.
For Lewis, the only real fight out there is with Wladimir Klitschko, who possesses dynamite in both hands equal to Lewis and is a fraction taller.
Wladimir also has great speed and timing for a 66 boxer and I remember this from his performance against Monte Barratt at the London Docklands Arena, July 15th, 2000.
He had his brave, but much smaller opponent on the deck a couple of times and I remember a right hook ripping a huge cut on Barratts eye as we watched the replays, it was like a spade through a garden hose.
Yet earlier in the contest, whilst Klitschko was busy swarming Monte with accurate power punches, non punching Barratt fired out a left hook of his own which stopped the Ukranian Giant in his tracks and made him think for a couple of seconds. Also another thing to worry about is how easily he marks up, for example, in his last fight, Ray Mercer was only able to land a couple of shots on the clearly dominant Wladimir, yet the big man began to swell up under both eyes.
A Lewis Klitschko match up would be a great battle of jabs, as both have shown they can snap it out fast, crisp and with bad intention the way Hasim Rahmans head jolted back from them in the 2nd fight with Lewis is a superb example.
It could be close, but I feel Klitschkos fragile skin, untested chin and lack of top level experience would not be enough against the pure class of the Londoner.
And then theres Holyfield. Many have sited the fact he has had many lucky decisions handed to him over the years, which is why hes in the position he is.
Really?
Like the one where, only minutes away from a Gold Medal at the 1984 Olympics, the referee disqualified Holyfield for allegedly hitting on the break?
Or in the 3rd fight with Bowe, when Joe Cortez ignored most of the low blows from Big Daddy?
Or in the 2nd fight with John Ruiz, when he clearly knocked out Ruiz in the 10th with a left hook to the head? (The original hook to the body was not low, and if it was , why did Ruiz not clutch his groin, instead lying spread eagled on the canvas like most KOd fighters do?)
And if you want to argue about Lewis Holyfield I, the fight maybe should have been a draw. If youre fighting for the Undisputed Championship, you should fight accordingly with passion, desire and authority.
What I saw was Holyfield, who struggled to close the range and obviously had a bad night, and Lewis, who indulged in a boring jab fest without actually trying to take the Title.
But the inspirational 39 year old legend is still lurking in the shadows and looks set to challenge the winner of the Ruiz Johnson WBA Title fight or even a 3rd match vs. Tyson, then maybe Lewis. He has stated that he will not retire until he holds the undisputed crown once more and I believe he will.