Lennox Lewis may be Britain’s best ever heavyweight and he’s among the finest modern heavyweights globally.Now he’s had his say on another boxing great – Mike Tyson.Lennox Lewis’ recent appearance on Good Morning Britain threw up some interesting quotes. When asked whether he would have beaten Tyson in his prime, (Lewis did box an older version of ‘Iron Mike’,) the former fighter had no doubts."Yes. I'm a five-dimensional fighter and he's a one-dimensional fighter,” he said (via The Mirror).“Mike Tyson is a great guy in one sense. I knew him when he was younger... I went up to spar with him after the junior world championship where I won a gold medal and his team were saying I didn't box the best guy.“I grew to really like and know him when I was an amateur but then when he went into his pro career I never really knew why he was acting like that.”The pair already have plenty of history. Tyson started a brawl at the press conference in the build up to their 2002 fight. Take a look at the video below.
In calling Tyson a “one-dimensional fighter” Lewis seems to be referring to his aggressive style.
That’s because, due to Tyson’s height – far below the average for a heavyweight – he was forced into a come-forward style which mixed head movement, a great ability to work angles and amazingly heavy hands.
By contrast, Lennox could box on the back foot or the front foot. He could work aggressively off the jab, or look for counters. His height and style gave him a level of versatility that Tyson lacked, despite his huge and undoubted achievements in the sport.
We’re set to see Tyson’s explosive style in the ring again soon. He’s set to face another former boxing legend, Roy Jones Jr, on November 28.