Why is Lennox Lewis underrated?

[MickyHatton]

Lewis is overrated he never fought anyone in their prime worth mentioning victories against holifiled and Tyson are worthless in terms of greatness achieved.

Greatness achieved being what?

Do you mean ruling and unifying the Heavyweight division?

Or do you mean becoming only the second man in history to regain the Heavyweight crown three times?

Or the first undisputed BRITISH heavyweight champion of the world for over a hundred years?

He beat the best around including Holyfield and Tyson considering that he himself was in his mid to late thirties when he did this the argument about being in their prime and on the way down kind of doesn't stick!

[DamonG]

I disagree with everyone who said it was a dull era for H/W boxing, i think there were more decent boxers, characters and rivalries in the Lewis era than any time before since The likes of Ali. People forget that Holmes was hardly in a competitive fight his whole career, yet he's lauded as one of the greats while Lewis is forgotten.

A couple points:

1. It was a dull era of heavyweight boxing, aside from the Bowe-Holyfield triology, which is about as good as it gets from a heavyweight standpoint as far quality fighters, great fights and pure entertainment.

Here's a list of the major HW champs (WBC, WBA, IBF) in the 90's outside of the Big 4 (Lewis, Holyfield, Tyson and Bowe): Buster Douglas? Michael Moorer? Oliver McCall? George Foreman in his 40's? Bruce Seldon? Frank Bruno?

2. As far as Holmes goes, he made 19 title defenses as a heavyweight, which validates his greatness. Especially when you can slip up (see Lennox Lewis' two unexpected KO losses) on a night you aren't feeling it and lose.

[MickyHatton]

A couple points:

1. It was a dull era of heavyweight boxing, aside from the Bowe-Holyfield triology, which is about as good as it gets from a heavyweight standpoint as far quality fighters, great fights and pure entertainment.

Here's a list of the major HW champs (WBC, WBA, IBF) in the 90's outside of the Big 4 (Lewis, Holyfield, Tyson and Bowe): Buster Douglas? Michael Moorer? Oliver McCall? George Foreman in his 40's? Bruce Seldon? Frank Bruno?

2. As far as Holmes goes, he made 19 title defenses as a heavyweight, which validates his greatness. Especially when you can slip up (see Lennox Lewis' two unexpected KO losses) on a night you aren't feeling it and lose.

The four you mention would hold their own in any era so was it a poor time?, throw in Golota, Ruddock, Grant, Morrison, Wladimir Klitschko and the others you mentioned then you cannot say it was a poor era.

In the Ali era there was four or five top fighters and then a lower brand of good fighters so not that much has changed, I am old enough to remember the Ali Bum of the Month fights so......

Regardless of what is said Lewis was a superb champion and thats that.