The ‘Assassin’ Who Fought Muhammad Ali And Holyfield Calls Mike Tyson And Lennox Lewis Overrated

Tyson still holds the record as the division’s youngest ever world champion, winning the WBC belt in his 28th bout at the age of 20 by blasting out Trevor Berbick in two rounds. He would fight ten more bouts undefeated before a shock loss to James ‘Buster’ Douglas.

Though he paled in his later days after a prison stint, ‘Iron’ Mike kept his ferocity and is accepted as one of the sport’s most devastating punchers. He was beaten six times when all was said and done – a seventh recently against Jake Paul – and that included suffering a stoppage at the hands of Lewis in 2002.

‘The Lion’ would defeat every man he stepped through the ropes with when he hung up the gloves, though three of those wins came at the second point of asking after losses to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman and a draw with Evander Holyfield. Well-regarded as one of the best traditional heavyweights, Lewis mixed power, range and solid fundamentals and really came into his own when partnered up with legendary trainer Emmanuel Steward.

Another man to be considered one of the greatest ever is ‘The Easton Assassin,’ Larry Holmes. Holmes lost to Tyson in 1988 coming off a two-year lay-off. He has always been adamant that he would have beaten ‘Iron’ Mike had he been in his prime, and went as far as saying the big puncher from Brooklyn wasn’t ‘as great as people think’ when speaking to Puncher’s Chance.

“I knew I couldn’t beat Mike Tyson but I wanted to fight Mike Tyson because it was a lot of money and he was strong. I was off for two years, I knew it was gonna be difficult, but I was gonna give it my best shot and that’s what I did. Mike Tyson was not as great as people put him up to be. No way. If I was in shape, if I had more time to train, I’d have knocked Mike Tyson out.”

Holmes also has a lesser view of Lewis than most, telling Boxing News he never rated him.

“Lennox Lewis never impressed me. You know, the guy’s got a punch. He’s big and strong.”

Holmes went 48 fights undefeated at the start of his career and is well known for being the only man to beat Muhammad Ali inside the distance, though, like similar to his Tyson loss, Ali was well past his best and should not have been competing that night.

Holmes had 69 wins from 75 fights. All of his defeats came in world title fights and included big names like Evander Holyfield and Oliver McCall.