If the immediate rematch between Lewis and Vatali were made in 2003

Impossible to say for sure who would have won the rematch, there are too many factors that could have effected the result.

Lewis had been talking of retirement for some time and based upon his weight and his recent inactivity (Having only fought once the year before), it's clear he wasn't as motivated as he had been during his prime. The fact Lewis didn't take the rematch suggests he may not have been able to get himself in the same kind of condition he normally did.

Vitali suffered horrible injuries in the first fight and was cut again above the same eye only a year later against Sanders, so it's very possible he could get stopped on cuts again.

Had the remtach happened I would have favoured Lewis. I can't imagine Lewis coming in any worse shape than he did in the first fight despite being unmotivated. Lewis was turning the tide in the first fight and Vitali was no longer having the same success he had early on and in that kind of scenario I'd favour a better conditioned Lewis to finish what he began in the first fight and walk Vitali down and stop him. Lewis was having no problem landing on Vitali with regularity once he had adjusted for Vitali's height and this time round he had already figured him out. Lewis by KO.

 

Vitali was already in top shape in the first fight unlike Lewis. When has Vitali ever come in unprepared? Vitali is a consummate professional in that regard.

Vitali would have been more aware in the rematch of what to expect but it doesn't mean he would have figured out an effective counter to what Lewis was doing in the last few rounds of the first fight.

Lewis showed in the first fight that despite being under prepared he could adapt in the ring. Vitali was actually out boxing Lewis. But Lewis adapted, he tightened his guard, found the range with his own jab and started walking Vitali down and Vitali didn't show anything in the first fight to suggest he had come up with anything to counter that.

 

42 think lewis will knock out vitali?

A prime lewis maybe, but i doubt a shot lewis would (not by a cut of course!)

 

Lewis already had him figured out, Lewis by TKO 4

 

I really think as great as Vitali is, and that admittedly Lewis was fading from his peak years and getting on a bit, that Lewis really did underestimate Vitali - never seen Lewis fight that way before - looked liked he'd almost abandoned his boxing skills...it was just a war - walking Vitali down, taking big shots just to land his own in the belief that Vitali wouldn't be able to handle it and would crumble....but evidently he was wrong and had underestimated Vitalis chin!

Had the rematch happend, I think Lewis would have boxed more and been less for a walk down brawl type fight. Every chance those old cuts on Vitali could've ended the 2nd fight as they did the first. I'd go Lewis TKO again or UD, but it never happend and so we can arugue till the cows come home as seems to routinely happen on here. Sure way to make a thread that will run for ages...if its a Vitali v Lewis thread.

 

Definitely :deal

 

Because a focused better prepared Lewis beats most heavyweights in any era and Vitali is no doubt an ATG but there's no way he beats prime or slightly past prime Lewis. A shot to **** Lewis he comes close to beating and the rematch would have been closer than Vitali and Lewis fans think. 235 being his bet weight IMO, when he was a lot more athletic but being much older I think 245 (10lbs lighter than the first fight) would have been a good estimate of were Lewis would have come in at. With manny Steward Lewis would have been given a good game plan and would be able to execute it rather than going into a complete slugfest. Vitali's tactics would have been near enough the same. Roughen up Lewis and slug it out. This time Lewis is a lot more Tactical but still gets into the odd scrap on the inside hugging and holding but he keeps it fairly clean. All in all I'd say a close decision 116-112/115-113 for Lewis or via late stoppage as Vitali would gas again in the early mid rounds. I still don't discount Vitali and he'd would have a good chance of nicking it or even KO Lewis but on the basis of the first fight and the direction it was going before it was stopped I'll take Lewis.

... Don't even know what to say to this **** post. Vitali hardly won the mental battle. Lewis wasn't getting out of their any time soon and with or without the cut, if you look at round 6 Vitali ended the round in worse shape then Lewis.

Shot to **** Lewis would still outbox Vitali however not knowing what to expect in this fight (same for Vitali in this instance) Lewis got drawn into a brawl.

Obviously your a big Klitschko fan but be honest. Does it actually make you feel good that Vitali, probably about 15 on your top heavyweights list would have beaten a shot to **** Lewis in a rematch. Does it make you feel better the fact that Lewis 'glass chin' was broke by Rahman and McCall yet supposedly the most powerful puncher in heavyweight history Vitali couldn't? does it make you feel better that a Prime Lewis KOs Vitali with little problem (and if you think otherwise your trolling)?

 

Who the **** is Vatali ? I think Vatali will lose, but Vitali will win ....

 

The absolute worst version of Lewis beat the best version of Vitali.

'Nuff said.

 

Yes, Vitali was prepared...but it was a 2-week notice fight, as Vitali was preparing to face someone else. Obviously more time to train for Lewis, study Lewis, etc... would have helped.

And the Lewis being out of shape talk is pure BS. Lewis was 5lbs more than his usual? So what?? That's nothing. Vitali weighed 243 against Adamek, and 252 against Arreola...and he was in great shape for both of those fights.

Lewis being old, and "shot" is also BS. Lewis was 37-years old, and in his 44th fight. Vitali is 40, and has had 45 fights in boxing, plus many in kickboxing.

 

Absolutely incorrect on both counts.

I don't know what the "worst" version of Lewis was...but it's certainly not the Vitali fight (perhaps Rahman I).

And Vitali got BETTER after the Lewis fight. Not only in his experience, but Vitali also has much better training methods now than he did back then. And the proof is in how Vitali looks. Vitali had a "lankier" look to him if you watch his earlier fights, including the Lewis fight.

 

Everyone agrees they gave us a great fight, I dont think the rematch would be as exciting.

Lewis would have a lot more respect for Vitali & would adopt different tactics & come in better prepared.

Vitali might last the distance but I'd favour Lewis TKO/KO in the 2nd half of the fight as Vitali tires & slows down.

 

1. Personal opinion here but the less vitali knew about Lewis the better. The reason why vitali did so good was because he just brawled. Didn't try to box with Lewis because if he did he would have got UD

2. Lewis was no doubt out of shape. His natural weight was about 230-235 in his peak athletically. Mentally and tactically his peak was when he was slightly over weight at about 240-245 when fighting the likes of Holyfield. Even in the Holyfield fight he wasn't at his prime. He fought Viali years later and it was the slowest, most over weight and worst conditioned Lewis we had ever seen

3. being out doesn't mean **** about primes. B-Hop IMO is just as good as he was now than when he was at his late 30s. Fighters age differently. Fighters take care of themselves better than others so that point is completely irrelevant. You could also argue Lewis has a lot of amateur fights. His record was 90-10 or something along them lines

 

He was awful against Vitali. Heaviest he's come in and I don't think Ive seen lennox so unbothered about a fight. He generally just couldn't be bothered. Good point with the Rahman 1 fight I'd say he was on par in terms with how bad he was in both fights.

Definatley agree with your second point. I think you could argue that Danny Williams was a prime Klitschko, however the current Vitali looks as dominant as ever. Much like Bhop, and with Lewis in some sense that as his physical attributes have began to decrease his technical and mental attributes have increased. Very hard to say when a prime vitali was.

 

Lewis knew his skills were and had diminished. He knew he no longer had the level of hunger or dedication required. If the rematch happened, Lewis would only be there for financial reasons, no other reason, and that's why Vitali would have Won a rematch.

Personally, I do believe Lewis was initially going to go through with a rematch, but then his mother, Violet had a good talk with him, and that was it.