What would have been the ideal year for Tyson and Lewis to have fought?

[MartialMind]

Lennox Lewis is actually a little older than Tyson but he was a late peaker and Mike was a very early peaker.

By the time they fought in 2002, Mike was years behind his prime.

What would have been an ideal year for their fight to have happened to be more fair to both guys?

[The Old LefHook]

Dr. Phibes.

[Rusty Tromboni]

Lennox Lewis is actually a little older than Tyson but he was a late peaker and Mike was a very early peaker.

By the time they fought in 2002, Mike was years behind his prime.

What would have been an ideal year for their fight to have happened to be more fair to both guys?

Interesting question. Sadly, the answer is probably, "never". Obviously, if Cus had lasted a few years longer things would have gone differently. Tyson probably would have continued to develop and improve into the mid-90's when Lewis was coming of age.

But as it is, from the travesty of Tokyo on, Tyson was only an impostor of his old self. Before that, Lewis wasn't ready.

[giant_king]

Man I wish we can get a 80s Mike vs a 90s Lennox and get a real true simulation on what would happen if they fought.A Jack Johnson vs Lennox or Mike would be dope as well

[OctoberRed]

Man I wish we can get a 80s Mike vs a 90s Lennox and get a real true simulation on what would happen if they fought.A Jack Johnson vs Lennox or Mike would be dope as well

That would be the true test, but unfortunately their peaks were reached at different periods.

[emceetns]

Lennox Lewis is actually a little older than Tyson but he was a late peaker and Mike was a very early peaker.

By the time they fought in 2002, Mike was years behind his prime.

What would have been an ideal year for their fight to have happened to be more fair to both guys?

1992, when Tyson went to prison. Both guys beat Razor Ruddock around that time (Tyson did it twice in '91, Lennox in late '92). Maybe 1993 at the latest. Anytime after that and Tyson loses because he clearly wasn't the same guy when he came out of prison. If it's 1991 or earlier then Lennox is probably too green.

[HeadBodyBodyBody]

Pre-prison Mike wins / post-prison Mike loses

I agree with emceetns ^, the best possible time would have been just before Mike went to prison, but realistically, Lennox was still not developed enough I don't think, so I only see a beatdown in Tyson's favour. It's weird how long Lennox took to reach his prime, and I actually wonder if that has something to do with his greater physical stature relative to Mike

[QueensburyRules]

Pre-prison Mike wins / post-prison Mike loses

I agree with emceetns ^, the best possible time would have been just before Mike went to prison, but realistically, Lennox was still not developed enough I don't think, so I only see a beatdown in Tyson's favour. It's weird how long Lennox took to reach his prime, and I actually wonder if that has something to do with his greater physical stature relative to Mike

- -Lewis like Holmes has a major inferiority complex to his superiors.

Like Holmes, he turned pro when Ali, Tyson, and a platoon of ranked fighters were way over them.

Clearly just as nobody would rank Lar over Ali best to best and neither should Lewis ever be over Mike save for the untutored fan boys still in their BigBoy trainers.

[HeadBodyBodyBody]

- -Lewis like Holmes has a major inferiority complex to his superiors.

Like Holmes, he turned pro when Ali, Tyson, and a platoon of ranked fighters were way over them.

Clearly just as nobody would rank Lar over Ali best to best and neither should Lewis ever be over Mike save for the untutored fan boys still in their BigBoy trainers.

Apologies for taking the thread off-track a little, but are you suggesting that Lewis ought to rank lower than Tyson on a list of ATG HWs? Or are you just saying that Tyson would best Lewis prime-for-prime..?

[QueensburyRules]

Apologies for taking the thread off-track a little, but are you suggesting that Lewis ought to rank lower than Tyson on a list of ATG HWs? Or are you just saying that Tyson would best Lewis prime-for-prime..?

- -I'm saying both.

Young Tyson was an electrifying record setting champ consolidating all four titles available to him back then.

Lewie could never defend all his titles because he was busy selling them to DKing.