Lennox Lewis has revealed who he believes to be the best heavyweight of all time in a recent post on social media post.
Debate over the blue ribbon division and its greatest ever champion is a topic of passionate and incessant debate amongst fans, pundits and even fighters themselves.
And when a fan on Twitter claimed in a message to Lewis that Muhammad Ali was not in the top 10 heavyweights of all time, ‘The Lion’ actually responded in agreement with him… sort of.
“You’re right, he’s not top 10. . . he’s number 1.”
You’re right. He’s not top 10… he’s number 1.
— Lennox Lewis, CBE, CM (@LennoxLewis) April 4, 2023
Still by far boxing’s biggest icon and even nicknamed ‘The Greatest,’ there aren’t many who would argue too strongly with Lewis’ view that Ali stands alone atop the all time heavyweight rankings.
From his stunning win over the feared Sonny Liston to burst onto the world scene, an epic trilogy with Joe Frazier that produced arguably the greatest fight of all time and, when thought to be past his best, upsetting the bookmakers’ odds to defeat the fearsome George Foreman in the baying Kinshasa heat; Ali truly boasts a legacy like no other heavyweight since.
Lewis himself could stake a legitimate claim to the all time heavyweight thrown, but for his modesty and clear level of admiration for Ali.
The British born Canadian national was the greatest of a standout era in the 90s, holding wins over iconic competitors such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Vitali Klitschko.
Lewis’ only two defeats were upsets to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman, both of which he avenged in conclusive fashion.
With heavyweight boxing fans more aware than ever how rare a feat an undisputed king in the division is, Lewis was the last man to hold that title back in 1999.