LENNOX LEWIS named Evander Holyfield his most difficult opponent, ahead Mike Tyson and Vitali Klitschko.
54-year-old British boxing legend took to Instagram to share his thoughts on who he thought was his most talented rival.
Evander Holyfield has been named by Lennox Lewis as his most difficult opponent
Lewis chose Holyfield to be his most difficult opponent, despite having fought legendary champions Tyson & Klitschko throughout his long career.
Lewis ended his career with a record 41-2-1. His final fights were against Tyson and Klitschko, in 2002 and 2003, respectively.
The Brit ace KOd Tyson after eight rounds of a brutal bout. Klitschko's fight was stopped after Lewis made a massive cut in Lewis' eye.
Even with those epic fights, Lewis' 1999 bout against Holyfield was a boxing legend.
The first fight was a draw. Lewis won the rematch eighteen months later by unanimous decision.
Lewis named Holyfield his most difficult opponent because of the grueling fights.
Lewis said that people are often shocked at his pick but claimed Holyfield's experience as an amateur was invaluable to his career.
Lewis posted this on Instagram: "People seem to really be surprised when I tell people Evander Holyfield wasn't my toughest opponent, but to be distinct from my toughest fight which was Mercer.
It makes sense when you look at the reasons behind it.
"Holyfield has a rich amateur pedigree, which has been a great asset throughout his professional career.
"He began boxing when he was eight years old, and was an Olympic Bronze medalist for 1984.
"Before moving up to the heavyweight, he was a man who cleared out the cruiserweight section to become the undisputed champ and perhaps the best ever in that weight class.
"That's quite a bit of experience, and it's safe for us to say that he had seen all it by the time we met in 1999 for the undisputed heavyweight title.
Evander's professional and amateur experience make it hard to miss the success that he has had in the ring.
"I may tease him about our two fights. He knows I won both fights. But in all seriousness, it's the only man who has been 24 rounds with me."
Lewis stressed the importance of building a successful career from a strong amateur base.
He said, "I cannot stress enough the importance amateur experience.
"The amateurs are your internship to the pros... The more you know about your craft, you will be a better professional."
"Me and Evander's vast amateur experience helped us reach the top of our game.
"In a sport that has no guarantees and where even one error can lead to disaster, it is important to be open-minded.
"So, even though we both have had setbacks in careers, it was very unlikely that we would achieve the success in boxing based on our experiences."
