Lennox Lewis had 32 knockouts from his 41 wins, combining raw power with technical skill.
‘The Lion’ was undisputed heavyweight champion and beat every man he shared the ring with, though three at the second time of asking.
Those rematch victories came against Oliver McCall, Hasim Rahman and Evander Holyfield. Though he drew with Holyfield, Lewis was stopped by both McCall and Rahman, forcing himself to recover both mentally and physically before getting revenge.
Reflecting on his career with the Ring Magazine, Lewis was asked to name the fighter who had the best chin – the hardest to hurt – and did not hesitate to pick McCall.
“Oliver McCall. There is no doubt. He was Mike Tyson’s sparring partner for years and had ‘cracking’ reflexes.”
Lewis and McCall’s first encounter took place on September 24, 1994, when McCall shocked the world by knocking out the then-undefeated Lewis in the second round to capture the WBC heavyweight title.
McCall, a heavy underdog, landed a devastating right hand that sent the British champion to the canvas, leading to a major shake-up in the heavyweight division.
The rematch, held on February 7, 1997, was even more surreal and remains infamous for McCall’s bizarre behaviour in the ring. Fighting for the vacant WBC title, the American refused to throw punches for long stretches and broke down in tears mid-fight. Referee Mills Lane was ultimately forced to stop the bout in the fifth round, awarding Lewis a technical knockout victory and the belt.
McCall would recover and return, and, controversially, is still fighting to this day. Despite that stoppage loss, he has never been put down on the canvas from a punch.
