Prime Joe Frazier vs Prime Lennox Lewis

Frazier's my all time favorite so I had to vote for him, but in all likelihood, Lewis is probably to much.

 

Lewis takes him out, throws the jab to get Frazier rolling, then feints the jab and times it with an uppercut, if Lewis was insistent on not backing up, he gets him out even quicker, he wouldn’t have to back up, Frazier would come forward, and Lewis wouldn’t move back, they’d clinch and Lewis would shove Frazier back and make Frazier know that it’s him that’s going to be forced back, and Frazier can’t do anything off of the backfoot especially against someone like Lewis, and Lewis isn’t backing up, when Frazier commits, Lewis can counter more efficiently since he doesn’t need to shift his weight from the back foot to the front foot, since he’s already on the front foot, Frazier is a sitting duck for Lewis on the backfoot.
The styles say this wouldn’t be competitive.

 

Bad stylistic and physical matchup for Joe … I voted Lewis but I think this is absolutely one fight where Joe’s heart and determination and work rate could pull him through because Lewis’ stylistic and physical advantages don’t include the raw power of a Liston or a Foreman although Lewis certainly was by no means feather gloved.

 

I'd be rooting for Frazier, but I would expect Lewis to stop him inside of 5.

 

60/40 in favor of Lewis. Devon and PRW94 both raised great points

 

Bad fight for Joe.
But I'll tell you something... he'll go out on his shield that man!

 

Frazier doesn't have a good right hand to KO Lewis which Lewis is vulnerable to and Frazier is simply too small. Lewis would also use his very good uppercut to good effect against the smaller bobbing and weaving Frazier.

I think Lewis stops Frazier in all honesty.

 

His uppercut was substantial but I don’t see him lifting Frazier off his feet with it like Foreman practically did and Liston would likely do. That’s why I don’t think this is an absolute done deal even though I voted Lewis and every cell in my brain is telling me Lewis.

 

Frazier grinds up Lewis and spits him out over 15 rounds...George Foreman couldn't keep Joe on the mat,,neither will Lewis and a KO is Lennox's only chance for victory. Frazier only lost to Ali and Foreman, he wasn't sparked out by the likes of Rahman or McCall and didn't struggle with a waaay past it Holyfield. The needle on Lewis's Lewis gas tank reads empty after round 12 and he wilts in the last 3 rounds and gets stopped.

 

Lewis by stoppage. Odds even more in Lewis favor if the 3 knockdown rule is applied.

 

I have to favor Lewis but Frazier would be tough and game as always.

 

Lewis both knocks down and mightily rocks Frazier in the early rounds, and seems mostly to be irritated with him rather than competed with. Joe is coming forward but it's obvious he's not warmed up. Lewis runs him into a couple of jabs and short right hands, but precious few land flush (the first is the one that floored him, a chopping right).

From the 6th round on, however, Frazier is warmed up and knocking the hell out of the body and Lewis is just not really landing much. Every time Lewis pushes Joe off and and tries to keep him at jabbing range the latter is all over him, smothering him and pounding his ribs and hips. The difference in Joe's aggressiveness, accuracy, and punch output is marked in comparison to the early rounds, he actually makes Lewis grimace, both with the force of the body shots and his relentless, ferocious further motion. Frazier seems almost like a prime Henry Armstrong this night.

Lewis starts to come apart in the last half of the fight, Joe's smokin is making him miss the uppercut and eat that ruin-your-whole-month left hook in punishment. Without being able to keep Joe either at range or stop him with uppercut Lewis is pretty much resorting to pushing and wrestling. The last two rounds feature Frazier mugging, he knows he's pulled ahead. Lewis isn't landing anything with weight, while Frazier keeps up the hooks and overhands.

Frazier looks the worse for wear at the end, and Lewis took the first five rounds (plus the only knockdown). The rest of the night, however, was indubitably Joe's, scoring a unanimous though more-than-respectfully-close decision.

 

Which Lewis are we talking about here? The young Lewis that destroyed Ruddock would actually have a good chance of blowing Frazier away.

The 97-02 cautious version would also have a chance of blowing Frazier away but because he would likely box instead of attack, it gives Frazier an outside chance of coming strong late.

Lewis was hurt by left hands (Holyfield in both fights and vs Briggs) and Frazier has a better left hook than either guy. Frazier is also a terrific body puncher, something that Lewis didn't face that much of in his career.

Lewis by decision IMO with a chance of either an early Lewis TKO win or a late Frazier tko win.

60-40 Lewis.

 

I agree with most of this except I favour Lewis to box cautiously & Frazier to win as a result. It’s Lewis’ fight to lose, but I think he would. The prime Lewis would just be too cautiously respectful (see the Tyson fight) & the chance to win big early consequently slips from his grasp IMO.