Can the cheetah beat the lion?

It depends on what you mean by 'beat'.

If it is in speed, the cheetah is one of the fastest things in the world. However, lions have more willpower and stamina when out hunting.

If it is strength/fights lions would tend to win a fight because their weight and strength is a lot greater than a cheetahs because they are muscular but haven't got the strength.

If it is in height/weight the lion would win because they are naturally larger wild cats and eat more when the cheetah spends its days racing unlike the lions who tend to laze about waiting for the lionesses to bring back their food.