Lennox Lewis

[ModernMatt]

Looking to start a debate between Canadians and English….and boxing fans in general.

So I’m watching the Olympics 2020 and was watching boxing (with beers) and remembered Lennox Lewis boxed for Canada in 1988.

So what is Mr. Lewis? English or Canadian?

 

[JayE]

If fighters are defined by where they're developed, then he's clearly a Canadian fighter. If you were to ask him, he has pretty consistently said that he sees himself as English/British (not to get into the distinction, but he uses them pretty interchangeably) first and foremost (this did have a fair bit to do with promotion, one would assume, but I'll take him at his word), but he's always given full credit to the role of Canada and its amateur system in him becoming one of the greatest HWs of all time.

 

[ModernMatt]

If fighters are defined by where they're developed, then he's clearly a Canadian fighter. If you were to ask him, he has pretty consistently said that he sees himself as English/British first and foremost (this did have a fair bit to do with promotion, one would assume, but I'll take him at his word), but he's always given full credit to the role of Canada and its amateur system in him become one of the greatest HWs of all time.

From what I read, it sounds like he wouldn’t even get into boxing if him and his mother continued to live in England (or where is Cockney?) He lived there first 12 years, but doesn’t sound like he had or got any boxing training during that time.
Hate to say it, but it sounded like bullying got him into boxing…which happened in Canada.
His mother (as of 2012) still lived in Toronto. Its like “thanks for introducing me into the sport and coaching me”….who he considered a father figure.
Guess Amentur Lewis is Canadian then Pro Lewis is English

Damn, i was hoping to have a deeper convo of this, but we basically figured it out in two posts. No more booze and thread starting for me, hahaha

 

[JayE]

From what I read, it sounds like he wouldn’t even get into boxing if him and his mother continued to live in England (or where is Cockney?) He lived there first 12 years, but doesn’t sound like he had or got any boxing training during that time.
Hate to say it, but it sounded like bullying got him into boxing…which happened in Canada.
His mother (as of 2012) still lived in Toronto. Its like “thanks for introducing me into the sport and coaching me”….who he considered a father figure.
Guess Amentur Lewis is Canadian then Pro Lewis is English

Damn, i was hoping to have a deeper convo of this, but we basically figured it out in two posts. No more booze and thread starting for me, hahaha

He's from East London which is where the Cockney accent comes from (he really doesn't have much of a Cockney accent, though).

 

[Boxiana]

For me and my English friends, we got behind him but it always felt like there was an asterix next to his nationality - I don’t think he became the household name and celebrity he could have been if he’d been “full English”

 

[ThunderL1ps]

A more pressing question is when will he recover his fake English accent? He appears to have lost it. Pip pip.

 

[defjaam]

As far as british or canadian goes, he made it pretty clear at Summerslam 1992, when Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith had their big match.

 

[treelo]

Does anyone really care?

Lewis himself is a bit of a fake, he doesnt really want to be known as being from anywhere.

His pro career started off in the UK as he was offered the most money, Canada isnt really a hotbed for HW fighters..and the US were still crying about Bowe and had the likes of Holyfield competing

 

[Street Samurai]

For what it's worth, yvon michel said the only reason he went to uk was the money. Imo, he's clearly a canadian boxer since that's where he learned to box

 

[Cariñito]

Jamaican

 

[BoxingMMA]

Part of his allure is he never fit anywhere. Looked Jamaican, represented England (as a pro) but deep down was Canadian and the gold was for Canada. Never felt the brits warmed up to him until late in his career where it was obvious he was an all timer.

 

[SaigeVanZant]

As far as british or canadian goes, he made it pretty clear at Summerslam 1992, when Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith had their big match.

This

 

[Jonny Ninja]

One of my all time favs. Imo he’s British Canadian!

 

[Jonny Ninja]

Part of his allure is he never fit anywhere. Looked Jamaican, represented England (as a pro) but deep down was Canadian and the gold was for Canada. Never felt the brits warmed up to him until late in his career where it was obvious he was an all timer.

Some of my pals hated him, and would bet against him based on this. We always used to get together for his fights. I took their money for years! I absolutely cleaned up after the Tyson fight. As if Tyson was gonna win that fight?

 

[Area809]

In recent years, he’s been representing his Jamaican heritage more. Depending on how strong his family kept their Jamaican roots, he might actually identify more with Jamaican culture. After all, his wife is from Jamaica and he seems to spend a large potion of his time there.

 

[GoldenAzazel]

As far as british or canadian goes, he made it pretty clear at Summerslam 1992, when Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith had their big match.

I wonder if he was smoking crack with Davey Boy the night before the match as well.

 

[defjaam]

I wonder if he was smoking crack with Davey Boy the night before the match as well.

No, but he was walking around claiming that he'd beat up any WWE wrestler in a street fight... Then Haku entered the locker room and Lennox ran out of the building.

 

[GoldenAzazel]

No, but he was walking around claiming that he'd beat up any WWE wrestler in a street fight... Then Haku entered the locker room and Lennox ran out of the building.

Smart man

 

[Barge]

Jamaican I think

 

[Olenac12]

African I heard.