Dont think it was a terrible stoppage but Larry Holmes was in worse shape when he was floored by shavers and snipes..
I think there was a slight chance of him recovering but if he took another shot in that round he'd be out cold.
This. If you think it was a good stoppage, you need to stop watching boxing forever. Would he have been beaten anyway? Most likely, but an undefeated heavyweight champion on his feet should have absolutely been allowed to continue.
Lennox folded up like a deck chair. A lot of injury and deaths around boxing at the time. Good stoppage.
Yes it was a fair stoppage. But most of the men Lewis is compared to would have been allowed to continue - Louis, Liston, Johnson, Ali, they all would have got a chance to defend their title. Changing Lanes works both ways. So yes it was fair, but the facts must be recognised.
:good no doubt. i love all the "if" and WOULD OF" factors. IF McCall hit him again IF He WOULD OF knocked him out anyway HE WOULD have seriously hurt him thank god that ref wasnt calling any arturo gatti fights, he wouldnt be known as the warrior he is now because he would have never been given the chance to come back when on the brink of defeat.
thats normally a benefit given to champion and even challenger in one of the highest profile fights there is, the heavyweight championship. it was round 2 and 1 punch. you have to give the champion the benefit of the doubt and give him a chance.... if anyone was around or remembers, it was a don king opponent (mccall) and a ref that was considered a WBC ref and had worked alot of don king cards...it was a shady stoppage. this is the respect that should have been given to Lewis [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OqUX87c8Ak[/ame]
Watched this fight live (not in person though). thought then, and now, it was the right call. Lewis had no legs, and that's one thing the refs look at. that and his eyes, so obviously the ref saw something and made the right call.
I think this was a premature stoppage. Lewis probably would have been knocked right back down, but the ref denied him the opportunity to try and recover.