Steward: Lennox Lewis would do the things he was trained to do, Wladimir doesn’t

By Boxing News - 06/07/2011 - Comments

Image: Steward: Lennox Lewis would do the things he was trained to do, Wladimir doesn'tBy Dave Lahr: Trainer Emanuel Steward must be completely frustrated with his inability to get his fighter IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (55-3, 49 KO’s) be more aggressive in the ring and do the things that Steward has been trying to teach him for the past seven years since first signing on with Wladimir back in 2004. No matter how hard Steward tries, Wladimir doggedly stays passive and is unwilling to take risks in the ring.

Steward compares Wladimir unfavorably with Steward’s best heavyweight Lennox Lewis, saying this to Sky Sports News: “The difference between him [Wladimir] and Lennox is Lennox would actually do the things he was trained to do. Wladimir actually holds back. He actually has more talent than any of the other heavyweights, but Lennox was the best heavyweight I have worked with because he did what was necessary.” We really didn’t need Steward to tell us that Lewis was a better fighter in his day than Wladimir is now because it’s apparent from watching a one minute clip of Lewis fighting.

It doesn’t matter which fight you pick from Lewis’ career, he simply was more engaging than Wladimir and not afraid to let his hands go. Wladimir seems terrified to throw his right hand much of the time. Say what you will about Lewis, he was never fearful of throwing right hands or left hooks. Lewis would let his hands go. Lewis also was a bigger puncher with his right hand. He didn’t have Wladimir’s speed, left hook power or the same kind of power on his jab, but what made Lewis better was that he was willing to at least fight. He didn’t sit back and try to jab his opponents into submission the way that Wladimir does. Lewis was better than Wlaidmir, and that should be academic at this point. Both Lewis and Wladimir were former Olympic super heavyweight gold medalists but Lewis was able to apply the things that he was taught by Steward and become a better fighter. When Lewis learned how to throw an uppercut, he became almost unbeatable. Wladimir still can’t throw an uppercut after all these years.



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