Lennox Lewishas no doubt that who the greatest heavyweight in the history of boxing is.
Lewis himself had an extraordinary professional career, which began not long after he walked away from the 1988 Olympic games in Seoul, South Korea with a super-heavyweight gold medal.
After Riddick Bowe vacated his WBC heavyweight title in 1992, ‘The Lion’ was declared the new champion and made several successful defences before he was beaten by Oliver McCall in 1994, although he would avenge this shock defeat 3-years later.
Lewis would go on to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion when he defeated Evander Holyfield via unanimous decision in their 1999 rematch, after they fought to a split decision draw in their first encounter just 8-months prior.
Despite himself having a case as the best in boxing’s top division, he does not feel that way.
Responding to a post on his X account, Lewis made no mistake in naming Muhammad Ali as, without question, the best big man to have ever laced up the gloves.
You’re right. He’s not top 10… he’s number 1.
— Lennox Lewis, CBE, CM (@LennoxLewis) April 4, 2023
Ali, just like Lewis, entered the professional ranks just months after he won an Olympic gold medal. ‘The Greatest’ had been a professional for four years when he beat Sonny Liston at the beginning of 1964 to become world heavyweight champion for the first time in a sixth round stoppage victory.
His career was put on hold between 1967 and 1970 after his refusal to take part in the Vietnam War. He defeated the likes of Floyd Patterson, Ken Norton and Joe Frazier in the years that followed his return to the ring, before he eventually reclaimed the heavyweight championship in that historic victory over ‘Big’ George Foreman in 1974’s ‘The Rumble In The Jungle’.
