How Much Greater Could Lennox Have Been If Vitali Didn't Retire Him?

Had Vitali not retired a 37 year old Lennox, who had the style (not the chin) to continue for another 3 years or so, how much more could he have accomplished?

He could've had potential fights with Wladimir, Byrd, even an undefeated* RJJ, there were many legacy boosting fights to be had.

He has a good resume, don't get me wrong. It's just that he was KO'd cold in his prime too many times to reach the heights of greatness he was probably capable of. Had he not been retired early, his legacy could've gained that extra boost to put him in a slightly higher regard over the years.

What do you think, ESB?

 

You are a ****in spastic whose boxing knowledge wouldn't fill a quarter of the back of a postage stamp.
Post your score for the fight.

 

Like you said . . . there was no of quality left to fight. so since he retired at the above average age of 37, after ripping the young hungry lions face off, He will be remembered as the last great heavyweight champ who reign over the division at it one of its highest moments.

 

Tko 6

 

This post, along side your vcash total, lead me to only believe ydksab! Lewis was koed twice, correct me if im wrong but didint vitali quit twice? difference was that lennox avenged both defeats in brutal fashion. Did vitali? This is why your butthurt and making these threads. Lewis has better wins than vitali, was in a much tougher era than vitali, had the fight continued.... would have ended vitali. deal with the fact your hero lost. In a brutal face re-arrangement.

 

troll.........as a huge Klitschko fan, i don't understand why people like you spend so much time trying to discredit the Lion????
had the Klitschkos never existed, a motivated Lewis would still be relevant today...easily holding a belt....

but thats a fantasy scenario...just like its fantasy to talk about a vitali rematch, a wlad match...byrd, brewster, sanders, bowe matches

the man retired at the right time...sadly many champs do not...respect his great career ffs

 

I have a hUnch this guy doesn't like Mr. Lewis :huh lol

 

Okay, I'll bite...


Lewis would have fought Vitali again, and probably would have beaten him rather decisively. Vitali would never go on to be a champ, and would not have as good of a reputation as he does now. Thus, Lewis would actually hurt hisown legacy, by diminishing Vitali's.

Then he could have beaten a few more guys like Ruiz, and all those King fighters of that era. Nothing particularly legacy boosting. I guess he could have went for a title defense record.

With Lewis still active, Wlad never hooks up with Steward. Wlad does not work his way back up the ladder after the Sanders defeat, and if he does, he just gets demolished by by a 40 year old Lewis.

Now really old and really slowing down. Lewis retires with the belt, and his legacy is not much better off then how it turned out in reality.

When Lewis retired and said there's nothing left for him to prove, he was right. There were no more challenged left after he pummeled Vitali's face into mush.

 

are you competing for the worst post on ESB ?

because you're going the right way about it.

oh, and jones? really?

 

To start with, i didn't even read the post but only the title... Vitali didn't retire Lennox, father time did and a new era, a very poor one started in HWT Boxing. Lennox became great when he kayoed Tyson the way he did and the way Evander already have done, plus he unified the titles with those two matches against Evander and what else does one need to do other than retire undfeated and undisputed Champ? There was nothing else to do but to stop again Vitali or Wladimir...

 

I don't think Lewis could have enhanced his greatness if he continued after losing to Vitali. The defeat signaled the end for Lewis. If anything, it was the perfect moment to retire. Think about it: Lewis was outclassed, defeated, took a beating, and was on his way to being KO'd when he got lucky and escaped on a technicality. Afterwards, Lewis realized there was no point in pushing his luck.

 

He'd beaten eveeryone there was to fight. Why not retire on top?

 

Tko6

 

Lewis was going downhill, the only reason he looked so good against Tyson was that Tyson looked completely ****, against Vitali he came in overweight, out of shape and just didn't look like he had the hunger and vigor of his younger opponent....

Lewis was much more experienced at that point than Vitali was, even though he was the shadow of the great Lennox of the 90's he still gave Vitali his toughest fight to date

if he hadn't retired, he would of been forced to defend his title against Vit in a rematch, it seems he'd had enough and called it quits, shame that they aren't around the same age and never met Prime vs Prime, then the nuthuggers of either fighter would be silenced, and no 20 new "Lewis vs Klitschko" threads would be popping up every week

 

Manuel Charr is going to retire Vitali.